VIOLATION OF RIGHTS AT WORK

Segregation in Occupation

Though the country is trying to promote and empower women, the gap is still wide when it comes to job opportunities e.g. the recent appointment of ministers in government: out of sixty nine ministers only fourteen are women which is 20% women representation. In 2003, Uganda ratified ILO convention No. 100 of 1951 on equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value and also Convention III of 1958 which promotes equality of opportunity and treatment in employment and occupation, as a means to eliminate all discrimination. But when it comes to implementation the problem remains.

Abuse of Rights in Job-recruitment

l First priority is always given to males regardless of qualifications. Women are looked as baby- manufacturers who are forever on leave causing a loss to the company.

l Some women are abused by men sexually before giving them employment.
l Most women are employed in low-paying jobs and have low status jobs. Consequently, women are inferior to men in matters such as mortality, mobility, power and income.

Discrimination in Employment
l
Promotions: most promotions in jobs go to men.
l Education and Training opportunities: Men are offered these privileges more than women.
l Wage differentials or salary inequalities: Women earn less for doing the same job as a man, even if they have
the same qualifications.
l Retrenchment: Women are always the first target; this means women are forced out of the formal sector and are forced to enter the informal sector where their rights are further at risk.

Occupational segregation on the basis of sex will not be totally eliminated but can be reduced – if women were freer to choose their occupation and employers were more considerate. The norms of the ILO conventions and the Employment Act which was recently passed in parliament would help immensely if men and women can work jointly to implement them.

As culture also has a role to play in this unfortunate situation it is our wish that the Domestic Relations Bill whose objective is to reform and consolidate the law relating to marriage be passed. The Bill would also cover separation and divorce for the types of recognized marriages in Uganda, define marital rights and duties, spell out rights of parties on dissolution of marriage. All this will be possible if UHESWO embarks on an active program of sensitization of people.

Betty Nassaka is Chairperson of UHESWO

VIOLATION IN THE NAME OF CULTURE

A culture refers to the customs, beliefs, art, music and all the other products of human thought made by a particular group of people at a particular time.

Examples of culture in Uganda include Buganda culture, Banyankole culture, Bakiga culture, Sebei culture etc.

Female Genital Mutilation

This is commonly referred to as female circumcision. It is popular in the Sebei culture.

It is not bad to respect culture, but the rights of humans – including women – are paramount. Many women contract diseases because of the unsterilised objects used; there is severe pain and many have even lost their lives due to this barbaric practice.

Forced Marriages

Marriage should be a legally accepted relationship between a woman and a man in which they live as husband and wife with consent. Some Ugandans rubbish this idea, since they believe that their daughter should marry when the parents feel like it, breasts have developed on their daughter’s chest, a potential partner comes from a rich family. Parents are generally poor, and exchange their daughters for a consideration of money – called bride wealth. The will and consent of the girl/woman is rarely ascertained. No woman can ever enjoy her marriage unless there is consent and an element of readiness.

Attribution of Misfortune to Women

Women in Uganda are the victims of circumstance. This is mainly as a result of superstitions and myths in the different cultures.

Many men cancel their activities because they have crossed/met a woman somewhere – because women are a sign of bad luck. Women are often blamed for infertility, even before a medical report is obtained. When a child is born, if the gender is not that desired by the men, if a child is born with a deficiency, or even if there is a miscarriage, it is the woman who is blamed.

Deprival of Inheritance Rights

There are cultures in Uganda which totally deprive the girl child of her parent’s property. Worse, those who inherit the property usually give little or no assistance to the girls – even if the girl is going to school or college.

In addition to the above, women have been violated in other spheres like social life where they are segregated during worship. They also have fewer chances of participating in village or clan leadership.

I humbly call upon the female Humanists to fight for the rights of women especially as violated by cultures. Our approach should be scientific and democratic.

Barbra Nakatemwa is Vice chairperson of UHESWO

VIOLATION IN THE NAME OF RELIGION

Reproductive Rights

It would be good if a woman were given the right to have the number of children that she is able to manage. Some religions do not allow women to use family planning methods. This has led to the birth of many children whose mothers are unable to look after them due to poverty.

Some religions regard women as a property of men. Women are not allowed to work or to move out of the house. This mind set means that education of the girl child is not encouraged – boys are educated and girls are prepared for marriage.

There are religious cults which do not allow women to eat some types of food e.g. egg, meat and fish – food that would be beneficial to women’s health and which would help women gain resistance to many common diseases.

Some religions in Uganda deny women access to proper medical care – and they do not allow blood transfusions. Sick women are encouraged to pray for recovery – many die as a consequence.

Humanists have to focus on the dangers of religion to women in Africa. We should seriously adopt science to help our fellow women to develop rationally and intellectually through reason and scientific discovery.

These religions which oppress women should be opposed and rejected by us.

Erinah Nabbanja is a Committee member of UHESWO