SAFER HEELs- Uganda

The Six Agencies for Equity and Resilience in Health, Education, Economic and Livelihoods (SAFER HEELs) project.

[AWAC UGANDA @awacuganda]

We are deeply saddened by the passing of our feminist sibling, sister, and friend, Joan Amek Eoju, Executive Director of Kahuna, Rella Women’s Foundation.

We mourn the loss of a powerful voice, a trusted comrade, and a loving sister in struggle. Joan’s legacy will continue to live on through the movements she nurtured, the communities she stood with, and the change she so boldly championed.

Our hearts and solidarity are with her family, colleagues at @RellaWFug, and all who’re working alongside them during this difficult time.

Rest in Power, Joan.
Your light, courage, and feminist spirit will never be forgotten.

— Alliance of Women Advocating for Change

[BOBI WINE @HEBobiwine]

IGNORE the fake results being announced by Byabakama. He can't tell anybody where those results are coming from. Our agents at the tally centre are asking him for the source of these results, and the regime enabler can't say a thing. The PEOPLE OF UGANDA will have the final say on this nonsense.
#FreeUgandaNow

[AWAC UGANDA @awacuganda]

We’re thrilled to host a team from SIDA and the Social Innovation in Health Initiative (SIHI) from Makerere University’s School of Public Health. They have joined us for an impact‑focused dialogue where CHLEG members are sharing stories and testimonies from one of our economic‑empowerment programs that has strengthened CHLEG SACCO’s structures, and giving our grassroots members a stronger foothold and greater economic resilience. In this same space, we’re exchanging ideas, insights, and exploring how we can keep building on this momentum together.

#CHLEG_SACCO

@MakSPH @Sida @SwedeninUG @chlegsacco

[AWAC UGANDA @awacuganda]

Dear Partners,
As the year comes to a close, we extend our heartfelt appreciation for your continued partnership and solidarity with AWAC. Your support, collaboration, and shared commitment to justice and dignity for marginalized communities have been central to the progress we have made together.
This holiday season, we celebrate not only our collective achievements, but also the strength of our partnership. We are truly grateful for the trust and dedication you bring to our shared work.
From all of us at AWAC, may this holiday season bring you joy, peace, and love, and may the year ahead strengthen our collaboration and impact even further.
With gratitude and warm wishes,
The AWAC Team

[AWAC UGANDA @awacuganda]

Happy New Year!

Exciting times as we kick off the new year! To get you up to speed, we are sharing our latest newsletter highlighting our Q4 2025 achievements. Take a look and see what we have been up to in the final stretch of 2025 as we head into 2026!

Click on the link below for details of the newsletter.
https://t.co/fVvWNSg3hu

[AWAC UGANDA @awacuganda]

Uganda's internet shutdown is a stark reminder of the power of digital control. Curtailing freedom of speech, limiting access to info, and stifling dissent.
But our passion and zeal are ALIVE, especially during these general elections! We urge everyone to exercise their civic rights and responsibilities: ELECT leaders who align with your community needs and priorities - including women's health! Let's shape our future!

#KeepUgandaConnected #InternetFreedom 🌐
#UgandaDecides #CivicEducationForSRHR #UgandaDecides2026

@amplifyfund
@FOWODE_UGANDA
@GeorgiaTheHost
@cehurduganda

[AWAC UGANDA @awacuganda]

Join us this afternoon in a webinar, as we discuss on how Leverage on existing grassroots, community-Led Innovations to accelerate Community Led Monitoring amidst the current shrinking funding landscape.

Date: Nov 21, 2025
Time : 03:00 PM Nairobi
Below is the Link to the webinar:
https://t.co/4UdEPpIgEI

Meeting ID: 863 1177 1838
Passcode: 812068

@ICWEastAfrica
@hepsuganda
@SMUG2004

[AWAC UGANDA @awacuganda]

As Uganda heads toward the defining 2026 General Elections—and with 16 Days of Activism Starting today,—we are reminded of a painful truth: too many marginalized women are still left out of the civic conversation.
For women at the margins, such as sex workers and others living with layers of exclusion—civic education isn’t just missing; it has been denied. Without the right tools, how can they question political promises? How can they hold leaders accountable for budgets that shape access to essential services like Sexual and Reproductive Health?
Today, with support from AmplifyChange through CEHURD, and the valuable technical guidance of Ms. Georgia Tumwesigye from the Forum for Women in Democracy, we are proud to be part of rewriting this narrative. From the backdrop above, we are hosting a Civic Education for SRHR Training Dialogue with powerful, resilient women from Kampala, Mbarara, Nansana Municipality, Luweero, Mukono, and Mityana—women who are boldly stepping forward to contest in different political positions in their political parties in the 2026 Uganda general elections.
These are not just participants; they are future leaders.
They are rewriting who gets to participate in democracy.
They are standing up, speaking out, and claiming space that was never designed with them in mind.

#CivicEducationForSRHR #UgandaDecides2026

@amplifyfund
@FOWODE_UGANDA
@GeorgiaTheHost
@cehurduganda

[AWAC UGANDA @awacuganda]

As a gesture of solidarity, love, and togetherness, AWAC paid respect to the family of the late Maimuna Mami also known as Keko, in Arua to convey our condolences. We offered two goats (a he-goat and a she-goat) and a financial contribution as part of our support to the bereaved family. The family of the late Keko, expressed their heartfelt gratitude to AWAC for the kind gesture of love shown towards their departed daughter. To as at AWAC, the late Keko was not just an active member of the DiCRA project, but a family member, someone we had empowered through the project to continue creating positive and sustained change in her community. Though her life ended too soon, we take comfort in knowing that her impact and legacy will continue to live on in the lives she touched.
May the Lord continue to rest her soul in eternal peace, Amen.
@awdf01

[AWAC UGANDA @awacuganda]

Gender-based violence remains a serious violation of the rights of women and girls and continue to hinder their ability to thrive, especially in vulnerable settings such as refugee settlements. This year, AWAC joined the world in commemorating the 16 Days of Activism to End Gender-Based Violence by organizing a vibrant sports gala that brought together adolescent girls and young women from Ofua and Ocea zones in Rhino Camp Refugee Settlement. At AWAC, we firmly believe that all women and girls, including those with multiple and intersecting vulnerabilities deserves to live healthy, dignified, and fulfilling live, free from all forms of violence. We remain dedicated to creating safe spaces for all women and girls, amplifying their voices, and championing a future where they are protected, valued, and empowered.
#16DaysofActivismtoEndGenderBasedViolence
@Act_Svk
@SwedeninUG
@Sida
@LWF_Uganda

[AWAC UGANDA @awacuganda]

The violence our communities face is no longer just physical, it has followed us into the digital world. Online spaces have become another place where people —including marginalized women are targeted with hurtful, demeaning, offensive, and abusive messages that attack their dignity.

There is #NoExcuse for online abuse.

#SilenceIsNotSafetyUG
#16DaysofActivism
#GBVonMarginalized #16DoA2025 #DigitalViolence #RisingInResistance

@FrenchEmbassyUg

[AWAC UGANDA @awacuganda]

The hate you preach online today, will breed real life violence tomorrow.

There is #NoExcuse for online abuse.

#SilenceIsNotSafetyUG
#16DaysofActivism
#GBVonMarginalized #16DoA2025 #DigitalViolence #RisingInResistance

@FrenchEmbassyUg

[AWAC UGANDA @awacuganda]

There is #NoExcuse for online abuse.

#SilenceIsNotSafetyUG
#16DaysofActivism
#GBVonMarginalized #16DoA2025 #DigitalViolence #RisingInResistance

@FrenchEmbassyUg

[AWAC UGANDA @awacuganda]

Digital violence isn’t virtual. Smear campaigns, harassment, objectification and extortion, target more than bodies.

There is #NoExcuse for online abuse.

#SilenceIsNotSafetyUG
#16DaysofActivism
#GBVonMarginalized #16DoA2025 #DigitalViolence #RisingInResistance

@FrenchEmbassyUg

[AWAC UGANDA @awacuganda]

On this Human Rights Day, our grassroots members are meeting through their sisterhood gathering, to mark the 16 Days of Activism but also unite to fight against Gender Based Violence (GBV), with focus on Online GBV. We acknowledge that the GBV lives not only in streets and courts, but also on the screens we scroll every day.
The participants are sharing stories, and talk frankly about the digital violence that so many of us experience or witness online — whether it’s trolling, non‑consensual image sharing, or the subtle ways algorithms silence women’s voices.

There is #NoExcuse for online abuse.

#HumanRightsDay
#DignityFreedom
#HumanRights4All
#SilenceIsNotSafetyUG
#16DaysofActivism
#GBVonMarginalized #16DoA2025 #DigitalViolence #RisingInResistance

@FrenchEmbassyUg

[AWAC UGANDA @awacuganda]

Eliminate violence against women and gender diverse people who use drugs
EVAWUD25

WHRIN and Women Harm Reduction Coalition Uganda, hosted by Alliance of Women Advocating for Change, call for an end to all forms of violence against women and gender diverse people who use drugs. The EVAWUD campaign highlights the need to end violence against women and gender diverse people who use drugs and improve drug policies from a human rights and harm reduction perspective.

Women and gender diverse people who use drugs are subject to extreme levels and a wide range of violence due to patriarchal norms combined with the punitive prohibition of some drugs. State-driven stigma, criminalisation, harmful gender norms, and corruption drive gendered health and safety harms. These act as barriers for women and gender diverse people who use drugs in accessing critical harm reduction and gender-based violence (GBV) services.
Women and gender diverse people who use drugs experience GBV at up to 25 times the rate experienced by women in the general public. This violence includes (but is not limited to) extrajudicial killing, capital punishment, forced and coerced sterilisation and abortion, rape, sexual harassment, loss of child custody, bashings, imprisonment for personal possession or use, penalisation for drug use in pregnancy, along with other types of gendered violations, stigma, and discrimination.
Women and gender diverse people who use drugs around the world can face arbitrary detention, extortion, police violence, torture, and ill-treatment, with the incarceration of women for drug offences spiking globally since 2000, and well over a third of women in prison for drug offences. Due to the so-called “war on drugs”, survivors have little recourse and often no support, particularly in cases of violence from police, prison guards, and ‘treatment’ centre staff. The experiences of violence against women who use drugs are even more extreme for those facing intersecting oppressions, such as women of colour, sex workers, or trans women.
WHRIN and Women Harm Reduction Coalition Uganda, hosted by Alliance of Women Advocating for Change and partners, note that, by collaborating with groups of women and gender diverse people who use drugs and documenting peer-led actions and services, the appropriate responses to these inequities and violations are clear:
Sexual and reproductive health must be incorporated within the harm reduction suite of services for people who use drugs, integrating comprehensive GBV services.
Meaningful community involvement must feature as the cornerstone of all good practice responses in developing essential response services. The right to safety, access to harm reduction and other essential health services is primary. This means that resourcing and scaling up community-led, gender responsive harm reduction services is mandatory.
Decriminalisation, which removes all sanctions and punishment, including coerced or court-imposed treatment programs, for all people who use drugs, and all types of drugs, is also imperative. Properly implemented decriminalisation will reduce gendered stigma and violence associated with the “war on drugs”.
Women Harm Reduction Uganda and WHRIN call for an end to the “war on drugs”, to eliminate violence against women and gender diverse people who use drugs. Legislation, procedures, and programmes relating to criminal justice must be modified to prevent and eliminate violence against women and gender diverse people who use drugs.
Please join us in ensuring adequate resources and legislative frameworks uphold the safety and human rights of women and gender diverse people who use drugs.

#WHRC

[AWAC UGANDA @awacuganda]

We are thrilled to participate in the ACT Alliance Gender Justice Exchange and Learning Visit to Church of Uganda Interfaith Action for Gender Justice and Women Empowerment Project in the Diocese of Kumi, covering the districts of Ngora, Bukedea, and Kumi in Teso sub-region. During the visit, we engaged with two Village Saving and Loan Association (VSLAs) groups established as mechanisms to prevent Gender-Based Violence (GBV). AWAC showcased its Community Health Livelihood and Enhancement Groups (CHLEGs)—economic empowerment model that has strengthened the socioeconomic resilience of marginalized groups—including female sex workers, while reducing GBV. Special thanks to the Act Church of Sweden and the ACT Alliance for inviting AWAC and the members of the SAFER HEELs Consortium to this impactful learning exchange.

@ACTAlliance @ChurchofUganda_
@SwedeninUG @LWF_Uganda
@racobao @WalkingSchool
@Sida @DCAUganda

[AWAC UGANDA @awacuganda]

As the week comes to a close, we're thrilled to have participated in a training course on rooted advocacy with the Act Church of Sweden!
We dove into practical methods for local advocacy, crafting strategies, analyzing stakeholders, finding entry points, and shaping powerful messages.

This training is perfectly timed, given the current landscape. We're seeing growing opposition to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) and shifting aid dynamics that impact grassroots women's organizations in Uganda and across Africa.
Sharpening our advocacy skills is more crucial than ever, and we're excited to apply what we've learned to make a meaningful difference!

@ActSvenskakyrkan
@CIVITASAFRICA
@saferheelsUG
@actalliance

@Sida

[AWAC UGANDA @awacuganda]

Our growth has been deeply influenced by feminist movements, and we're so grateful to have amazing organizations like @amwaafrika that have played a significant role in nurturing us. Recently, we were honored to join forces with other feminist partners in celebrating a major milestone - Akina Mama Wa Afrika's 40th birthday! 🎉 It's moments like these that remind us of the power of solidarity and the impact we can make together.

#AMwAat40

[AWAC UGANDA @awacuganda]

Knowing where you are, where you want to go, and how you can get there, are key questions that guide how organizations strategize and set objectives to achieve its mission and vision, especially in this turbulent and uncertain aid architecture. A strategic Framework plays a central role in shaping these objectives, informing resource allocation and guiding key organizational decisions. With support from our partners —AWDF, Amplify Change, and Act church of Sweden, we kicked off our staff retreat, grounded in the feminist ethics and values of sisterhood, solidarity, collaboration, equity, and justice, this framework will inform our programming and resource mobilization efforts over the next five years.

@awdf01
@Sida
@amplifyfund
@Act_Svk
@ACTAlliance
@SwedeninUG
@CivitasAfrica