Alliance of Women Advocating Change

Christmas is one of the most special times of the year, a season filled with love, happiness, and the joy of giving. This beautiful holiday is about more than just decorations and presents. It reminds us of kindness, peace, and the importance of being together. The AWAC family wants to spread the holiday cheer by wishing you all a Merry Christmas. May the season warm your heart and your days with laughter and light for a joyous Christmas filled with love, happiness and prosperity!🎄🎄🎄 #AWACSeasonGreetings

As we wind down the year, our team this week continues a support supervision visit on the impact of We Lead program in Busia and Tororo districts. Today, we were able to engage the SRHR Champions at the cross-border district of Tororo in Malaba. They were happy to share the great practical impact they have experienced and the fruitful gains from the project since the inception, including supporting them, access the available government opportunities such as the Parish Development Model. We are also thrilled to share that the SRHR champions have gone further to integrate livelihoods such as savings in their advocacy and safe space sessions to expand their sustainability. Additionally, we paid courtesy visits to the stakeholders who have gone ahead to support the SRHR Champions at the town council and Malaba health Centre. #WeLeadOurSRHR Hivos Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) Alliance Uganda

Happening: With support from American Jewish World Service, today we begin the sensitization and training of our grassroots members and peer leaders on Mpox. Some of the submissions We have continued to incorporate the Mpox response into our HIV programming. Additionally, we have utilized available toll-free helplines, such as those from KCCA and Ministry of Health, to refer suspected Mpox cases. We also acknowledge the support from AJWS in the Mpox response, which is being done by AWAC to raise awareness in communities, including through the Mpox training. Ms. Macklean Kyomya —Team Leader | AWAC The first two Mpox cases were reported in Uganda on July 24, 2024. In the past five months, we have confirmed 1,047 cases, with 60 affected districts and cities. There have been 6 cumulative deaths, and in the last week, 117 new cases were confirmed. Currently, there are 50 active districts. It is our responsibility as a community to prevent the further spread of Mpox. We must all take on the role of ambassadors for contact tracing to identify suspected cases. Dr. Emily Tumwakire --Principle Medical Officer | Ministry of Health Mr. Privatol Ainembabazi from @IDIMakerere leads a session on the symptoms, prevention strategies, and care pathways for Mpox. He points out that while Mpox, chickenpox, and smallpox share similarities, Mpox is distinguished by lymph node swelling, which is not present in chickenpox or smallpox. He also emphasizes the importance of counseling and psychological support, noting that individuals suspected of having Mpox, as well as their contacts, should be counseled on the disease, its causes, treatment options, possible outcomes, and recovery process. #InnovationsInHealthEmergencies American Jewish World Service (AJWS) Ministry of Health - Uganda Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI)

We recognize that it’s important to provide continuous guidance and support to communities to ensure that there is dissemination of accurate and reliable information. To this end, today we are validating our SRHR job aid for expert clients, a critical tool that has been designed to equip them with the knowledge and expertise necessary to deliver tailored SRHR services to their communities. #SRHRJobAid Center for Health, Human Rights and Development Amplify

This week under the We Lead programme, we are conducting support supervision in Busia and Tororo Districts. The visits aim to capture the impact that the We Lead Programme has had on our SRHR Champions, lessons learnt and way forward. We are having sessions with Busia and Tororo AGYW Champions who are sharing many great things about the programme including helping establish a strong SRHR movement of youths in Busia and Tororo, the voice to stand up for their rights and make decision makers take action as well as the socioeconomic empowerment that helps them reach for their dreams. #WeLeadOurSRHR Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) Alliance Uganda Hivos

We are humbled to be invited, and participate in the round table dialogue with women rights organization, @unwomenuganda, and @Mglsd_UG organized by the Royal Danish Embassy on behalf of the other Embassies in Uganda.  We were delighted to get feedback from the previous consultations from women rights organizations, which focused on consolidating the women's movement in Uganda and addressing women’s rights issues. Additionally, we engaged in a meaningful and in-depth discussion on how to strengthen collaboration, ensure effective coordination, and enhance active participation within the women’s movement. #AWACPartnerships

We are all born equal in dignity and rights." – Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Today, we celebrate International Human Rights Day, marking the end of the global campaign on violence against women and girls, including sex workers and other marginalized individuals who often face intersecting forms of discrimination. The theme "Our rights, our future, right now" serves as a strong reminder that, amidst rising conflicts, social inequalities, and environmental crises worldwide, individuals and states must reaffirm the universality of human rights. Let us embody values of equality, freedom, and dignity that unite us all and build a global community where justice and fairness are abounding, regardless of one’s background, identity, or profession. #HumanRightsDay2024 #16DaysOfActivism2024

Sex work is work!!! The sex work industry makes a significant albeit unrecognised contribution to the Gross Domestic Product of Uganda. Criminalising sex work is tantamount to discrimination on the basis of work, gender--a violation of Article 21 of the Ugandan Constitution. It is time to draw sex workers out of the shadows and do away with any laws such as the Sexual Offenses Bill 2024 which violate the constitution by creating room to infringe on the labour rights of sex workers. #RejectTheSexualOffenseBill2024 #Stop_SOB2024

As we conclude the week, we are thrilled to hold a 16 Days of activism dialogue in Kyotera district with a theme of “Ending GBV against women and girls.” Different stakeholders like RDC, Police, CDO, DHO, local leaders, and peers, committed to supporting tailored interventions aimed at ending GBV, with a special focus on marginalized women, including sex workers in their diversity. We are delighted for the commitments from duty bearers, such as: Assistant District Health Officer Sr. Bakanansa Sarah who pledged to collaborate with AWAC to combat GBV and encouraged AWAC and IDI to organize similar dialogues. This is because these events provide a crucial platform for women to express their concerns about GBV, ensuring that stakeholders are engaged in addressing these issues. #Awac16DaysOfActivism2024 Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI) @ajws @awdfo1 @SAAFfund @ThinkCREA @GlobalFundWomen

With support from The African Women Development Fund, today we commemorate the World AIDS Day, through hosting a press conference. We are focusing on “𝘽𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙎𝙚𝙭 𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙠𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙩𝙚𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙚𝙡 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙚𝙣𝙙 𝙃𝙄𝙑 𝙗𝙮 𝟐𝟎𝟑𝟎" We are additionally, highlighting our ongoing efforts in the fight against HIV/AIDS and to reiterate our commitment to supporting sex workers and other marginalized communities affected by the epidemic. Submissions from different participants: Ms. Sarah Nakku from UNAIDS emphasized the importance of community-led initiatives, stressing that at least 80% of HIV prevention services should be peer-led. She also highlighted the need for direct funding to support local organizations in their HIV response efforts. Globally, 33% of the 193 UN member states have committed to reducing stigma and discrimination by reforming laws and policies. However, progress is slow, with only 7% of countries having decriminalized drug use. Alarmingly, 88% of countries still criminalize sex work. In Uganda, there is a pressing need to conduct a national stigma index survey among sex workers to better understand and address the challenges they face. Ms. Tina Birungi, an AWAC member from Kabarole, stressed the importance of ongoing awareness and education on HIV, emphasizing the need for: Continuous sensitization on HIV prevention and transmission, Consistent condom us, Regular follow-up and support, and Targeted outreach to marginalized groups, particularly female sex workers, who are often left behind like those who use drugs. Tina’s message highlights the need for sustained efforts to prevent HIV transmission and ensure that no one is left behind. Addressing the HIV should encompass making sex workers be part and parcel of the decision making. We need to understand the root cause analysis of the high prevalence of HIV among them, support community based organizations like AWAC, and support the peers in addressing the HIV epidemic. Ms. Sadic Joweria —Kawaala HCIII Dr. Shaban Mugerwa from the Uganda AIDS Commission (UAC) acknowledges the government's efforts in supporting key populations through improving legal environments. This includes developing essential frameworks and policies, such as the Key Population Programming Framework, Equity Plan, Anti-Stigma Policy, and conducting a legal environment assessment. Despite these efforts, challenges persist, particularly regarding non-progressive laws and the limited understanding of these laws by Members of Parliament (MPs). #WorldAIDSDay2024. #SupportSWs_EndAIDS2030 #TakeTheRightsPath African Women's Development Fund (AWDF) Winnie Byanyima UNAIDS UGANDA AIDS COMMISSION World Health Organization African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR)