Sharing PAI’s Voices: Ugandan Women Parliamentarians Advocate for Reproductive Health

The Network of African Women Ministers and Parliamentarians (NAWMP) gathers women ministers from the African sub-Saharan countries, with the purpose of achieving the objectives of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD).   The NAWMP chapter in Uganda works especially on reinforcing women’s participation in political life and enables women to exercise their political responsibilities.  

PAI has been active in Uganda, most recently through Project RMA which works to improve access and information to Reproductive Health Supplies.   Subsequently, we partnered with NAWMP this year in 2009 to raise awareness among Ugandan parliamentarians and other policymakers about the importance of reproductive health services and supplies, especially due to the increasing rates of HIV/AIDS in married couples and the rising of vulnerability of women and girls. 

Hon. Ruth Kavuma Nvumetta, MP
Ssese Islands Kalangala District
Uganda

As a Member of Parliament, and a Member of the Network of African Women Ministers and Parliamentarians (NAWMP-U) Chapter, I am grateful to Population Action International (PAI) for providing us funding this year.  With this support, I have been able to interact with women at the grassroots level and learn about their issues first-hand.  In Mityana District (in Uganda), we found out that most of the mothers who go to a clinic or hospital for antenatal care actually test positive for HIV.  This would be a problem, but thanks to the numerous programs supported by the Ugandan Government and implemented in many districts, mothers are being taught about how to prevent passing the HIV infection to their newborn babies. Another important step has been through the Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT). There is now home based testing, which most importantly, targets male involvement. As a result VCT is becoming more acceptable.

There are many challenges that we as Members of Parliament face, especially as we work on advocating for improved maternal and reproductive health.  Some examples are:

• Members of Parliament usually have limited or no funds to sensitize women at the community level about the benefits and advantages of going to get testing and counseling for HIV;
• Reproductive Health issues are not always given the priority that they deserve; this is obvious in terms of the inadequate funding to the Health sector; and
• There are many different views within fellow leaders on Reproductive Health, which make it difficult for MPs to collectively advocate for an increase in the budget line for RH services and supplies.

As part of the NAWMP-U Chapter, we seek to emphasize the importance of women in political decision-making. We believe that we are effective advocates and have asked the government to join together in partnership to support reproductive health and girls and women’s education.  This partnership will highlight collaboration:  Members of Parliament will pass on information shared at meetings at the National level with the people in the community and districts.   This information sharing will help promote trust and accountability and enhance the way the government relates to the people it represents.  Some of information sharing has happened already, especially related to maternal health; for example, NAWMP-U has utilized cultural and religious leaders to sensitize rural women on the dangers of having multiple, concurrent sexual partners, which can often result in the increased risk of STIs, including HIV and cervical cancer.