1. Campaign Background
Women’s economic empowerment was the central theme of this first phase of the Serious Citizens campaign. Conducted across nine major radio stations in Uganda, the campaign included 36 radio talk shows and four SMS polls. The approach aimed to give citizens, particularly in remote areas, a voice in discussing entrenched cultural norms around women’s roles in entrepreneurship, financial decision-making, land rights, and informal labor.
The campaign exposed the tension between traditional gender norms and emerging aspirations for equality, while fostering a public debate that included over two million radio listeners.
2. Partners and Scope
Lead Implementer:
- TRAC FM International
Main CSO Partners:
- Uganda Women’s Network (UWONET): Lead partner on women’s economic empowerment; supported poll development and policy dissemination.
- Reach A Hand Uganda (RAHU): Contributed thematic input, especially around youth and gender roles.
Coverage:
- 9 radio stations, 134 districts
- 46,293 poll responses
- Engagement of citizens in both rural (59%) and urban (41%) communities
3. Objectives and Impact
Objectives:
- To stimulate public dialogue on social norms affecting women’s economic roles
- To collect real-time data on citizen perspectives for advocacy and policy influence
- To bridge the gap between citizens’ lived realities and formal gender equality frameworks
Impact Highlights:
- Poll 1: The biggest barrier to women’s entrepreneurship is resistance from male partners (reported by 37% of respondents).
- Poll 2: 61% of women have limited or no influence in household financial decisions.
- Poll 3: 33% of men favor no change in customary inheritance practices, while women overwhelmingly support reform.
- Poll 4: The most serious challenge for women in informal jobs is sexual and physical abuse (37%).
Data Use:
Findings were shared through social media, infographics, and policy briefs engagements with the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development.
