Connect with us

General

Agriculturalists Advised on Integrating Gender in Research as NARO-Mak18 Closes

Published

on

Agriculturalists advised on Integrating Gender in Research for systematic, holistic, transformative and equitable development during the NARO-MAK Scientific Conference

Men and women play key roles in agricultural production, processing and natural resource management.  However, youth and women face greater constraints in agricultural production.

In her keynote address during the 2nd NARO–Makerere University (Mak) Joint Scientific Conference on Thursday, 15th November, 2018 at Speke Resort Munyonyo, Forough E. Olinga said, redressing the balance is key to increasing productivity and reducing poverty. Ms. Forough E. Olinga is a Gender Mainstreaming and Training Consultant.

She was speaking on Gender Mainstreaming in Research and Development with special focus on Advancing Gender Research in Agriculture where she stressed that the human factor in agricultural Research and Development is as critical as other inputs such as land and water.

Ms. Forough said that research has shown that households do not act as one when making decisions, and that one’s share of resources depends on bargaining power.

“Women control fewer resources than men. Women’s assets and incomes are used to improve the health and food security of their children and therefore improving women’s access to assets can increase agricultural productivity, food security, and children’s nutrition, health, and education”, she said.

Ms. Forough E. Olinga delivers her keynote address on Day4 of the NARO-Mak Conference, 15th November 2018, Speke Resort Munyonyo, Kampala Uganda

She reported that women and most youth are disadvantaged with respect to access and user rights in both customary and statutory land tenure systems, human capital, pervasive misconception and false assumption, inputs and technologies and social capital among others.

“Reducing inequality in human capital, physical capital and inputs between male and female farmers in sub-Saharan Africa has the potential to increase agricultural productivity by up to 20%”, she added.

Ms. Forough advised academicians and researchers to look through a “gender lens” by involving women and youth in agricultural research and development and asking questions relevant to both female and male farmers, noting that boundaries of “farming” go beyond the field edge.

Basic questions for gender integration according to Forough include asking what different roles/stakes women and men have in the activity, how the program might affect them differently, whether both men and women will realistically be able to participate and benefit (in terms of time, assets etc) and the program contribution to gender equity.

She observed that in many societies these inequalities are due to gender differences in the division of labour. These social constructions, she shared, attach themselves to behaviors, expectations, roles, representations, and sometimes to values and beliefs that are specific to either men or women.

She explained that the  call for Modernization of Agriculture was a call for a paradigm shift, which necessitates a transformation in the mind-frames of the people, involvement in the social and legal structures that support the agriculture sector and that all people and different categories of people in farming communities are the key stakeholders in development.

Ms. Forough E. Olinga (L) shakes hands with Principal, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences-Prof. Bernard Bashaasha after delivering her keynote address. 2nd Left is Chairman Board of Directors-NARO, Prof. Joseph Obua and Dr. Waiswa Daniel (Right)

“Basing research on sex-disaggregated data is one way researchers can ensure that gender is factored into their study. At each step of the research, men and women should act as informants, collaborators, and evaluators about current practices and experimental technologies”, Forough stated.

She defined Gender as an organizing factor that works around systems within a community e.g. production, consumption and distribution. Furthermore, she referred to Gender Mainstreaming in Research as a Unit of gender analysis which is based on each individual at the household level by age, location and culture. She also defined Gender Analysis is a tool to better understand the realities of the women and men by age and location, whose lives are impacted by planned development.

“Principally it is about understanding culture expressed in the construction of gender identities and inequalities, and what that means in practical terms is also political. Gender analysis goes far beyond counting the number of women and men.

It highlights the differences between and among all categories in terms of their relative distribution of resources, opportunities and constraints”, she said.

Ms. Forough also gave an overview of why and how to pay attention to gender in agriculture, the root causes of present global crises, linkage between social structure and scientific technology and how to integrate sex and gender in agricultural research and development.

Other insights were on the use of Sex-Disaggregated Data (SDD) and Gender-Disaggregated Data (GDD), characteristics of a good data for planning, the role of information in gender-sensitive planning and programming, tools and methods appropriate to SDD and gender perspective and methods for gender analysis among others.

Report compiled by;
Jane Anyango
Principal Communication Officer, CAES

Follow #NAROMAK18 on Social Media for Live Updates

Mark Wamai

Continue Reading

General

Bid Notice: Refugee Law Project Mid-Term Review

Published

on

An aerial view of Left to Right: Mitchell Hall, Senate, CoCIS Blocks B and A, Lincoln Flats, Frank Kalimuzo Central Teaching Facility and School of Social Sciences (white) Buildings, Makerere University, with Kampala City in the background, October 2018. Uganda.

DETAILED BID NOTICE UNDER OPEN BIDDING

Invitation to bid for Consultancy Services for Midterm Review of The Embassy of The Kingdom of Netherlands Funded Project; Securing Refugee-Host Relations Through Enhanced Protection, under Refugee Law Project, School of Law, Makerere University.
Proc. Ref. No. MAK/SRVCS/2025-26/00013

  1. The Makerere University under Refugee Law Project has allocated funds to be used for the acquisition of Consultancy Services for Midterm Review of The Embassy of The Kingdom of Netherlands Funded Project; Securing Refugee-Host Relations Through Enhanced Protection, under Refugee Law Project, School of Law, Makerere University.
  2. The Entity invites sealed bids from eligible bidders for the provision of the above consultancy services.
  3. Bidding will be conducted in accordance with the open domestic bidding procedures contained in the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Act, 2003, and is open to all bidders.
  4. Interested eligible bidders may obtain further information and inspect the bidding documents at the address given below at 8(a) from 8:00am to 5:00pm.
  5. The Bidding Documents in English may be purchased by interested bidders on the submission of a written application to the address at 2 above and upon payment of a non-refundable fee of UGX. 100,000/= (One Hundred Thousand), only. The method of payment shall be cash payment after downloading Application Advice Slip from https://payments.mak.ac.ug/ and thereafter obtain a receipt from the bank before picking the document.
  6. Proposals must be delivered to the address below at 8(c) at or before 10:00am on Wednesday 20th August 2025. All proposals must be accompanied by a proposal securing declaration which must be valid until 28th February 2026. Late proposals shall be rejected. Proposals will be opened in the presence of the consultants’ representatives who choose to attend at the address below at 8(a) at 10:15am on 20th August 2025.

See below for detailed bid notice.

Mak Editor

Continue Reading

General

The Alumnet Magazine 2025-26

Published

on

Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe (Left) shakes hands with Elizabeth Gabeya during the role play. 21-year-old Elizabeth Gabeya, a Bachelor of Agricultural and Rural Innovation First Year Mastercard Foundation Scholar at Makerere University, takes charge of the Vice Chancellor's office for two days- March 10th and 11th 2025, Main Building, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.

I would like to extend warm congratulations from the University Management and myself to the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program Team for securing the Second Phase of the Scholars Program at Makerere University, which will run from 2023 to 2034. This achievement is commendable! Makerere University takes great pride in its long-standing partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, which has yielded numerous valuable outcomes over the past decade. This collaboration has profoundly impacted the Scholars Program and various other initiatives.

During the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic, when many academic institutions shifted to online learning, the Mastercard Foundation played a pivotal role in enhancing our e-learning infrastructure through the E-learning Initiative project. This initiative has enabled the university to create high-quality, inclusive academic online content and support systems that benefit all Makerere University students and those from affiliated institutions across Uganda.

Additionally, Makerere University is working with the University of Cape Town and the University of Cambridge on another important Mastercard Foundation project: The Climate Resilience and Sustainability Collaborative. As part of this initiative, we will offer 40 PhD scholarships, 250 MSc scholarships, and skilling programmes for 500 youth. Moreover, 40 women- and youth-led green innovations will be supported, along with 30 postdoctoral scholarships. This demonstrates the immense value of our collaboration with the Mastercard Foundation, and we are optimistic about continuing this partnership for many years.

Like the first phase, the second phase of the Scholars Program will focus on providing scholarships to vulnerable young people from various backgrounds. Special attention will be given to refugees, young people with disabilities, those from refugee-hosting communities, and other underserved individuals from hard-to-reach areas. This emphasis on inclusivity will further enhance opportunities for deserving youth.

I am pleased to share that Makerere University is progressing significantly toward fostering inclusivity for all students. We have established the Disability Support Centre on the ground floor of the Frank Kalimuzo building, designed to serve as a comprehensive resource for our students with disabilities and other vulnerable young individuals. Thanks to the contributions from the Mak Run 2024, the Centre is now equipped with vital ICT services, including screen readers, JAWS, Fusion, Braille services, and other essential amenities to ensure our students can easily pursue their studies.

Furthermore, I want to assure all our students, staff, partners, and the broader community that the University Management is deeply committed to creating a safe and supportive learning environment. With the University Council’s and partners’ invaluable backing, we have developed and launched the Safeguarding Policy. This vital framework outlines our measures to protect everyone from abuse and harm at Makerere University. We are building a community where everyone can learn, work, and thrive.

Makerere University remains a top choice for young people seeking higher education. The university’s vision is “To be a thought leader of knowledge generation for societal transformation and development.” Its mission is “To provide transformative and innovative teaching, learning, research, and service responsive to dynamic national and global needs.” These aspirations place the university in a unique position, and it›s essential to uphold them always. As a University, we will continue to strengthen our efforts to focus on the key issues facing humanity and meet our obligations to a broader society beyond education and research.

In conclusion, we are grateful to our invaluable partner, the Mastercard Foundation. The renewal of the partnership with Makerere University for another 10 years of Phase Two of the Scholars Program is a significant commitment that will empower 1,000 young people in Uganda and throughout Africa. We sincerely appreciate the Foundation’s support and dedication to this mission. The University Management is committed to supporting the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program to realize the vision and mission of Makerere University and the Mastercard Foundation as We Build for the Future.

Professor Barnabas Nawangwe
VICE CHANCELLOR

Mak Editor

Continue Reading

General

Mary Stuart Hall Reborn: Makerere Celebrates Reopening of Historic Female Residence

Published

on

Hon. Janet Kataaha Museveni (2nd Left) flanked by Left to Right: Hon. Balaam Barugahara, Mrs. Lorna Magara and Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe at the official reopening of Mary Stuart Hall on 15th August 2025. First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Hon. Janet Kataaha Museveni officially reopened Mary Stuart Hall after a year-long renovation project that cost UGX 10.5 billion, by the National Enterprise Corporation (NEC), August 15, 2025, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.

Makerere University officially reopened Mary Stuart Hall after a year-long renovation project that cost UGX 10.5 billion, carried out by the National Enterprise Corporation (NEC). The reopening ceremony, held on August 15, 2025, was presided over by the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Hon. Janet Kataaha Museveni, who expressed profound gratitude to God, the government, and the University leadership for what she described as a long-awaited answer to prayer. The function begun with an opening prayer led by Rev. Dr. Lydia Kitayimbwa of St. Francis Chapel.

Hon. Janet Kataaha Museveni, Hon. J.C. Muyingo, Dr. Kedrace Turyagyenda and other officials are given a brief tour of Mary Stuart Hall by Mrs. Lorna Magara, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe and Makerere Leadership. First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Hon. Janet Kataaha Museveni officially reopened Mary Stuart Hall after a year-long renovation project that cost UGX 10.5 billion, by the National Enterprise Corporation (NEC), August 15, 2025, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Hon. Janet Kataaha Museveni, Hon. J.C. Muyingo, Dr. Kedrace Turyagyenda and other officials are given a brief tour of Mary Stuart Hall by Mrs. Lorna Magara, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe and Makerere Leadership.

Mary Stuart Hall, the largest and oldest female residence at Makerere, was constructed in 1947 and named after Mary Stuart, wife of Anglican Archbishop Simon Stuart, who championed women’s admission to the University. For decades, it has been home to generations of accomplished women, including cabinet ministers, diplomats, academics, and entrepreneurs. Yet in recent years, the hall had fallen into a state of disrepair, with broken facilities, leaking roofs, and a lift that had remained non-functional for nearly 50 years.

Hon. Janet Kataaha Museveni beams as she listens to some of the speeches. First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Hon. Janet Kataaha Museveni officially reopened Mary Stuart Hall after a year-long renovation project that cost UGX 10.5 billion, by the National Enterprise Corporation (NEC), August 15, 2025, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Hon. Janet Kataaha Museveni beams as she listens to some of the speeches.

In her address, the First Lady recalled touring Makerere’s halls of residence during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, where she was distressed by their poor condition. Believing that one’s environment directly shapes one’s mindset, she was moved to pray for their restoration. The reopening of Mary Stuart Hall, she noted, symbolized God’s faithfulness and the government’s commitment to dignified student living. She commended NEC for its timely and high-quality work, praised the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development for providing the funding, and reaffirmed the NRM government’s pledge to gradually restore all Halls of Residence across the University.

Chairperson of Council, Mrs. Lorna Magara, hailed the First Lady’s nine years of transformative leadership in the education sector, pointing to substantial improvements in human resource investment, infrastructure development, and research funding. She noted that staff salary allocation at Makerere had increased by 116%—from UGX 102.4 billion in FY 2016/17 to UGX 221.6 billion today—including successful salary harmonization, with professors now earning up to UGX 15 million per month. Infrastructure investment has also more than doubled, with the development budget rising from UGX 10.1 billion in FY 2016/17 to UGX 23.4 billion, a 132% increase, enabling projects such as the restoration of the Main Building, construction of the Schools of Law and Dentistry, and perimeter wall construction. In addition, government support has boosted research excellence, with annual funding growing from zero in FY 2016/17 to UGX 20 billion today. She described the reopening of Mary Stuart Hall as a visible symbol of this broad, sustained commitment to higher education.

Mrs. Lorna Magara delivers her speech on the occasion. First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Hon. Janet Kataaha Museveni officially reopened Mary Stuart Hall after a year-long renovation project that cost UGX 10.5 billion, by the National Enterprise Corporation (NEC), August 15, 2025, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Mrs. Lorna Magara delivers her speech on the occasion.

Vice Chancellor Professor Barnabas Nawangwe described the reopening as not just the restoration of a building, but the renewal of a legacy. He noted that Mary Stuart Hall has always been more than a residence, “it has been a sanctuary of sisterhood, leadership, and inspiration for women” he said. The renovations have transformed the hall into a modern facility housing 521 students, complete with a new lift, modern washrooms, laundry facilities, bright corridors, pantries, a reading room, and a senior common room. NEC has also committed to installing a solar lighting system and landscaping the grounds, while plans are underway to modernize the kitchen and dining area. He further thanked the First Lady for the meticulous leadership in the education sector.

Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe makes his remarks. First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Hon. Janet Kataaha Museveni officially reopened Mary Stuart Hall after a year-long renovation project that cost UGX 10.5 billion, by the National Enterprise Corporation (NEC), August 15, 2025, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe makes his remarks.

The 91st Guild President, H.E. Ssentamu Churchill James, speaking on behalf of students, called the reopening a restoration of hope and pride for the Makerere community. He urged fellow students to cherish and protect the renewed facility as a place of ideas, friendships, and shared teachings, while carrying forward the hall’s proud legacy of resilience and leadership.

Chairlady of Mary Stuart Hall, Ms. Anthea Ampaire, a fourth-year medical student, spoke with gratitude and renewed hope, describing the reopening as a rebirth of the hall. She celebrated the hall’s historical significance as the first female residence at Makerere, praising its new inclusive features such as ramps and a lift for persons with disabilities. She encouraged fellow students to embrace the new facilities with a sense of responsibility and to use them as a foundation for creating brighter futures.

Chairlady of Mary Stuart Hall, Ms. Anthea Ampaire. First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Hon. Janet Kataaha Museveni officially reopened Mary Stuart Hall after a year-long renovation project that cost UGX 10.5 billion, by the National Enterprise Corporation (NEC), August 15, 2025, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Chairlady of Mary Stuart Hall, Ms. Anthea Ampaire.

The ceremony, attended by dignitaries including State Minister for Higher Education Hon. J.C. Muyingo, was marked by joy, prayers, and reflection on the hall’s historic role in shaping Uganda’s women leaders. As Mary Stuart Hall officially reopens, it stands not only as a restored building but also as a renewed commitment to inclusivity, empowerment, and the holistic development of the Makerere student community.

The First Lady poses for a group photo with officials at the Mary Stuart Hall signpost. First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Hon. Janet Kataaha Museveni officially reopened Mary Stuart Hall after a year-long renovation project that cost UGX 10.5 billion, by the National Enterprise Corporation (NEC), August 15, 2025, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
The First Lady poses for a group photo with officials at the Mary Stuart Hall signpost.

Eve Nakyanzi
Eve Nakyanzi

Continue Reading

Trending