Women of Uganda Network

08/05/2026

04/05/2026

🎉 WOUGNET at the RISE/E Annual Review & Learning Workshop!

We were delighted to join Sightsavers and NUDIPU on 29–30 April 2026 for the 2nd Annual Review and Learning Workshop of the RISE/E Project, Ready for Inclusive, Sustainable Employment/Entrepreneurship, supported by the Standard Chartered Foundation.

This inspiring project is expanding decent employment opportunities for young people with and without disabilities across Kampala, Wakiso, and Mukono by building skills, supporting small businesses, and strengthening local ecosystems. 🙌

As key stakeholders, WOUGNET was proud to be part of the conversation sharing insights on the use of technology to promote inclusive economic empowerment and contributing feedback that will help shape future project improvements.

Thank you to Sightsavers and NUDIPU for bringing together such a powerful community of changemakers. Together, we are building a Uganda where every young person, regardless of ability has the opportunity to thrive. 💛

03/05/2026

On World Press Freedom Day, we stand with journalists, especially women journalists, who keep truth alive even when it comes at a cost.

This year’s WPFD theme, “Shaping a Future of Peace,” reminds us that peace depends on credible information, and credible information depends on journalists being free and safe to do their work. It also recognises how journalism is increasingly shaped by technology (including AI), civic space, and human rights.

In Uganda, women journalists are breaking barriers in a field long dominated by men. But many are also targeted with gendered disinformation, stereotypes, and coordinated online attacks meant to silence them, especially when they report on politics and public life.

Through WOUGNET’s work, women journalists have strengthened skills in fact-checking and verification, online safety, and responding to harmful narratives, and they’re mentoring others to join and thrive in the profession.

✅ What you can do today: Verify before sharing. Don’t amplify harmful stereotypes. Support women journalists.

🔗 Read: The untold stories of women in Ugandan journalism (https://www.apc.org/en/blog/seeding-change-untold-stories-women-ugandan-journalism)

In Uganda, the field of journalism has long been dominated by men, with female voices often marginalised or stereotyped. However, this year, as the world celebrated International Women's Day on 8 March, a significant shift was underway in the local media landscape. The celebration became a decisive....

03/05/2026

On , we stand with journalists, especially women journalists, who keep truth alive even when it comes at a cost.
This year’s WPFD theme, “Shaping a Future of Peace,” reminds us that peace depends on credible information, and credible information depends on journalists being free and safe to do their work. It also recognises how journalism is increasingly shaped by technology (including AI), civic space, and human rights.

In Uganda, women journalists are breaking barriers in a field long dominated by men. But many are also targeted with gendered disinformation, stereotypes, and coordinated online attacks meant to silence them, especially when they report on politics and public life.

Through WOUGNET’s work, women journalists have strengthened skills in fact-checking and verification, online safety, and responding to harmful narratives, and they’re mentoring others to join and thrive in the profession.

✅ What you can do today: Verify before sharing. Don’t amplify harmful stereotypes. Support women journalists.

🔗 Read: The untold stories of women in Ugandan journalism (https://www.apc.org/en/blog/seeding-change-untold-stories-women-ugandan-journalism)

In Uganda, the field of journalism has long been dominated by men, with female voices often marginalised or stereotyped. However, this year, as the world celebrated International Women's Day on 8 March, a significant shift was underway in the local media landscape. The celebration became a decisive....

27/04/2026

We’re back from , and the conversations were powerful, complex, and deeply rooted in community realities.

At DRIF, we hosted four sessions, including:
✅ Gender Disinformation in Elections (Cameroon, Tanzania & Uganda)
✅ The unveiling of LONDA 2025 and an exclusive short film premiere
✅ Connected Resilience: advancing gender inclusive digital futures
✅ Beyond Connectivity: rethinking rural broadband through a digital rights lens

One major theme stood out: language justice and data sovereignty.

Africa has over 2000 languages, yet very little digital and voice data exists. Communities are creating language datasets, recording voices, proverbs, stories, and terms, but questions of ownership, copyright, consent, and protection remain urgent, especially as AI tools expand under frameworks like the EU AI Act.

We discussed building:
🔹 Culturally aligned voice datasets
🔹 Community led consent and benefit sharing
🔹 Tools that work offline and for marginalized communities
🔹 Strong data sovereignty networks that protect traditional knowledge

Digital futures must be shaped with communities, not extracted from them.

Thank you to everyone who shared knowledge, challenged assumptions, and built solidarity at . Paradigm Initiative

23/04/2026

𝗔 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲.

Today we attended the launch of 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗰 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀 organised by Uganda Police Force with support from Embassy of the Netherlands in Uganda and IDLO

Addressing cybercrime and justice reform was highlighted as a growing reality: many crimes today are planned and executed using mobile phones and computers. This shift demands stronger legal frameworks and enhanced technical capacity to investigate, prosecute, and adjudicate digital crimes.

There is an urgent need to strengthen the Evidence Act, raise awareness on cybercrime, and invest in digital forensics. Prosecutors and investigators must be equipped with scientific and technological skills to collect, preserve, and present digital evidence effectively in court.

Strengthening forensic capacity is no longer optional; it is essential for accountability, justice, and the rule of law in the digital age.

21/04/2026

Today, we participated in the 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗗𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘂𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗘𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻’𝘀 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 (𝗚𝗘𝗪𝗘) 𝗶𝗻 𝗨𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮, convened by UN Women Uganda, bringing together civil society to reflect on progress, challenges, and collective action.

During the dialogue, we shared the value of networks and coalitions we are part of, including those championing 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻’𝘀 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲, 𝗜𝗖𝗧 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗰𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘆, and 𝗚𝗕𝗩 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲, and how these platforms advance conversations at the intersection of gender, technology, and digital innovation.

Key reflections from the dialogue included:
•The growing gender digital divide, with women and girls increasingly left behind
•Persistent barriers for women with disabilities in accessing digital spaces
•Backlash against gender equality gains, both online and offline
•The need to sustain feminist platforms such as women’s manifesto processes

We also highlighted a key opportunity going forward: 𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗨𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮’𝘀 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗱𝗶𝗰 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 (𝗨𝗣𝗥) 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗻 𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗮 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲.

Reclaiming our space together means staying connected, grounded in local realities, and committed to gender responsive foundations, now more than ever, as we reflect on progress toward the SDGs and the 80th Anniversary of the United Nations.

26/03/2026

𝗪𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗡𝗘𝗧 𝗺𝗲𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗨𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮 (𝗡𝗨𝗗𝗜𝗣𝗨) 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆‐𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝗻 𝗨𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮, specifically 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 (18–35 years) with skills for decent work and entrepreneurship in Kampala, Wakiso, and Mukono.

Our discussion focused on how WOUGNET can support through digital inclusion, ICT training, and advocacy for equitable access to digital opportunities.

We are excited about the potential of this partnership and the opportunities it can create for young people with disabilities across the country.

Let’s continue working toward a just and inclusive society for all!

13/03/2026

🌍 CSW70 Side Event – Feminist Approaches to Justice

📅 17 March 2026 | 🕒 2:30 PM EDT

🔗 Register: https://tinyurl.com/2sjvwh5s

Join us for a powerful global conversation on access to justice for women and girls, with expert speakers from Uganda, Brazil, the European Union, Australia, the DRC, Indigenous communities, and beyond.

Our panel will unpack:
-The fate of women in conflict & post-conflict settings
-Systemic barriers to women’s access to justice in Africa
-Indigenous women’s justice in settler colonial states
-Human trafficking, incarceration, motherhood & justice
-Feminist, equitable, and inclusive approaches to legal systems

Featuring:
-Olukemi Ibikunle (MONUSCO)
-Hilde Tubex (University of Western Australia)
-Sandra Aceng (WOUGNET)
-Karin Bruckmüller (Sigmund Freud Private University)
-Natalia Otto, Ed Cornelius, Roberta S. Pamplona (University of Minnesota / Mount Royal University)
-Kate Fitz-Gibbon (Monash University)
-Rosemary Barberet (John Jay College of Criminal Justice) – Moderator

💬 Introductory remarks by Mary Dodge, Editor, Crime, Law and Social Change.

Don’t miss this important dialogue during

23/02/2026

We began 2026 by convening with our global partners at The Big Conversation to Counter Backlash in Brighton (21–23 January 2026).

Over three powerful days, we joined activists, researchers, donors and policymakers from across the world to:
🌍 Bridge Global South–North perspectives
📌 Understand the drivers of anti‑gender and digital backlash
💬 Share lived realities, evidence and resistance strategies
🤝 Build cross‑movement solidarities
🔍 Examine policy erosion, co‑option & capture
💡 Co‑create strategies for feminist organising in a time of rising authoritarianism, AI‑shaped violence & shrinking digital/civic space

Sessions dived into:
-Dynamics of backlash
-LGBTQ+ and feminist resistance stories
-Technology‑facilitated violence & digital authoritarianism
-Creative activism, arts & culture
-Self‑organising systems in the face of chaos
-Visioning feminist futures & new collaborations

WOUGNET remains proud to contribute to this collective work, building knowledge, power, and solidarity to counter backlash locally, globally, and online.