Ugandan Women Trail Men in Education, Jobs, Asset Ownership, and Political Engagement

15 October 2024
Afrobarometer (Accra)
By Angella Nakasujja

Ugandan women trail men in education, jobs, asset ownership, and political engagement

Key findings

  • The share of Ugandan women who have at least some formal education has increased from 80% in 2015 to 87% in 2024, but women still lag behind men in educational attainment.
  • Women are less likely than men to have full-time or part-time jobs (38% vs. 49%).
  • Fewer women than men own key assets, including a mobile phone (72% vs. 85%), a mobile money account (68% vs. 81%), and a motor vehicle (9% vs. 22%).
  • Two-thirds (66%) of women say they "occasionally" or "frequently" discuss politics with friends or family, compared to three-fourths (75%) of men.
  • Women are also less likely than men to engage in a range of political and civic activities, including attending community meetings (49% vs. 64%), joining others to raise issues (38% vs. 49%), and voting (68% vs. 74% in the most recent national election).
  • Fully half (51%) of women say they feared political intimidation or violence during the 2021 election, as did 43% of men.

Since President Yoweri Museveni's National Resistance Movement (NRM) came to power in 1986, Uganda has made significant progress in promoting women's participation in social, economic, and political spheres. Milestones include the 1997 adoption and 2007 revision of the National Gender Policy, which focuses on improving livelihoods, protecting rights, increasing women's involvement in decision making, and promoting gender-sensitive economic management (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2023).

The government claims that the policy has "increased awareness on gender as a development concern among policy makers and implementers at all levels; influence[d] national, sectoral and local government programs to address gender issues; strengthened partnerships for the advancement of gender equality and women's empowerment; and increased impetus in gender activism" (Government of Uganda, n.d.).

In line with Uganda's Constitution and the National Gender Policy, a certain number of parliamentary seats are reserved for historically marginalised groups, including women, youth, and individuals with disabilities (Parliament Watch, n.d.; Hanssen, 2006). This has helped women's representation in Parliament grow to 34% in the current administration (Inter-Parliamentary Union, 2024). Out of 189 women MPs, 16 were directly elected as representatives of their constituencies, while the remaining 173 serve in seats reserved for women (CPAR Uganda, 2023). Women also hold 43% of Cabinet positions and 46% of local government positions (Tripp, 2021).

In June 2021, Museveni appointed Jessica Alupo as vice president and Robinah Nabbanja as prime minister (Muhimba, 2021; National Information Platforms for Nutrition, 2024). Alupo is the second woman to be appointed vice president: Specioza Wandira Kazibwe served in that role between 1994 and 2003 (Tripp, 2021). However, at least one scholar argues that the president's move to include more women in senior leadership positions has been a double- edged sword: "It has advanced the goals of the women's movement but, at the same time, it has helped an autocratic regime remain in power and maintain legitimacy" (Tripp, 2021).

While progress has been achieved in various sectors, including women now making up 40% of business owners, disparities persist, particularly in education, health care, employment, and domestic burdens (United Nations Development Programme, 2022).

Afrobarometer survey findings confirm that Ugandan gender gaps persist: Women still lag behind men in educational attainment; they are less likely than men to be employed and to own certain key assets; and they continue to trail men in political and civic engagement.

Angella Nakasujja Angella Nakasujja is a monitoring and evaluation officer at Hatchile Consult Ltd.

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