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CHUSS showcases research in social sciences and gender relations
On 2nd October 2017, researchers and scientists from the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS) supported by MAK-Sweden Bilateral Research Cooperation showcased research projects in social sciences and gender that are contributing to social transformation of society.
The Social Sciences and Gender Research Day was a key highlight of the Makerere-Sweden Bilateral Research Cooperation Annual Review Meeting 2017 officially opened by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe and presided over by the Ambassador of the Royal Swedish Embassy to Uganda H.E Per Lindgärde.
Following the theme of the Annual Review Meeting, ‘Multidisciplinary Research for Social Transformation,’ the Social Sciences and Gender Research Day provided an opportunity to researchers and scientists from the College to share key findings, discuss and exchange ideas on pertinent issues affecting society.
“Our research focuses on finding solutions to issues that affect the social relationship between humans and their environment. And in Uganda, the most outstanding issues that are currently affecting this relationship include; climate change, energy concerns, natural disasters, food insecurity, human rights abuse, conflict and insecurity among,” said Dr. Andrew Ellias State, Dean School of Social Sciences.
The Principal of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS), Prof. Edward Kasujja Kirumira appreciated the researchers in the College for undertaking research aimed finding solutions to challenges that are becoming more complex not only in Uganda, but the world at large. “Issues like natural disasters, food insecurity, and human rights abuse are a concern to everyone around the world. I am pleased that our College is working hard to find solutions,” he said.
Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi, the Director of Makerere University Directorate of Research and Graduate Training hailed Makerere University together with other partnering Public Universities for creating an environment conducive to high quality relevant research in the country. In a special way he thanked the Swedish collaborators for being a strong pillar in the Makerere University research.
During the interactive sessions moderated by Principal Investigators-Dr. Andrew Ellias State and Dr. Consolata Kabonesa, researchers presented key findings with the audience in order to measure the strength and contributions of the projects in solving the societal problems in the 21st Century.
In research carried out in Amuru and Kabale districts, Dr. Josephine Ahikire aims at Interrogating customary land tenure & women’s land rights in context of reform & large scale investment. She found out that the inherent dilemma of customary tenure is that rights are allocated and sanctioned following the customs of a given community.
“Men still abuse power in the name of custom when it comes to who owns the land. There is limited decision-making and right to fruits of labour on land. The land is poorly governed in these districts. Women find it difficult to translate the letter on property rights,” said Dr. Josephine Ahikire, the Deputy Principal-CHUSS.
Presenting findings on Socio-cultural Values for Sustained Use of Modern Contraceptives: Voices from Central Uganda, Prof. Peter Atekyereza from the Department of Sociology and Anthropology said that the cultural beliefs and norms have increasingly hindered the proper usage of contraceptives in Uganda. According to the research undertaken in Central Uganda, contraceptives are believed to go against the principle of sex that is fresh to fresh. And people still believe in their own traditional birth control methods which have been discovered to be unsuccessful.
Prof. Rev. Sister Dominic Dipio in her research on Mother Centred Africa from the Lens of Folktales both in the folktales and the interviews, discovered that despite the predominance of patriarchy, actual and symbolic life is organized around the mother and this is what makes matrifocality a given in Africa.
“Evident in folktales from diverse communities under study, the quick-witted mother saves her family from hunger as well as from the ogre who is sometimes led to the family by the self-interested father figure, particularly in trickster tales. Similarly, in contemporary society, women as mothers go out of the way to do all it takes take to provide for their families. This is regardless of whether they are single mothers,” she said.
When investigating and documenting the nature of transformations in smallholder agriculture and gender ideologies that account for effective utilization of the NAADS government policy by farmers in Kijongo village, Dr. Henry Manyire said that Masculinity and femininity is still defined in the traditional context of smallholder agriculture. He stated that roles, responsibilities and allocation of resources are still traditionally gendered.
“Decision making within the household, on the farm, in markets, on income and expenditures are still male dominated,” he said.
Looking at the Social protection and Disability in central Uganda: The case of the youth and children living with Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus (SBH), Prof. Anthony Mugeere a lecturer and post-doctoral researcher at the Department of Sociology & Anthropology said that his research was informed by the need to explore the nature, functioning and contribution of the existing social protection systems for children and youth with Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus (SBH).
Dr. Mugeere said that although there are strong incentives for including children and youth living with SBH in social protection policies, the action is hampered by a range of bottlenecks such as political will, availability of data, appropriate legislation, economic resources, stigma and discrimination.
Speaking about the need to bridge the gap that exists between Persons with Disabilities and other people and they can both enjoy the benefits of development, Dr. Julius Omona said that there is need to revisit some of the policies, whether in the short or long run, so that issues of disabilities are included, where they are currently not explicitly acknowledged.
Other presentations included:
• Technology Gender Relations and Household Decision Making Processes on the Access to and Use of Mobile Phones and Radio for Agricultural Production: A Case of Farmers in Apac District, Northern Uganda by Mr. David Mugambe Mpiima
• Gender and Economic Transformation in Uganda’s Agricultural Sector: The Case of Kijongo Village, Mugusu Sub County, Kabarole District, Uganda by Dr. Henry Manyire
• The Drivers and Efficacy of Social Accountability on Service Delivery: The Case of UPE in Uganda by Prof. William Muhumuza
• “Technologizing” Orality: Toward a Hybrid Model of Oral Media for Rural Communities in Central Uganda by Dr. Aaron Mushengyezi
Held in the Makerere University Main Hall, the Social Sciences and Gender Research Day was coordinated by the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS) with support from the Directorate of Research and Graduate Training (DRGT) and the Embassy of Sweden in Uganda.
Article by: MAK Public Relations Office
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The College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity (CoVAB) on Thursday 17th June, 2021 commenced celebrations to mark 50 Years of Veterinary Higher Education, Science, Technology, Innovation and Services (HESTIS) in Uganda. The blended event held at the Industrial Livestock Research, Incubation and Skilling (ILRIS) Center at Nakyesasa, Namulonge as well as online was presided over by the Chancellor, Prof. Ezra Suruma and First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports (MoES), Hon. Janet Museveni both represented by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe.
The event, held as part of Makerere University Centenary Celebrations (1922-2022) was a moment of celebration for 1,930 skilled livestock agribusiness entrepreneurs who were awarded certificates in recognition of completion of their respective courses. Owing to the strict Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) instituted by the Ministry of Health (MoH) to curb the spread of COVID-19, the students from Incubation Hubs in Atiak, Butaleja, Mubende, Nakyesasa, Sheema and Wakiso were awarded their certificates virtually.
In her remarks read by Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, Hon. Janet Museveni thanked Makerere University for supporting grassroots level development through groundbreaking innovations under the Africa Institute for Strategic Services and Development-Skills for Production Enterprise Development and Accreditation (AFRISA-SPEDA) model.
“I am extremely pleased that Makerere University, through those innovative approaches, has developed and launched the alternative approach to building human capital and transferring knowledge to enterprises in communities.
“I would like to encourage all those involved in skills development to adopt methodologies that transform those trainees that go through these programs in ways that enable them also transform the societies they live in” read the Minister’s remarks.
She further noted that commissioning of the CoVAB@50 celebrations was both timely and rewarding. “The commissioning of the college innovations indeed has made meaning. This is a true path to growth of an Academic and Development College of the University, and we congratulate you again.”
Addressing the congregation as Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe congratulated CoVAB alumna and incoming Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation (MoSTI) under the Office of the President, Dr. Monica Musenero upon her recent appointment. “We thank His Excellency the President for identifying you. Science is in good hands.”
Prof. Nawangwe urged Dr. Musenero to address the structures of managing research and innovation in Uganda, “including the role of the Uganda National Council for Science and Technology and the apparent need to establish a Research Council for Uganda.”
In the same breath he thanked the outgoing and pioneer Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Hon. Dr. Elioda Tumuwesigye, for his role in ensuring that the ministry is empowered to carry out its mandate.
The Chancellor congratulated CoVAB upon training the bulk of Veterinary Doctors in Uganda over the last 50 years and more recently, Laboratory Technologists at the highest level. He recognised Makerere University‘s obligation to contribute to the economic self-determination of Uganda and thanked CoVAB for conducting research that addresses hindrances to national development, especially in the livestock industry.
“The anti-tick vaccine is one of such innovations which will solve the huge problem of tick-borne diseases that have caused enormous losses to our farmers. There are many other problems on which the college is researching and we thank you for the enthusiasm” he added.
The Chancellor commended CoVAB for being the vanguard of transformation of the grassroots communities through the SPEDA model. “I urge Government to fund this important initiative so that it can more meaningfully contribute to solving the big problem of youth unemployment.”
In her remarks, Dr. Monica Musenero commended the Principal, CoVAB, Prof. John David Kabasa for fulfilling the College’s dream of enabling the masses who drop out of the education value chain as well as those who complete education but have no skills for livelihood, to attain certification in agribusiness entrepreneurship.
“Many people attain academic success and write papers, publish and they become professors but without demonstrable impact on their nation. You have shown by the thousands that you have touched nationwide that indeed you are a professor of national transformation. Congratulations,” remarked Dr. Musenero.
She therefore congratulated the teams at CoVAB and AFRISA upon successfully conceiving and executing a model that is non-traditional, informal, not easily understood and not documented in any textbooks.
As Minister, Dr. Musenero noted that witnessing thousands of individuals from across the country whose skills had been honed through a university programme receiving certificates gave her a lot of hope and material to embark on her tenure with. “I will be looking forward to harnessing these resources as we initiate work on the next leg of Science, Technology and Innovation in the country under the President’s Office.”
The invitation to the Principal, CoVAB to present students for the award of the ordinary diplomas, ordinary certificates and artisan certificates was given by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs), Dr. Umar Kakumba. He congratulated the awardees upon successfully completing their respective courses and graduating with evidence on an enterprise.
Prof. Kabasa clarified that the approach used to train the day’s awardees was not simply a vocational skilling. “The combination of action research with knowledge transfer, skilling, plus assessment and accreditation processes done by organs like the DIT (Directorate of Industrial Training, MoES) has given us this result, for the University to provide true leadership and transformation of the community.”
Present at the celebrations were the Director, DIT, MoES-Mr. Byakatonda Patrick and the Deputy Commissioner Social Services Development, MoES Madam Elizabeth Bateme who have worked through the Academic-Community-Public-Private-Partnership model to ensure that students graduate as entrepreneurs with micro enterprises.
Prior to presiding over the ceremony, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, on behalf of the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports officially commissioned the SPEDA Training, Incubation and Research Centre – Nakyesasa.
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