General
Mak-Sida International Conference Calls for more Research and Innovations
The Mak-Sida International Research and Innovations Dissemination two-day Conference closed with a call for more research and innovations across the different disciplines. The Conference, held under the theme ‘Community transformation through Research, Innovations and Knowledge Translation’, brought together scholars from different parts of the world to share their research findings across five sub themes of: Health and Health Systems; Natural Resource Utilisation, Conservation and Environmental Sustainability; Food Security, Safety and Value Addition; Culture Socio-Economic Transformation, Social Justice, Governance, Conflict and Disaster Management; and Advances in Education, Science and Technology. Over one hundred (100) papers were presented across these themes as both oral and poster presentations.
In her special paper presentation on Viral Hemorrhagic fevers, Dr. Monica Musenero Masanza, the Assistant Commissioner Epidemiology and Surveillance in the Ministry of Health, shared that more research needs to be conducted to avert the effects of such fevers. She shared experiences from the Ebola hit Central African region, where she was actively involved in combating the scourge.
“Viral hemorrhagic fevers (VHFs) are caused by four distinct families of viruses. These include: Arena viruses (Lassa fever), Filo Viruses (Ebola and Marburg fever), Bunya viruses (Cremean Congo) and Flavi viruses (Yellow fever),” she said. “The absence of locally available research has led to delayed recognition of these viruses which are mainly hosted in animals, since human beings are accidental hosts. It is still not known where the virus really hides. We start running after seeing deaths. It catches us by surprise because the origin is unknown. There is need for more research to combat the high tendency of recurrence of these fevers. I am here to stir you as academic institutions to engage more in both basic and intensive research,” she emphasized.
Dr. Musenero continued to share the courageous fight to contain ebola in West Africa, particularly the countries of Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Cameroon, where she headed the medical team. After her presentation, the audience gave her a befitting standing ovation.
Susanne Spets, the Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy of Sweden, who represented the Swedish Ambassador, H.E. Urban Andersson, observed that Sida support is aimed at improving conditions in Uganda. “One third of the activities supported by Sweden are in the area of Medical Sciences. The investment is expected to contribute to an improved health status of ordinary Ugandans,” she said. “The agreement period has included the preparation for a new agreement 2015- 2020. The process has included an open call for projects proposals with Swedish University partners. 17 projects that will be implemented by 5 universities in Uganda and their 11 Swedish University partners have been selected.
The Chairperson Makerere University Council, Eng. Dr. Charles Wana Etyem represented by the Deputy Chairperson of Council, Hon. Irene Ovonji Odida observed that, “Being the premier academic institution in Uganda, Makerere University is a major source of various home-grown innovations and technologies that are contributing to the transformation of our society. Many of these ground-breaking innovations and technologies have been hatched through the Sida bilateral research programme. Our work through the Sida research programme has contributed to the enhancement of Makerere University’s visibility and performance, thereby positioning Makerere University at the forefront of the global knowledge economy. We therefore thank Sida for being a strategic partner to human resource capacity building in this country as shall be exhibited in the presentations at this conference.
Day one of this conference,20th April 2015, was presided over by the Minister of Education, Science, Technology and Sports, Hon. Jessica Alupo, who was grateful for the Swedish Government support to Uganda. “The Government of Uganda will also continue supporting initiatives aimed at promoting research and innovation. As you may be aware, the Government has already made significant impact through the Presidential Science Initiative, to which H.E The President of Uganda, committed UGX.25billion to support research and innovations in science-based colleges at Makerere University. The funding has also helped Makerere to put up state-of-the-art teaching and research laboratories to stimulate scientific innovations. 
According to the Makerere University Vice Chancellor, Prof. John Ddumba-Ssentamu, the Swedish Government has supported learning and research at Makerere University to a tune of SEK515.11 million (USD $74 million). “A great proportion of research funding at Makerere University is from Sida. Sida, together with other development partners, has played a fundamental role in augmenting the internally generated funds at Makerere University, which has helped to substantially tackle the chronic shortage of funds for research,” he said in appreciation.
“Research dissemination and translation of outputs into policy briefs has not been successful as would have been desired. Both senior researchers and students have collected plenty of raw data, but these have not been translated so as to make them to be able to serve the reason(s) for which they are gathered. To solve this problem, emphasis, especially in the successor Sida programme, has been put on the proper dissemination of interdisciplinary research findings, thematic research inventories, so as to contribute to and enhance evidence-based policy development. This would make the programme directly relevant to the national development goals,” he added.
The Chairperson Conference Organising Committee, Prof. Mukadasi Buyinza who is also the Director, Directorate of Research and Graduate Training, hailed Sida for the enduring support to Makerere University. Tremendous achievements which include the creation of an environment conducive to high quality relevant research through investment in human resource development, ICT, library resources, laboratory and field site infrastructure have been realized as a result of this support.
“I am happy to report that since 2000 when our cooperation began, over 150 staff have completed PhDs and a host of them have completed master degree programs. This could be attributed to the increased completion rate by doctoral students due to the enhanced capacity for supervisors to supervise graduate students, strong mentorship programme and graduate seminar series coordinated by Makerere University,” he said.
“We are grateful to government through the Ministry of Education Science, Technology and Sports for having secured over US$200 million from African Development Bank and other agencies to finance the improvements and expansion of higher education Science and Technology facilities at the public universities, Makerere University inclusive. The steps the Government has taken are commendable but we urge government to strategically investment more in research and development in order to spark economic growth and human capital development,” he added.
The Chancellor, Prof. George Mondo Kagonyera pointed out that “It is important for academic and research institutions to conduct cutting edge research but as long as that research is not reaching the community it is meant to serve, it remains but a disservice. In order for all this wonderful research to impact community it has to be translated into the language that can easily be understood by members of public, and policy makers in particular. It is only when our research can easily be understood that the policy makers will advance our aspirations and defend our cause when it comes up for debate.”
Dr. Katri Pohjolainen, the Senior Research Advisor at the Swedish Embassy hailed the conference for its output. “The conference has displayed an enormous amount of creativity, perseverance and hard work taking place both in Uganda and Sweden for the past five years. The sessions I did attend were professional, exciting and a learning experience with open and frank discussions. The two days have been an academic exercise of high caliber. I hope all the research results presented will be published and that scientific discoveries will be patented. I hope the research results will reach out to communities and will be translated into policy documents and used by the different organizations and ministries,” she said.
The Deputy Vice Chancellor, Finance and Administration, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe closed the conference with a call for maximum utilization of the research funding. ”The support we have received should be very well utilized to make a contribution however small to reversing the very sad story of Africa. I believe that Makerere is the greatest University on the African continent. We have people dedicated to their work as demonstrated by the resilience despite all the difficulties people encounter as they carry out first class research, publish in international journals and innovate for society. Let us continue doing so,” he said.
26 people were recognised for their active role in the success of the Makerere-Sida bilateral cooperation over the years. Please see downloads below for that detailed list of recipients.
Article by Marion Alina
Photos by Landmark Media Consultancy Ltd
Makerere University has reaffirmed its commitment to preventing sexual harassment and gender-based violence (GBV) by strengthening the capacity of members of the Vice Chancellor’s Roster of 100, a pool of trained staff that supports the Gender Mainstreaming Directorate (GMD) in investigating sexual harassment cases across the University.
The one-day training, held on 30th June 2026, brought together members of the roster to deepen their understanding of sexual harassment prevention and response, strengthen investigative skills, and share practical experiences from previous investigations. The programme also sought to reinforce implementation of Makerere University‘s Policy and Regulations against Sexual Harassment (PRASH) while drawing lessons from institutions with extensive experience in handling gender-based violence.
Opening the training, the Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Finance and Administration, Prof. Henry Alinaitwe, urged members of staff to shift their focus from responding to incidents to preventing them altogether.
“Prevention is far better than waiting for cases to happen and then beginning investigations. Our focus should be on creating an environment where incidents of sexual harassment do not occur in the first place,” he said.
Prof. Alinaitwe observed that as educators and members of staff, university employees are expected to serve as role models both within the institution and in the wider community. He noted that the University’s safeguarding, gender and sexual harassment policies were developed to ensure that every member of the University community studies and works in a safe environment.
He explained that sexual harassment extends beyond physical acts and may be verbal, non-verbal or electronic, including inappropriate messages, photographs, videos and social media communication. He encouraged timely reporting of incidents and emphasized that all complaints should be handled professionally, fairly and confidentially.
“Become champions of prevention within your departments and units. Let us guide our students, colleagues and all those who interact with the University. Our responsibility does not end within the University gates. The values we promote here should also shape our conduct in our homes, workplaces and communities,” he urged.
The Deputy Vice Chancellor reminded participants that every incident of sexual harassment undermines trust and damages the University’s reputation.
“One case of sexual harassment is already one case too many. Every incident affects individuals, damages trust, and undermines our institution. We must therefore do everything possible to prevent such behaviour,” he emphasized.
Earlier, the Chief of the Gender Mainstreaming Directorate, Dr. Euzobia Baine, welcomed participants and stressed that the University’s priority is to prevent sexual harassment before it occurs.
“The most important message today is prevention and response—and I want to emphasize prevention, prevention, prevention. We should not wait for incidents to occur before we act,” she said.
Dr. Baine noted that while the University continues to strengthen its response mechanisms, members of the roster must possess the knowledge and skills to respond appropriately whenever cases arise.
“We want our students to have a positive experience throughout their time at the University, and we also want all members of staff to work in a safe and respectful environment,” she added.
Presenting the objectives of the Vice Chancellor’s Roster of 100, Dr. Lillian Tukahiirwa from the Gender Mainstreaming Directorate explained that the training was intended to create a common understanding of sexual harassment prevention and response, enable members to reflect on their roles, learn from previous investigation committees, strengthen implementation of PRASH, and benchmark with institutions such as the Uganda Police Force and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Participants also received presentations on understanding gender-based violence, the legal and policy framework governing investigations, and practical approaches to handling complaints.
Speaking on the legal framework, the University’s Director of Legal Affairs, Ms. Sumaiyah Nanyondo Sebuta, reminded members of the roster that investigating sexual harassment cases requires professionalism, impartiality and strict confidentiality.
“Every complaint deserves to be handled carefully because the consequences affect both the alleged victim and the alleged perpetrator,” she said.
She explained that committee members are guided by international conventions, Uganda’s Constitution, national legislation and Makerere University‘s own policies, all of which seek to protect human dignity, eliminate discrimination and ensure fair treatment during investigations.
Ms. Sumaiyah further emphasized that investigators must avoid conflicts of interest, base their decisions solely on evidence, and protect the identities of complainants, respondents and witnesses throughout the investigation process.
The training also featured presentations by Principal Gender Officer Eric Tumwesigye on understanding gender-based violence and by Senior Superintendent of Police Carolyne Kushemererwa of the Uganda Police Force, who shared lessons from investigating sexual harassment and gender-based violence cases. Participants explored reporting mechanisms, survivor-centred approaches, confidentiality, accountability and strategies for preventing sexual harassment within institutions.
The Vice Chancellor’s Roster of 100 forms a critical component of Makerere University‘s institutional response to sexual harassment. By equipping members with investigative skills, knowledge of legal and policy frameworks, and practical experience, the University continues to strengthen its commitment to fostering a safe, respectful and inclusive environment for students, staff and the wider university community.
By Monica Meeme, Cynthia Ayaa Komakec and Eric Tumwesigye
Makerere University, through its Gender Mainstreaming Directorate (GMD), in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the Embassy of Sweden, UNESCO O3 Plus have successfully trained 250 Student Peer Trainers (SPTs) to strengthen student-led efforts in promoting gender equality and the prevention of gender-based violence.
The three-day capacity-building workshop, held from 5th to 7th May 2026, brought together selected student leaders from across the University and formed part of Makerere University’s commitment to creating a safe, inclusive, and gender responsive learning environment. The training equipped participants with practical knowledge and skills to serve as peer educators, advocates, mentors, and referral points for students requiring support on gender-related issues.
The workshop covered a wide range of thematic areas, including the Makerere University Gender Equality Policy, the Policy and Regulations Against Sexual Harassment (PRASH), international, regional and national legal frameworks on gender equality, sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), leadership development, effective communication, and student-led advocacy and action planning.
Facilitators included Susan Mbabazi, Principal Gender Officer; Eric Tumwesigye, Principal Gender Officer; Carol Abilat Gender Officer; Cynthia Ayaa Komakec Gender Officer; Dr. Richard Mwesigwa of UNFPA; Dr. Lilian Tukahira Assistant Administrator; and Judith Kiconco, Gender Officer.
Day One: Building Foundations for Gender Equality and Inclusion
The opening day commenced with welcome and opening remarks delivered by Ms. Susan Mbabazi, Acting Chief Gender Mainstreaming Officer; Ms. Laura Criado Lafuente, Representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA); and Dr. Rodney Rugyema, Office of the Dean of Students, who represented the Vice Chancellor.
Speaking on behalf of UNFPA, Ms. Laura Criado Lafuente described the training as more than a workshop, characterising it as a movement designed to empower students to influence attitudes, behaviours, and social norms within their communities. She encouraged participants to challenge harmful practices, support survivors of gender-based violence, and serve as catalysts for positive change both within and beyond the University.
Representing the Vice Chancellor, Dr. Rodney Rugyema emphasised that Makerere University’s mandate extends beyond academic excellence to ensuring the safety, well-being, and holistic development of its students. He urged participants to avoid harmful relationships, prioritise personal safety, and actively contribute to fostering a respectful, inclusive, and supportive campus environment.
Dr. Rugyema further described Student Peer Trainers as the “eyes and ears” of the University community, underscoring their vital role in raising awareness, identifying emerging challenges, and mobilising collective action to prevent and address gender-based violence.
The first day of the workshop also introduced participants to the principles of gender equality, gender mainstreaming, and the institutional frameworks that guide Makerere University’s efforts to promote inclusion, equity, and student welfare.
Ms. Susan Mbabazi provided a historical overview of the Gender Mainstreaming Directorate and highlighted the University’s sustained commitment to creating an equitable and supportive academic environment. She also guided participants through the key provisions of the Policy and Regulations Against Sexual Harassment (PRASH), emphasising the University’s zero-tolerance stance on sexual harassment and all forms of gender-based violence.
Mr.Eric Tumwesigye facilitated a session on foundational gender concepts, enabling participants to deepen their understanding of gender dynamics, stereotypes, power relations, and the importance of promoting equality and inclusivity within university spaces.
A key highlight of the day was a presentation by Ms. Carol Abilat on the Makerere University Gender Equality Policy. She emphasised that gender equality is fundamentally rooted in fairness, dignity, and equal opportunity for all members of the University community, including marginalised groups and persons with disabilities.
Ms. Abilat further explained that the policy aligns with national development priorities and international commitments, including the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5 on Gender Equality. Participants were introduced to critical concepts such as consent, sexual harassment, discrimination, gender blindness, and inclusive approaches to teaching, learning, leadership, and institutional management.
Day Two: Understanding Legal Frameworks and Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights
The second day focused on strengthening participants’ understanding of legal and policy frameworks that promote gender equality and protect individuals from discrimination, sexual harassment, and gender-based violence.
Facilitating the session on international, regional, and national legal frameworks, Cynthia Ayaa Komakec provided participants with a comprehensive overview of key human rights instruments and gender equality commitments.
At the international level, participants examined frameworks such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), and the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. Discussions highlighted how these instruments have shaped global efforts to eliminate discrimination and advance the rights and empowerment of women and girls.
The regional discussion focused on the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the Protocol to the African Charter on the Rights of Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol), which provide important protections and promote women’s participation in social, economic, and political development across the continent.
The session also examined Uganda’s national legal and policy framework, including the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda (1995), the Uganda Gender Policy, and relevant provisions of the Penal Code Act.
A recurring theme throughout the discussion was the implementation gap that often exists between legal protections and actual practice. Participants explored the importance of accountability, institutional commitment, awareness creation, and community engagement in translating legal frameworks into meaningful outcomes.
The day also featured a session on Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) facilitated by Dr. Richard Mwesigwa from UNFPA.
Dr. Mwesigwa introduced participants to UNFPA’s mandate and mission before guiding them through key concepts relating to sexual health, reproductive health, rights, and access to services. The session addressed the importance of informed decision-making, consent, healthy relationships, prevention of gender-based violence, and available support mechanisms for students experiencing harassment or abuse.
Participants were also equipped with practical guidance on how Student Peer Trainers can provide information, make referrals, and support fellow students in accessing appropriate services and assistance.
Throughout the day, facilitators emphasised the need to position students as active change agents capable of promoting positive behavioural change within colleges, halls of residence, and wider communities.
Day Three: Partnerships, Leadership and Action Planning
The final day focused on strengthening peer leadership skills and equipping participants with practical tools for developing and implementing student-led initiatives.
Representatives from development partners reaffirmed the importance of youth leadership and collaborative action in addressing gender inequalities and preventing gender-based violence.
Addressing participants, Jessica Pellrud from the Embassy of Sweden emphasised that gender equality remains a critical pillar of sustainable development. She encouraged students to become long-term advocates for social transformation by challenging harmful norms, supporting survivors, and promoting inclusive participation among both women and men.
Eric Tumwesigye reflected on the growth of the Student Peer Trainers programme noting that the initiative has expanded from training 50 students annually to 250 peer educators. The expansion is intended to strengthen outreach and increase access to peer support services across the University.
He encouraged participants to integrate gender awareness into broader discussions on mental health, academic achievement, healthy relationships, and responsible digital engagement.
Facilitating the action-planning session, Dr. Lilian Tukahirwa guided participants through the process of designing practical and achievable interventions for their respective colleges. She emphasised the importance of creativity, flexibility, teamwork, and collaboration with academic staff and College leadership to ensure sustainable impact.
The workshop concluded with participants developing action plans aimed at promoting gender equality, preventing sexual harassment, and strengthening awareness and support mechanisms within their academic units.
Renewed Commitment to Student-Led Change
In his closing remarks, Eric Tumwesigye commended participants for their commitment, discipline, and active engagement throughout the three-day training programme. He also acknowledged the valuable contributions of facilitators and development partners, including UNFPA, and the Embassy of Sweden.
He announced that participants would undertake online evaluations and receive support in developing concept papers for college-based initiatives designed to promote gender equality and prevent sexual harassment.
Tumwesigye emphasised that while institutional support remains critical, the long-term success of the programme depends on sustained student leadership, ownership, and commitment.
The workshop concluded with a renewed pledge from the newly trained Student Peer Trainers to champion gender equality, support vulnerable students, and contribute to building a safer, more inclusive, and gender-responsive Makerere University community.
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