ACFODE CELEBRATES WORLD PEACE DAY

On 21^st September 2011, ACFODE joined the rest of the world to celebrate the International Day of Peace.

The celebrations which were marked under the theme “A COUNTRY IS ONLY IN PEACE IF EACH WOMAN ENJOYS A PEACEFUL LIFE” were extraordinarily outstanding and absorbing.

The objectives were to: celebrate the World Peace Day in Uganda, advocate for the enactment of the sexual offences bill as a means to ensure a peaceful environment for women and girls, and to bring together women and peace focused CSOs from all over Uganda to raise awareness on peace as an issue of women’s rights.

The celebrations featured the launch of an International Exhibition, a March for Peace and a Peace Concert later in the evening. The Walk for Peace was mainly attended by women, men and children who had solidarity for peace with Hon. Betty Bigombe - the State Minister for Water and renowned peace negotiator being the Chief Walker. International and local NGOs, and women activists were also well represented during the Walk for Peace.

After the March, participants were welcomed by enthusiastic exhibitors from like minded civil society organizations, women`s groups and private companies. These showcased their work, interacted amongst themselves and shared opinions with the general public. The exhibition was attended by over 35 organisations with the likes of Song factory X majorly dealing in song production, concert performances and jingles productions, Dezy Business Solutions dealing in furniture and office stationeries, Forever Living which deals in health products, Celebrity Magazine and AFRIPADS, showcasing their goods and services. Among the NGOS, we had representation from UWONET, DENIVA, UMWA, BAHAI FAITH, KYC (Kawempe Youth Centre), East African Counseling Institute, FAWE, UMDF, Rafiki Theatre, UYONET, and Rainbow House of Hope among others.

The Chief Guest Ms. Franziska Roetzer from GIZ and Dr. Jones Kyazze - ACFODE's Chairperson for the Board of Trustees launched the International Peace Exhibition that was basically meant to share visions of peace in regards to youth and women’s rights. This was done by signing on the Peace Quilt.

There were various forms of entertainment for the day from the likes of Rainbow House of Hope (Rafiki Theatre Performers) who acted a play based on domestic violence, and a musical performance from Kisuule Primary School. Later, the evening was graced with musical performances from the Blood Brothers Reggae Band and Dr. Tee. To make the celebrations more rewarding, we had other supplementary activities for example - a Candle Light Vigil, Talent Search Iinterludes and a Peace Concert where Angela Kalule, a popular local artist launched a specially composed peace song “I Wanna Be Free” alongside her other famous hits like Katikitiki and Kakondo. The celebrations ended with a Dance for Peace, and this saw participants doing all kinds of jigs to harmonious living.

The International Day of Peace was established by a United Nations resolution in 1981 to coincide with the opening of the General Assembly. The first Peace Day was celebrated in September 1982. By creating the International Day of Peace, the UN devoted itself to worldwide peace and encouraged all of mankind to work in cooperation for this. ACFODE is very proud for having associated herself to this cause.

Our special thanks go out to all those that participated in the Walk for Peace, and in other supplementary activities that were organized on the Peace Day. Your involvement did not only make the celebrations more colorful, but also amazingly exceptional. And in a special way, we would like to thank EIRENE, GIZ, WAVAH WATER, MILLENIUM SUPERMARKET and the various Media Houses for the very generous sponsorship they gave to support our noble cause of celebrating World Peace Day.

We are very grateful to all of you and to even those that that involved themselves in making this day a success. We hope that this is the beginning of a continued partnership.

Click to see pictorial of the whole event: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.253025348066579.53056.175465652489216&type=1

Submitted By Sandra Nassali

Public Relations & Communications Officer

Action For Development

JOIN ACFODE IN CELEBRATING WORLD PEACE DAY ON 21st,SEPTEMBER, 2011

On the 21^st of September 2011, ACFODE, an indigenous, voluntary, non-governmental women’s organization that was founded on November 19, 1985 will be celebrating World Peace Day.

The celebrations will be take place at ACFODE House under the theme “A COUNTRY IS ONLY AT PEACE IF EACH WOMAN ENJOYS A PEACEFUL LIFE.”

In attendance will be government officials, local celebrities, civil society, media and other key stakeholders that play a vital role in promoting peace in this country.

Objectives of the celebrations include:

• To celebrate the World Peace Day
• To showcase ACFODE’s and other likeminded organizations’ work in relation to peace
• To raise awareness about women’s rights as an issue of peace.

You/ your organization aretherefore invited to be part of thesevigorous celebrations. You can involve yourself or your organization in either of the following ways;

• Be part of the “March for Peace” that will take place on the morning of September 21^st
• Participate in the “Peace Exhibition” that will take place from 21^st September - 21^st October at the cost of 50,000 shillings only at ACFODE House. This will enable you to showcase your services/work, and your impact on society in relation to promoting peace.
• Provide ACFODE with financial/ material support towards this noble cause

To make the celebrations more rewarding and action-packed, ACFODE is open to formal collaborations/ partnerships from individuals, organizations and corporate companies that are interested in supporting this dignified cause. Some of the planned activities for the day include peace march, exhibition, vigil, peace dance, entertainment from local celebrities, signing of a peace cilt, and releasing of peace ballon among others.

For more details/ confirmation please call: 0753140792 / 0782516006 / 0783283060 / 0414531812 or send an email to: acfode@gmail.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. / info_acfode@acfode.org This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

We look forward to your collaboration.

Sandra Nassali

Public Relations & Communications Officer

Action For Development

TRAINING ON UGANDA PRIMARY EDUCATION (UPE) POLICY IN KANUNGU

The second United Nations MDG is to achieve Universal Primary Education, more specifically, to “ensure that by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling." Currently, there are more than 100 million children around the world of primary school age who are not in school. The majority of these children are in regions of sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia and within these countries, girls are at the greatest disadvantage in receiving access to education at the primary school age. Since the Millennium Development Goals were launched, there have been many successes. For example, Uganda is one of the examples of developing countries that have successfully completed a campaign towards universal primary education when the government introduced UPE in 1997.

ACFODE has over the years vested efforts in supporting this initiative through service delivery, capacity building and advocacy.

From the 29^th – 30^th of July 2011, ACFODE conducted a training workshop in Bumakwe, Kanungu district whose objectives were: to enable participants reflect on the UPE policy, to enable them gain skills to undertake improved monitoring of the UPE policy, and to develop an action plan for the participants’ interventions in monitoring UPE in the community.

Participants included Local Council (LC) leaders, School Management Committee Members, Head Teachers, and School Teachers and parents.

Topical issues like; understanding UPE concept from inception to present, implementation guidelines of the UPE policy, policy positions on UPE and the roles of different stakeholders, gender equality in education, and how to monitor implementation of UPE were discussed.

Participants highlighted challenges faced during the implementation of UPE and some of them include;

· Delayed salary payments for teachers and school administrators which has caused some of them to abandon the schools for greener pastures else where

· Many students lack basic necessities from the parents/ guardians e.g lunch. This has some of them to shun away from education.

· Many parents are still hesitant in taking their children to school. Girls are looked at as source of wealth.

· Too many household responsibilities given to the children especially the girls do not allow them to attend school regularly and often times they drop out.

· Slow learners are often neglected

· Parents’ failure to talk to, and provide requirements for the children

For each of the challenges discussed during the workshop, responsible key players were indentified and it was agreed that bye-laws be passed, and community members be sensitized about the UPE policy and which roles they must play to ensure success and sustainability.

Hand books on UPE as well as implementation guidelines were given to each of the participants. These were in simple and clear language and were greatly appreciated by the participants.

At the end of the two days training, a framework for monitoring the implementation of the UPE policy was developed.

The training was successful because provided participants with the knowledge and skills on UPE to enable them monitor the implementation of the policy from an informed point of view. Participants also depicted marked levels of change after the training, regarding increased awareness of their role in the implementation and monitoring of the policy.

Sandra Nassali

Public Relations & Communications Officer

Action For Development

TRAINING OF DISTRICT CBO SUB GROUP ON ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, GBV PROGRAMMING AND ADVANCEMENT OF REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS

As part of the activities under the GOU /UNFPA 7^th Country Program (Gender Component), ACFODE carried out capacity building trainings in Moroto, Kotido, Kaboong, Mubende, Yumbe, Oyam, Katakwi and Kanungu districts.

These trainings sought to address the gaps that were indentified during the organization capacity assessment that was undertaken in the first quarter of the year by creating greater understanding on organizational development, gender, reproductive rights and Gender Based Violence (GBV). The training brought together participants from 15 Community Based Organizations in each of the 8 project districts.

The objectives of the training included:

i) To enhance capacity of the CBO sub group for improved GBV and Reproductive Rights (RR) service delivery.

ii) To facilitate the CBO sub group understand and internalize the concepts Gender, GBV and Reproductive Rights

iii) To equip the CBO sub group with knowledge and skills in lobbying, advocacy and networking for effective collective engagement on Gender and RR

iv) To develop an operational action plan for the CBO subgroup interventions in the community

Outcomes from the training

· Over 200 participants from community based organizations were trained.

· Participants were provided with knowledge on GBV. This was done to enable them address GBV from an informed point of view. Also, modules for building capacities of CBOs were distributed.

· Establishing of a coordinated system of response to GBV cases was discussed and a CBO subgroup in each of the districts was formed. Leaders for the Secretariat were also elected.

· Action plans to further prevent GBV in the district were developed.

Sandra Nassali

Public Relations & Communications Officer

Action For Development

INVOLVING THE YOUTH IN THE PROMOTION OF GENDER EQUALITY AND GOOD GOVERNANCE

Over the past 25 years ACFODE has employed several strategies towards promoting gender equality and good governance in Uganda. Advocacy for policy formulation, research, capacity building, coalition building, mobilization and sensitization activities have been core in these strategies. In fulfilling these functions ACFODE has enjoyed the generous support of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS).

Despite several achievements registered, challenges still exist with regard to women’s full enjoyment of their rights as well as their effective participation in the governance processes. The notion of gender equality is not yet fully appreciated in Ugandan societies. In light of such challenges ACFODE considered drawing the attention of the young generation as a strategy for deepening and sustaining the gender equality and good governance campaign. The inter-institutions debate tournaments were born in this context, when a new theme ‘Promoting Gender Equality: Embracing the Youth and Looking ahead,’ was unveiled last year during ACFODE’s Silver Jubilee celebrations.

Consequently, ACFODE has carried out inter institutional debate competitions in Central, Eastern, and recently in Northern Uganda. Participants are engaged and mentored into different gender and good governance dynamics since they are challenged to acquire information and to share their findings in a persuasive way (British Parliamentary Debate format).

The debates, which bring together government and private institutions of higher learning, recognize the vital role youth can play in shaping the future of the nation, particularly as regards promoting gender equality and good governance. They are also an effective means of engaging youth into other development issues because of their ability to encourage critical thinking, personal expression, reading and research skills, and tolerance of others’ opinions.

ACFODE’s recent debate competitions held at Lira Hotel in Northern Uganda were referred to as ‘remarkably amazing and exceptionally successful’ by the Guest of Honor - Dr. Gerhard Wahlers, KAS’ Deputy Secretary. In his speech, Dr. Wahlers talked about being glad to having witnessed the well prepared and lively debates since students were surprisingly eloquent, displayed a great deal of critical thinking and sharpened analysis. He commended ACFODE’s approach as being proactive in involving the youth as key target group in the promotion of gender equality and good governance.

He therefore encouraged participants, especially the females to indulge

in politics and gender equality so that their involvement in development is recognized.

The event was also well attended by government officials, representatives from the district and the civil society. Also in attendance was Mr. Peter Girke – KAS’ Country Representative, ACFODE’s Executive Director Ms Regina Bafaki and the former Chairperson Ms. Jane Nakintu.

The competition was between five institutions of higher learning namely; Uganda College of Commerce – Aduku (UCC), All Saints University Lira, Lira School of Comprehensive Nursing, Uganda Technical College Lira (UTC), and Uganda Christian University Lira. During the competitions, students showed so much zeal right from the beginning. This was through the use of cohesive argumentation, preparation and use of supporting evidence.

UTC Lira won the final debate round against UCC Aduku which ranked second. Regardless of who won, the competition was great!

Categories awarded included:

• The best institution, won by UTC
• The most eloquent speakers, which was won by Tabu Stella and Masaboa Amili
• Second runner ups, won by UCC team 3; as well as all the 6 students who debated in the last round

All students were awarded with a Certificate of Participation. They were also given a DVD entitled ‘The Great Debaters’ by Denzel Washington.

Submitted By Sandra Nassali

Public Relations & Communications Officer

Action For Development