Karenga, Uganda: Women councillors from across Karenga have established the Karenga District Women Councillors Caucus, a new platform aimed at strengthening collaboration, promoting collective advocacy and enhancing women’s participation in local governance.
The caucus was launched on the second day of the Effective Legislative Engagement Training under the Women’s Amplified Voice for Accountability (WAVA) Project, implemented by the Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE) in partnership with Nakere Rural Women Activists (NARWOA).
The initiative is expected to provide women leaders with a unified platform to consult, advocate for community priorities, influence policy decisions and support one another in executing their legislative responsibilities.
Speaking during the training, NARWOA Executive Director Jessica Ruth Ataa urged the councillors to uphold discipline, professionalism and unity as they serve their communities.
“Be disciplined, be smart, and dress as leaders because people look up to you. Leadership comes with responsibility, and how you conduct yourselves matters,” Ataa said.
She also encouraged the women leaders to remain vigilant and work together to strengthen their collective influence within local government structures.
“Support one another and remain united, especially during elections. When women stand together, they become stronger and more effective in influencing decisions that affect their communities,” she added.
Ataa challenged the councillors to use the newly formed caucus as a forum for dialogue, consultation and coordinated advocacy.
“When you have issues, use the caucus. Let it be the platform through which your concerns are discussed so that our voice can be heard. Through unity, we can achieve much more than we can individually,” she said.
The second day of the training focused on strengthening participants’ understanding of legislative engagement, council procedures, motion development, committee work, advocacy strategies, budget analysis, oversight responsibilities and community representation.
Facilitators Achii Christine Lodou and Aliat Grace guided participants through practical sessions designed to improve their effectiveness as elected leaders, with emphasis on budget scrutiny, policy influence, oversight of government programmes and accountability.
Following the formation of the caucus, Napeyok Juliana, the Woman Councillor representing Kapedo Town Council, was elected Vice Chairperson.
She welcomed the establishment of the platform, describing it as a significant milestone for women leaders across the district.
“As women leaders, we face many challenges while executing our responsibilities. The formation of this caucus gives us an opportunity to support one another, share experiences, and speak with one voice on issues affecting women and our communities,” Napeyok said.
She noted that the training had deepened her understanding of council procedures, oversight functions and legislative engagement.
“The knowledge we are gaining from this training will help us become more effective leaders. We now better understand how to engage in council business, analyse budgets, and advocate for the needs of our constituents,” she added.
Napeyok said the caucus would also serve as a platform for mentorship, networking and coordinated action among women leaders across Karenga District.
The three-day training forms part of the broader Women’s Amplified Voice for Accountability (WAVA) Project, which seeks to strengthen women’s participation in decision-making, promote gender equality and foster accountable and inclusive governance across the Karamoja sub-region.
The programme concludes on Friday with participants expected to develop action plans on how they will apply the knowledge and skills acquired to improve service delivery and representation within their respective councils.
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