Women in Uganda

Aside from the horrific assaults committed against women on such massive scales in Northern Uganda, I have been continually amazed at how oppressed women are in the country as a whole. I feel as though I have stepped back in time – to when American women were considered and treated as less valuable than men. Granted, sexism still exists in the U.S., but it is much more covert and frowned upon than in Uganda. Here, women's perceived limitations and lesser status is stated as fact, and I've been struggling with what my response should be to those statements. Two examples come to mind:

1. During our visit to Kitgum, we stopped at the local government offices, and met with one of Kitgum's leading government officials (probably the equivalent of a mayor or district councilman). We were able to speak with him quite a while about his district and how it is progressing. At one point, one of us asked how many women were holding government positions in Kitgum, and the man informed us that though women held about 1/3 of the seats, they were doing far less work than the men. He blatantly told us that women do not have the “same capacities” as men. When asked for clarification (I was hoping he meant “opportunities” rather than “capacities”), he educated me that women just don't have the same intellectual abilities, or work ethic as men. He said this to a group of 11 women and 3 men – with 8 of the women being PhD students. And he didn't bat an eye at it. It didn't even occur to him that we might be insulted, let alone disagree with him. Our guide, wisely, said it was time for us to leave (she seemed enraged, too), and explained to us after that his was a pretty typical Ugandan perspective.

2. While in Gulu, we had a meeting with a man who is the director of a women's rights organization, and who is the speaker of the local city council. I was so inspired by his progressive thinking about women's equality and strengths. The purpose of his organization is to educate community members about the concepts of gender equality, as well as the benefits of equal rights. He gave a heartwarming testimonial about the importance of respecting women and their natural roles as leaders. And, as he was wrapping up and I was mentally adding him to my list of heroes, it all crumbled down...we were discussing the fact that Uganda has no laws against domestic violence, and that a man is completely free to beat his wife at his whim. Kelly explained that part of his community training with men is to teach them not to beat their wives all the time, rather to talk to them and make sure that they really deserve it before beating them. And just like that, my hope for the woman of Uganda took a nosedive.

So many issues are raised when talking about women's equality in a society, and I consciously have to stop myself from going down every tangent and consequence of inequality that pops into my head. Instead, I'm going to focus on what my role should have been in these situations...I kept quiet. I silently fumed at the audacity of their ignorance and disdain for women. And then I found myself wondering if I was doing the right thing by not challenging these two men. On one hand, my obsessive concern over offending people, especially people who have welcomed us into their community and taken time to help us learn, kept me from rudely disagreeing with them. My cultural competence training tells me to understand where they are coming from, and not to impose my views on another culture. And I was worried about causing problems for our guide, who is a local woman trying to build professional relationships with these people. But is that just perpetuating the problem? Don't I have a responsibility to speak up for the women of Uganda? Oddly, as liberated and confident as I feel as an American woman, I found myself bound by the Ugandan view of me. I was afraid that it wasn't my place to challenge them, since I was imposing myself in their culture. Was that the right choice? I honestly don't know. The activist in me says I failed; that promoting respect and basic rights for women everywhere trumps a need for manners. And yet I sat there silently disagreeing. The overly-P.C. American in me was desperate not to appear culturally insensitive. But I'm really disappointed in myself. I let those women down, and I'm ashamed.

The one positive thing about the state of women's rights in Uganda is that they are slowly, but surely, progressing. As I said, I felt like I had stepped back in time, back to when women in the U.S. Were beginning their struggle for equality. But the great thing about that is that we are an example that, though it is a difficult struggle (one that I am only beginning to truly appreciate), there is hope for change. I feed on the idea that 10 or 20 years from now, I might get to see a Uganda where women are as liberated and independent as women in America are. I might get to watch the Ugandan women rise up and claim what is theirs. How lucky we will be to get to witness that! We were fortunate enough to meet several women in Uganda who are bravely forging ahead in the name of equality and justice for all people. Somehow, they were able to conceive of the reality that they are so much more than their culture tells them they are – and they are doing what it takes to change the face of their country. As someone who has reaped the benefits of the struggles of the women before me, I feel so blessed to meet some women who are changing their future generations' lives. I am excited to see what they accomplish, and to rejoice in their success!