Restless Development and Karamoja Women Umbrella Organisation (a coalition partner for Youth Influence in Governance program Development implemented by Restless Development) Positive Outcome Story: Raising Women’s Voices: Karamoja Women Umbrella Organization. Thomas’ Story

Women in Karamoja, Uganda, as well as across the country are not involved in the decision-making/democratic processes. This limits their political participation and violates their rights and undermines democratic principles.  

At the beginning of the Youth Influence in Governance project, Restless Development Uganda identified a number of civil society organizations including Karamoja Women Umbrella Organization (KAWUO) to work in a coalition arrangement. Restless Development focused on capacity building, empowering several grass root organizations, in youth led research, youth engagement, synergizing and putting together collective voices to influence government leaders at the local government level. Additionally, it promoted inclusion where young women were given equal chances to participate in the project through recruitment. The project also involved young people with various disabilities selected from the communities it served. 

From such engagement, a new project called “Rising Women’s Voices for effective participation and policy sensitive decisions” was launched and resulted in the establishment of a Gender Based Violence Shelter in the Moroto district, Northern Uganda, in November 2020. Additionally, over 150 women are currently competing for different political positions in the Karamoja region, at the local government level which was recently allocated. The local government of the Rupa sub-county in the Moroto district also allocated 3 million shilling (around 800 USD) for the women to monitor different government projects in the sub-county. It is clear that the project has improved the working relationship between the Karamoja Women Umbrella Organization and the district since it is a blueprint to follow and implement for women active participation in the decision making process and inclusion in democratic spaces.