The struggle for the Liberation of women is still on….

The struggle for the liberation of women has been on going for a long time and still continues. This struggle is at many fronts; political, economic, social and in all other aspects of life. This was revealed at a women’s conference held recently in the Norwegian capital, Oslo, in the parliamentary chambers.
The conference drew participants from different parts of the world, including Uganda. The Ugandan delegation was headed by the private secretary to the president, Princess Pauline. M. Kiyimba, and included Florah Kabibi, Head of department, women affairs in the president’s office, Ms. Margret Ssejemba and Mrs. Joan Sitenda, a social entrepreneur and woman activist.

The conference under the theme ‘Small is Great’ was geared at empowering especially African women and in particular Ugandan women economically.

While addressing participants, the chief guest, Ms Villa Kulid, Director General in Norad, emphasised that economic empowerment of women is very crucial, because it leads to social and political empowerment. She added that her organisation Norad will continue to support social and economic empowerment of women around the world.
Other people who addressed the conference included, Mette K.Ofstad of Women’s network at the Labour party, Telemark, Gro Trom from EMPO and Jenfrid Stelberg of Chime.

The chief organiser of the conference was the Norwegian woman activist Bitten Schei, of Mother Courage organisation. The chief hostess of the conference was Hilde Magnusson, Norwegian woman member of parliament.
All speakers highlighted the major challenges in the liberation of women, being corruption especially in African countries and gender imbalance, where men are still domineering in many societies around the world. They called upon women to embrace education for the girl child as it is the sure way of achieving real and effective emancipation of women!
  By Bernard Butare Buteera FK participant 2010/2011.