AWDF and SWID Empower Women in Busoga, Uganda: A Model for Africa’s Land Rights”

With support from AWDF, SWID is equipping women in Busoga, Uganda, with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to claim their land rights. Over 500 women have benefited from training on legal awareness, advocacy, and counselling, enabling them to navigate disputes and participate fully in economic decision-making. By breaking cultural and legal barriers, this initiative is not only improving women’s lives but also strengthening community development—a model that could inspire similar programs across Africa. By Samuel Mwesigwa

Kamuli / Kaliro, Uganda – The Slum Women’s Initiative for Development (SWID) is making significant strides in empowering women and girls on land rights in Kamuli and Kaliro districts, thanks to strong support from the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF). The initiative, funded through a generous AWDF grant, has already reached over 500 women, equipping them with knowledge and skills to navigate land ownership and access challenges.

During a recent monitoring session in Kaliro, Shirley Boakye, Programme Assistant at At Scale Partners and Resourcing, expressed satisfaction with the progress. She noted that women are now confidently claiming their land rights and understanding the laws that protect them. Boakye also urged governments across Africa to prioritize women in decision-making and secure their land rights, emphasizing that lack of land ownership continues to hinder women’s social, economic, and community development.

SWID Executive Director, Doreen King, expressed gratitude for the funding, highlighting its role in helping the organization reach this milestone. She added that as the program expands to other districts, additional support will be critical to sustain and scale the impact.

The AWDF-funded program focuses on:

• Training 100 women community paralegals to break barriers to gender inequality and advocate for women’s land rights.
• Raising awareness among women and girls to understand and articulate the laws supporting land ownership and access.
• Equipping paralegals with counselling skills to provide support in cases of violence and disputes related to land.

Local voices reflect the progress being made. Waisawa Basolom, Local Council Chairman of Wamusuta Village, said:

“The laws are now better. A woman can buy her own land and process the title, as long as both the husband and the wife agree on the matter.”- Said Absolom Waiswa.

The impact on individual women has been profound. One beneficiary shared:

“This organization came when I felt I couldn’t do anything. I couldn’t even speak in public, but through their training, I can now speak confidently and take action.”

Nkwanga Esther echoed this sentiment:

“The organization arrived at a time when I felt powerless. I couldn’t even speak in public, but through their training, I can now speak confidently and take action.”

Despite these advancements, many women accoss Uganda still face cultural, legal, and economic barriers to owning and controlling land. Traditional norms often favor male ownership, inheritance practices limit women’s access to family land, and enforcement of legal protections remains inconsistent. These challenges restrict women’s ability to invest in agriculture, access credit, and fully participate in economic decision-making, ultimately slowing broader community development.

By equipping women with legal knowledge, advocacy skills, and counselling support, SWID is helping break these barriers, giving women the tools to claim their rights and strengthen their economic and social standing. Boakye also pledged continued support for SWID, ensuring that women can keep achieving measurable gains in their communities.

The collaboration between AWDF and SWID highlights the critical role of grassroots initiatives in promoting gender equality and sustainable development. By empowering women to secure their land rights, these programs are not only transforming individual lives but also contributing to the growth and stability of communities across Uganda