UNITED NATIONS GIRLS EDUCATION INITIATIVE

Although Uganda is not short of policies and strategies to promote gender equality, women’s political and social agency remains significantly low. Reasons are rooted in two main challenges: persisting structural barriers; and low levels of education among women. Both are most prevalent in the country’s conflict-affected sub-regions. Against this backdrop, the authors explore and critically reflect on the interplay of education, gender and peacebuilding. They showcase how gender-responsive approaches in education at the macro-level have traditionally been based on initiatives that embrace gender equality by means of a “just add women and stir approach” thereby side-lining history, cultural sensitivity and context.

Although Uganda is not short of policies and strategies to promote gender equality, women’s political and social agency remains significantly low. Reasons are rooted in two main challenges: persisting structural barriers; and low levels of education among women. Both are most prevalent in the country’s conflict-affected sub-regions. Against this backdrop, the authors explore and critically reflect on the interplay of education, gender and peacebuilding. They showcase how gender-responsive approaches in education at the macro-level have traditionally been based on initiatives that embrace gender equality by means of a “just add women and stir approach” thereby side-lining history, cultural sensitivity and context.