President Museveni has praised African women particularly those in Uganda for embracing affirmative action policies and using them as a springboard to uplift their social and economic status.
His remarks were delivered by Vice President Maj. (Rtd) Jessica Alupo during the opening of the Africa Region Conference of the World Union of Catholic Women’s Organisations(WUCWO), held on July 29 at the Uganda Martyrs’ Shrine, Namugongo.
Museveni credited the strides made by women in governance, education, and community leadership to the deliberate reforms introduced by his government after 1986, aimed at dismantling cultural and systemic barriers that had long kept women on the margins.
“Today, women are fully represented at all levels of governance and decision-making. I thank the women and girls for taking advantage of affirmative action to raise their status in society,” the President said in his message to the delegates.
The President’s message was not just one of celebration it also came with a challenge.
He called on Catholic women across Africa to play a central role in eliminating subsistence farming, which he cited as one of the root causes of poverty and underdevelopment across the continent.
“It is no longer sustainable for one to live outside the money economy and expect to attain a happy life,” Museveni cautioned, noting that roughly 33% of Ugandan households still rely on subsistence farming, which offers no income to meet basic needs like education, shelter, and clothing.
“A daughter or son of a rich family cannot drop out of school on account of not being able to pay the school costs. Therefore, families getting out of poverty is a good base for solving other problems,” he added, underscoring the broader societal benefits of economic empowerment.
Museveni also revisited the transformational impact of free education policies like Universal Primary Education (UPE) and Universal Secondary Education (USE), highlighting how educating mothers directly improves community health and development outcomes.
“Education and skilling of the girl child is an effective method of empowering not only women, but the entire society,” he emphasized.
The conference, which attracted Catholic women leaders from across Africa, opened with Mass led by Archbishop Paul Ssemogerere of Kampala Archdiocese.
He lauded Uganda for hosting the milestone gathering and reminded delegates of women’s essential role in protecting the environment.
“Women are often the first to suffer environmental degradation, yet they hold wisdom for living in harmony with nature,” said Archbishop Ssemogerere, as he called for environmentally sustainable practices rooted in faith and stewardship.
Monica Santamarina, the president general of the World Union of Catholic Women’s Organisations, challenged participants to reflect on the theme, “Women, custodians of Mother Earth”, and encouraged them to extend their care beyond the household into planetary protection.
Assumpta Gidudu, President of the Uganda Catholic Women Apostolate, urged members to strengthen their collaboration with both government and faith-based institutions to enhance women’s access to healthcare, education, and leadership networks.
She further encouraged a renewed commitment to peace, unity, and service, reinforcing the message that women are not only beneficiaries of affirmative action but also key drivers of transformation at family, community, and national levels.
The event brought together Catholic women from Uganda and across the African continent, united in faith, purpose, and sisterhood.
