President Museveni has assured the leadership of the National Women's Council that the scrapped Shs500 million budget, which was significantly reduced by 80% due to the government’s rationalisation of agencies, will be reinstated. This promise came after concerns were raised at the National Women’s Day celebrations in Kyankwanzi District on March 8, where the council, alongside Gender Minister Betty Amongi, sought the president's intervention over the suspension of vital funding for district-level Women's Day activities.
The Shs500 million was intended to support district women’s councils in organizing Women’s Day celebrations, but the budget cuts have left these important activities in limbo. Hajat Faridah Kibowa, the chairperson of the National Women's Council, expressed her deep concerns, stating that the Ministry of Finance’s drastic budget cuts have severely impacted women’s activities across the country. She emphasized that the cuts threatened to undermine the progress that women have made in various sectors despite the challenges they face.
Kibowa also noted that the institutional support fund, which plays a crucial role in supporting women's activities at the district level, had been significantly reduced. The district celebrations serve as an opportunity for women to assess their progress and address challenges, many of which remain unaddressed due to changes in government priorities.
In response, President Museveni, who admitted he was unaware of the budget cuts, explained that while the government had been streamlining agencies to reduce extra-budgetary expenses, the National Women's Council was not among the agencies set for merging or funding cuts. He reassured the leadership that the Shs500 million would be reinstated.
During the celebrations, there were also concerns raised by Kyankwanzi residents about the accessibility of funds from the Generating Growth Opportunities and Productivity for Women Enterprises (GROW) program and PDM funds. One resident expressed frustration with the restrictive conditions set by commercial banks, which made it difficult for rural women to access the GROW funds.
The GROW project, a World Bank-funded initiative, aims to support women entrepreneurs in growing their businesses, but some residents felt it wasn’t benefiting rural women as intended. In his response, President Museveni criticized government officials for allowing banks to impose restrictive access conditions. He assured residents that the GROW fund was a small amount and shouldn’t be a major concern, and emphasized that the PDM funds were accessible to all, with low interest rates and extended repayment periods.
Museveni concluded by stressing that the government would continue to prioritize support for women, ensuring that they had access to the necessary resources to enhance their development, leadership, and economic opportunities.
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