Women Empowerment for Gender Equality
World over, gender inequalities limit the ability of women and girls to fully participate in and benefit from development programs. Similarly, gender-based violence (GBV), a phenomenon deeply rooted in gender inequality continues to be one of the most notable human rights violations within all societies. Anchoring Communities Uganda (ACU), partners with communities, civil society organizations and government structures to explicitly transform unequal gender power relations by addressing root causes of gender inequality through gender-transformative programming. Our Strategies include;
- Transforming social and gender norms in communities and society.
- Removing gender barriers and increasing access to, and control over, services
- Encouraging critical reflection on power, norms, experiences and histories
- Supporting economic justice and rights.
Building a movement to end violence against women & girls (VAWG)
We aim to contribute to the elimination of violence against women and girls by building robust, sustainable community-based prevention, detection & response systems. We also engage stake holders in tackling harmful gender norms that predispose women and girls to abuse. We envision communities where girls and women feel free, safe and respected. Through partnerships with communities, local governments and civil society organizations, we aim to;
- Build/ strengthen community structures to prevent and eliminate VAWG
- Create systems that enable women and girls to access appropriate legal, medical and counseling services.
- Reduce vulnerabilities of women and girls by equipping them with information and skills.
Sustainable economic and livelihoods empowerment for women & girls
There are strong linkages between gender inequalities, gender-based violence and poverty. ACU aims to build the capacity of women through sustainable income-generating ventures to empower them to take charge of their lives and provide a platform for them to take part in decision-making processes right from household to national levels. We, therefore, partner with communities to plan, establish women-led livelihood empowerment programs. In addition, we promote women’s financial literacy by equipping them with saving and borrowing skills. Women are trained to form Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs) where they save funds for microenterprise investment and have access to credit from their own VSLA groups.
