NAWAD (National Association for Women's Action in Development)

National Association for Women’s Action in Development (NAWAD) is a voluntary non-governmental women’s organisation that was initiated by a group of women and legally registered in 2010 with the Ugandan NGO board (S. 5914/8366).

NAWAD is focused on the family and the crucial role women play in their families, their communities and the development of Uganda as a nation. Our goal is to promote the fundamental human rights of women and young people especially in relation to sustainable management of the environment and natural resources, health, and economic security. We recognize that there are a number of efforts addressing the challenges that confront women and young people; however, NAWAD is unique among women's organisations due to its focus on women and the environment along with the family and community as a whole. We at NAWAD believe that stable and peaceful families create stable and peaceful communities. We also feel strongly that to promote equal participation in decision-making for women, men and women must both be involved in the process of securing equal opportunities. We believe that “Putting Women at the Forefront” and encouraging men to work with them is the only way to develop stable families and communities and the best way to ensure that all Ugandans can realize their full potential. NAWAD’s community outreach activities are aimed at women’s and young people’s advancement for sustainable development and will therefore, make a significant contribution to the overall objectives of Uganda National Development Plan.

NAWAD’s Goal
Peaceful families and communities where the fundamental human rights of women and girls including good health care, social and economic empowerment, and sustainable management of natural resource are recognized and respected.

NAWAD’s Governance Structure
NAWAD has a General Assembly of the members of the Association. The General Assembly is convened once every year to review and plan the work of NAWAD. There is a Board of Directors made up of founder members of the Association and other elected members by the General Assembly. The Board is the supreme governing body of the Association, to oversee the Association. It approves programmes, budget and ratifies internal policies, among other business.

The organisation has established a Secretariat, which is the main implementation body of the Association in running of the day today affairs including undertaking all such other duties as the Board may propose. The Secretariat is headed by the Executive Director who is the Chief Executive and Accounting officer.

NAWAD’s Priority Programme Areas:

• Natural Resource Management and Governance
The level and mode of interaction of women with natural resources has important implications for their gender roles in society and at home, as well as the community's well being. Rural women are most directly affected by the climatic changes in the environment. They are the primary food, water and fuel gatherers for the family. NAWAD develops and implements activities that increase access to clean safe water and sanitation and empowers women to be involved in the management of natural resources. NAWAD also implements activities on climate change adaptation and mitigation.

The majority of Ugandans have limited access, if any; to the national water supply system. Although Uganda boasts of 68% access to clean water, the statistics do not reveal whether this is “safe “ water, neither do they reflect the actual situation in communities who continue to depend on rainwater that collects in ponds, which they sometimes share with their animals. Women and girls walk long distances in search of clean water leading to an increased burden on the already heavy workload of women and less time to engage in productive activities such as education for the girls. Clean water along with good sanitation and hygiene practices will help to reduce the disease burden in our communities. Lastly, energy conservation will not only help to preserve the forests and environment but it will also lessen the financial and work burdens for the household. NAWAD seeks to address these issues by conducting research, raising awareness, increasing the capacity of grassroots women to make their voices heard and to adapt to changes, and doing advocacy.

Health
The health status of the women, children and young people in our country is poor characterized by persistent high maternal mortality rates associated with a high fertility rate, limited contraceptive use, limited access to quality health facilities and increasing HIV/AIDS prevalence rates among women and children. Improving the status of reproductive health in Uganda is a priority for NAWAD.

NAWAD conducted a study in conjunction with Gender Action that investigated the impact of World Bank and the African Development Bank's investments in health care development in Uganda. This study revealed the distance between the goals of those investments and their actual impact. NAWAD is currently working in the area of the Right to Water and Sanitation, which has an enormous impact on health. We are planning to expand our work on health to include: other environmental health issues impacting women, women’s rights and universal access to HIV and AIDS care and support, sexuality and reproductive health and support to vulnerable children.

• Human Rights
All of NAWAD's programs address human rights particularly those that impact women and girls along with the environment. Additionally NAWAD hopes to focus on gender-based violence and education for girls.

• Women and Entrepreneurship
Since women comprise the majority of the population below the poverty line and are very often in situations of extreme poverty and social discrimination, NAWAD’s efforts under this programme are focused on mobilization of poor women and youth along with the convergence of services and capacity building in entrepreneurship skills.

Women and Health

Invited by Gender Action in 2011, an international NGO based in Washington DC, NAWAD helped Gender Action evaluate the effectiveness of the grant awarded by the African Development Bank to strengthen maternal and mental health care within Uganda (Support to Health Sector Strategic Plan Project II - SHSSPP II). Working in western Uganda, NAWAD carried out field research and along with Gender Action a Report was produced.

In November 2012, NAWAD organized a one day advocacy workshop aimed at empowering women advocates in Mbarara and Kiruhura Districts. Our report on Banking on Health was launched at this workshop. This full day workshop was well attended and received. While in Mbarara for the workshop a radio talk show was organised and NAWAD got a chance to inform the public about the project and the report finds in particular.

Water and Sanitation - 2012
NAWAD organized a workshop on the Right to Water and Sanitation in November 2012. This workshop targeted NGO's in order to build their understanding of this human right and to begin building a group of interested NGO's to advocate on this important issue

The workshop produced an agreed upon statement on behalf of all the groups about the Right to Water and Sanitation and action steps needed by the Government of Uganda to advance implementation. We are now moving forward with forming a more formal advocacy group and continuing to raise awareness among policy makers about the issue.

I. Climate Change Adaptation – 2012
A project entitled “Supporting Grass root Women Initiatives to Climate Change Adaptation in Kashari Dry Corridor-Mbarara District” was implemented in 2012 with support from Global Green Grants. The main objective of the project was to build the capacity of rural/grass root women in this dry corridor to adapt to the climate change situation in the area by educating them on climate change causes, impacts and adaptation. A two day awareness meeting was organized in Nyabuhama Parish with participants representing 6 targeted villages and more than 120 participants attended the meeting. These 2 day workshops led to the communities creating a community climate change group to work on the issue. We also installed a total of 4 rain water collection tanks as a pilot adaptation method, one for each of the 4 different households.

Community Dialogues
Uganda Nile Basin Forum (UNBF) - 2011
In 2011 with support from UNBF NAWAD organized a dialogue as one of the workshops on the fifth annual Nile Day in 2011. The theme was “All Together for Better Cooperation.” The dialogue targeted women’s and gender-focused civil society organisations. The discussion increased awareness among these CSOs of the need to promote Nile cooperation and to integrate gender into this cooperation.

Also NAWAD has been able to mobilize women in Ssisa Sub County in Wakiso district into groups. Community dialogues are going on at community level mainly discussing issues related to family, financial, environment and health.

II. Development of a Gender Policy of FOEA- 2010
NAWAD developed a Gender Policy for the Friends of The Earth Africa (FOEA). The policy is meant to provide a framework to guide the identification, formulation, implementation and coordination of all FOEA’s interventions to ensure equal opportunities and benefits to men and women. It is a guideline for all the Network groups in planning, resource allocation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the Networks initiatives as well as management of the network.

III. Economic Survey of Women in Kanungu
NAWAD successfully conducted a Research Project to identify the key economic activities and challenges that woman in Kanungu face.

IV. Research on the Gender Responsiveness of HIV and AIDS interventions: Strengths and gaps in the national response
The main objective of the study was to assess the strengths and gaps in the Uganda’s national response to HIV and AIDS epidemic in addressing gender-based barriers and inequalities. The study largely addressed HIV prevention, treatment, care and support efforts with particular focus on the legal and policy and institutional mechanisms, programmes and resources (financial and technical - gender capacity). The study covered two districts of Uganda, Mbarara and Lira districts in the Western and Northern regions respectively.

V. Situation analysis of the programming and financing for Safe Motherhood and Maternal Health in Uganda
The main objective of the study was to identify the strengths and gaps in policy, legal and institutional arrangements and financing as they relate to actual service delivery for safe motherhood and maternal health in the country. The study generated information that will be used to highlight the best practices and engage government and non-governmental actors, donors and the media on the need for targeted programming and efficient resource allocation and utilization for safe motherhood efforts.

10. American Jewish World Service (AJWS) Volunteer
NAWAD has had 2 volunteers join the staff at NAWAD through AJWS, an international NGO that funds grass roots organisations in developing countries. The volunteers assisted NAWAD with capacity building activities .

NAWAD Staff Biographies

Dr. Florence Kyoheirwe Muhanguzi, PhD, NAWAD's Chairperson and founder. Dr Muhanguzi is an expert in gender studies and holds a Senior Lecturer position at Makerere University in the School of Women and Gender Studies. Her degrees are in Gender Studies, Demography, and Economics and Sociology. Dr. Muhanguzi has extensive research experience and has contributed to programs and documents prepared by Ugandan and international NGOs. She is a well known expert in Gender and Development issues. Dr Muhanguzi has served in a variety of capacities including Coordinator of the Gender and Development BA program at Makerere University from 2006 through 2008, Coordinator of the Commonwealth Women's Network, EASSI from 2006 through 2007 and organizer the 8th Women's Affairs Ministers meeting in 2007. Dr Muhanguzi has served as a consultant and researcher in a variety of areas regarding women, girls and development including currently serving as a Co-Investigator on a project, Transforming the Lives of Girls and Young Women, collaborative research between the School of Women and Gender Studies, Makerere University and Oversees Development Institute (ODI), UK; and as Team Leader of research on the Governance of Non-State Social Protection Initiatives: Implications for Addressing Gender and Vulnerability to Poverty in Uganda, collaborative research between The Centre for Basic Research, the African Institute for Research, Governance and Development (Uganda) and Partnership for African Social and Governance Research (PASGR), Nairobi, Kenya. She is also serving as a Consultant on Gender Dimensions of Poverty in Uganda. A study commissioned by the Council for Economic Empowerment for Women of Africa – Uganda Chapter. Previously she has served as Team Leader of a baseline study on the status of gender responsive planning and budgeting in Moroto, Kitgum, Pader, Amuru and Gulu districts (Uganda) sponsored by UN Women under AH Consulting (Uganda). She served as a consultant on an assessment of the extent to which the implementation of the National Development Plan is in line with the Uganda Gender Policy for the Council For Economic Empowerment For Women Of Africa-Uganda Chapter (CEEWA-Uganda) and as Team Leader on the Diagnostic study on Gender Mainstreaming and Equity in Road Construction and Maintenance in Uganda a research project support by Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA), Ministry of Works and Transport, Kampala, Uganda. There are many previous studies and policies Dr Muhanguzi has conducted or developed.

Mrs. Patience N. Muramuzi, NAWAD’s Executive Director and founder, holds a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Management from Makerere University and a certificate in project planning and management from Uganda Management Institute. She brings broad experience to her work with NAWAD and this project. As a volunteer at Uganda Coalition for sustainable development (UCSD) she assisted in fundraising. As a programme officer at Africa Institute for Energy Governance (AFIEGO) she was in charge of biomass energy efficiency and renewable energy conservation program. As an Assistant Project Officer at Community Integrated Development Initiatives (CIDI), she helped in the mainstreaming of gender in all CIDI projects. Also at CIDI, she mobilised the communities of Kawempe to take part in the implementation of the Kawempe Urban Water and Environment project sensitizing community members on the dangers of poor hygiene and sanitation. In this role, Patience was also responsible for the organisation of all the workshops and meetings for the project. After promotion to Project Manager, Water and Environmental Sanitation, she conducted training seminars, workshops and all other meetings. Patience highest managerial position was when she served as Acting Executive Secretary, Uganda Wildlife Society for three years. Here she was in charge of programme management and also served as the accounting officer, a responsibility she held until she founded NAWAD in 2009.

Nambooze Rosemary the Programme Manager NAWAD is a self motivated social development worker with an 8 year record of working in local/ international NGOs contexts specifically in the areas of project planning and management, Strategic Planning, documentation, Networking, fundraising materials development and Capacity Building. She has practical understanding and experience in implementing Community Based orphan Care projects, can co-relate HIV/AIDS and its social economic impact to households and water supply for rural/urban communities and schools. She has a keen interest in producing evidence based approaches of health communication in addition to designing behavior change messages for HIV/AIDS prevention, Hygiene and Sanitation Education. She has good resource mobilization skills especially USAID, EU funded projects and also has strong analytical and report writing skills and good command of the English Language. Rosemary has a national and international exposure with a clear understanding of the local and international development issues; ability to adjust to new surroundings with ease; ability to work with people from different backgrounds and have worked with others as a leader and in a team. Rosemary, also worked with women development groups to support them in identifying viable income activities and to support women in household development programs in Wakiso district

Kyohairwe Sylvia Bohibwa is skilled in organizing training workshops. At the Reachout Mbuya HIV/Aids Initiative, she organized an annual three-month training workshop for women on income generation. Sylvia supervised them introducing workshops for new skills thereby expanding the curriculum. She is also the founder of the Ladies of Loyalty Development Association, a women’s microfinance group, and manages the funds of this group. Sylvia, who holds a Masters degree in Human Rights from Makerere University, and a Diploma in Project Planning and Management. She served as a coordinator at the Uganda Management Institute on a three-year research project with Dr. Sarah Dryden Peterson, of Harvard University, studying the rights of refugee children to education. This work led to the formation of Mbeleni Foundation, a project that Sylvia continues to coordinate.

Mr. Herbert Mulyampanda brings in-depth experience as a project manager and researcher to this project. As a Project Coordinator at the Uganda Wildlife Society, he implemented a project supporting the Regional Civil Society Coalition on Advocating for Good Governance in Mining and Extraction in the Albertine Rift Region as well as one on adapting to climate change in Kanungu and Pallisa Districts. He has served as Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Moroto County Association for Development (MOCAD). As a Project Coordinator for the Poverty Alleviation Project (PAP) in Hoima district, he worked with Save Mothers and Children’s Association. Working as a Project Manager with the National Association of Women Organisation (NAWOU), Herbert supervised their Nutrition and Early Childhood Program in Mubende and a project for Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development, Reproductive Health, Community Environment Conservation and Income Generation in the districts of Pallisa, Budaka, Soroti, Amuria and Katakwi.