Core Activities

One of our core activities is to promote human rights especially the rights of the vulnerable groups like women, children and people with disabilities. We believe that the media is helpful in the fight against human rights violations because it serves as a monitor and source of information for human rights stories. We believe that we can use the media to highlight abuses, which in turn will shame abusers to put an end to their attitude.

We promote media freedoms: The press in Uganda has proved its capacity to be a force for change and as Uganda media women’s Association, we believe that freedom of expression and press freedom in particular is an important factor in democracy. This is because of the media’s ability to provide information which serve as link between mass publics, elites and government. We train journalists in rights and human rights reporting.

We work to promote good governance through a strong, informed and independent media and society. When journalists are free to monitor, investigate and criticize the public administration’s policies and actions, good governance takes hold. We train journalists in the aspects of good governance and the public in issues of transparency and accountability and how to claim for their rights and fully participate in government programs.

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Uganda Media Women’s Association-UMWA, was founded in 1983 by a group of female journalists as a membership association, to fight for the rights of women in the media. In 1997 UMWA became a human rights advocacy and service delivery NGO. UMWA is legally registered within Uganda’s NGOs Board with number: S.5914/1535. At the national level, UMWA has been very instrumental in coalitions working for gender equality and human rights for example the Equal Opportunity Commission, the Domestic Relations Bill, and Domestic Violence Law (2010), Coalitions working for press freedom, right of access to information, and that on civic awareness on liberties. UMWA also worked in coalitions against the Homosexual Bill (2009), Advocacy on the Prevention of HIV/AIDS Bill (2010), and the Female Genital Mutilation Act (2010). At the international scene, UMWA is active in coalitions for intercultural awareness exchange and appreciation as well as media and human rights activism. UMWA’s primary target groups are women and groups of people experiencing disadvantaged situations. UMWA is a leading media NGO with structures, office space, and with proven experience in the design and conducting of awareness and advocacy campaigns. Examples include its lead role and outstanding performance during the civic education awareness media campaigns in the run up to Uganda’s three general elections of 1996, 2001 and 2006; and the Referendum 2000 to choose between a No-Party and a Multiparty system. UMWA was the lead agency for the media component, (supported by a coalition of donors). UMWA, was among over 25 media associations and several media houses in Uganda, recently selected by Uganda’s Ministry of Information to organize a National Media Conference. Uganda Media Women’s Association set up also 101.7 Mama FM, the first women’s station in Africa. The organization has eight (8) full-time employees and 30 part-time volunteers. The Board of Directors has eight members. UMWA’s highest organ is its general assembly comprising of all paid up members which elect the 7 person governing board every four years. The Executive Director is an Ex-officio. The Board is UMWA’s policy making and advisory body also instrumental, through a participatory process with other stakeholders, in determining the organisation’s strategic direction, done every three years.