Uganda is home to some of the most diverse and progressive women’s movements in Africa that have achieved significant progress for women’s rights over the last 30 years.  However, following the latest anti-LGBTQ law, the civic space has become more restricted, affecting women’s rights organisations and silencing the voices of women’s rights defenders and feminists.   

Further, these drawbacks have significantly impacted the day to day lives of activists. Opportunities for feminist organising, safe spaces where they can meaningfully engage and self-care and wellness have all diminished. 

This is where Women’s Advocacy for Voice and Empowerment (WAVE II) comes in. WAVE II is a two-year project dedicated to strengthening the women’s movement in Uganda at a time when organisations advocating for the rights of the most marginalised are being silenced.  Bringing together six Womankind partners, WAVE II follows on from a successful pilot project and puts wellness and wellbeing right at the centre of its approach. The project is creating shared spaces for the women’s movement to have the power, capability and resilience to thrive.  

“We need to be well to continue the work that we do in the promotion of gender equality. We should stop making too many compromises that are jeopardising our health. WAVE has deliberately woven this throughout our interactions.” – Patricia Munabi, FOWODE’s Executive Director 

Wellness has proven to be crucial for the WAVE II project to be sustainable and effective. Partners have reflected on the vital importance of wellbeing in the context of shrinking civil society space and threats from the Anti-Homosexuality Bill. These activities offer balance and refreshment after necessary heavy conversations and help to manage burn out and support self-care, which are extremely important for the sustainability of the movement. 

The focus on wellbeing within WAVEII builds on longstanding support from Womankind. Firstly, in the form of a small grant to Women’s International Peace Centre to explore feminist self-care in 2018, and then through WAVE I, a pilot to help make a case in terms of the need for this approach for WAVE II. Womankind will continue to share resources with our partners for wellness and wellbeing to power strong and resilient movements.