Women’s political leadership in East Africa with specific reference to Uganda* Introduction Over the past ten years, a number of countries in East Africa and the Great Lakes region have undergone a process of political transition following a period of conflict. In countries such as Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), there has been a significant improvement in women’s participation in decision making following the period of conflict. However, a number of challenges exist that need to be addressed. These include: translation of the political gains into changes in women’s status at all levels of society; the issue of quantitative versus qualitative representation that clearly addresses the needs of women; legislative and policy reforms that support and promote women’s advancement; maintaining the gains; the role and position of women in multi-party politics; establishing effective links between female politicians and the women’s movement; and the contribution of women’s political participation to peacebuilding processes in the region. This brief explores the notion of women’s political leadership in East Africa with specific reference to Uganda. Key factors in women’s political participation In any discussion on women’s leadership it is imperative to first divulge in the factors that actually dictate their level of participation in any given society. Theorists have pointed out social, economic, political and cultural factors that significantly influence women’s political participation. Yoon proposes four social, economic and cultural aspects that guide women’s access to political leadership. The first is access to education. Education instils interest in political matters and educated women would be more adept to seek elective office. The United Nations Development Report of 2000 reports Sub-Saharan Africa’s female educational enrolment rates to be the lowest globally. Norris and Inglehart reiterate the power of social structure: women find it challenging to enter elective offices because they also have to deal with issues like poor childcare, low literacy levels, inadequate health care and poverty. Commonwealth Governance 32 Handbook 2013/14 The second factor that influences female political participation is their non-participation in the labour force. Women who find themselves in the formal wage labour force are more likely to enjoy more chances of political leadership. They have greater financial independence as well as higher levels of self-esteem. Women in Sub-Saharan Africa are frequently employed in the informal sector or involved in subsistence agricultural activities. Active women in the formal labour force are in the minority. A focus on socio-economic development does not fully explain the obstacles to female political leadership, as a comparison between countries such as Canada (where more than 20 per cent of parliamentarians are women), the United States (13 per cent) and South Africa (30 per cent) clearly illustrates. In Sub-Saharan Africa, one of the world’s poorest regions, 13 out of 39 states’ parliamentary seats are filled with at least 15 per cent women. In other words, some ‘poor’ countries currently have more women representatives in government than some ‘rich’ countries do. The economic condition of a country is nevertheless an important factor in women’s access to the political sphere. Due to the fact that women are often solely responsible for the management of households, any adverse economic fluctuations impact them directly. Preoccupation with fighting for survival reduces women’s interest in competing for elective office. A final yet significant factor to consider is culture. Patriarchal thought in particular limits opportunities for women, especially in the political sphere where patriarchy deems women subordinate and unsuitable for positions of leadership. An egalitarian culture fosters women's involvement in electoral politics, but hierarchical culture impedes it. How favourably or unfavourably the society views women's involvement in politics depends on where its culture lies in the egalitarian-hierarchical cultural spectrum. Political or institutional variables are perhaps the most important to consider when exploring female political leadership. Yoon argues for the importance of contemplating the role of party system fragmentation, Rebecca Kadaga * Paper prepared by Rt Hon Rebecca Kadaga MP, Speaker of the Ugandan parliament, for the Commonwealth Secretariat at the Tenth Commonwealth Women’s Affairs Ministers Meeting (10WAMM) in Dhaka, Bangladesh, 17–19 June 2013.
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