Remarks at Inaugural and Orientation Meeting of Spotlight Initiative Civil Society National Reference Group

Salutations:

Esteemed members of the Spotlight Uganda Civil Society National Reference Group

Representatives of the EU Delegation

Colleagues from the UN system

Ladies and Gentlemen:

On behalf of the United Nations system in Uganda, it is my pleasure to welcome the newly selected members of the Civil Society National Reference Group to the United Nations family as well as to the joint UN-EU Spotlight Programme in Uganda.

You are here today because your peers have recognised you as leaders with significant experience working on women’s issues, rights and gender equality. The Spotlight network is counting on your commitment, passion and expertise as we aim to eliminate Violence Against Women, Girls and Children, including Harmful Practices. We will count on your support to  help our communities and society evolve into just, peaceful and nurturing spaces for women and girls.

As the Resident Coordinator of the United Nations in Uganda, Designated Official for Security and the representative of the UN Secretary-General, I stand firmly by the principle that all lives matter and I am committed to supporting efforts to ensure that development initiatives adhere to the principle of leaving no one behind (LNOB). I also believe that during this last decade of action to attain the Sustainable Development Goals, we must build upon the spirit of Ubuntu  the African principle of our share humanity and ensure that in every action we take as individuals, we support diversity and we facilitate the participation of communities and constituencies at all levels of decision making.

You are joining a process that began two years ago. We started this to tackle endemic negative social and cultural norms and beliefs not just in Uganda, but in Africa and around the World. These patriarchal beliefs have created a reality where 56% of women have experienced spousal violence, 22 % of them have experienced sexual violence, and where 82 % of refugees are women and children bearing the brunt of different kinds of violence.

Dear Reference members, Spotlight is the ultimate partnership space to eradicate violence against women and girls, championed by the United Nations and the European Union and led by the Government of the Republic of Uganda. Spotlight’s success requires a whole of society approach including close collaboration with cultural and religious leaders as well as civil society organizations and the women’s movement. The Spotlight Initiative National Reference Group is an interactive forum for dialogue with women’s rights organisations, groups and networks, to help inform the strategic direction of the Country Programme in Uganda, to exchange perspectives on good practices, to partner on impactful advocacy, as well as to monitor progress and occasionally connect with Civil Society Reference Groups from other countries around the world.

I am confident in your ability to live up to these expectations. While I endorsed your selection, I noticed that some of you are survivors of violence, women’s rights leaders, academics, sexual and reproductive health rights activists, and leaders of community-based organisations. You are advocates in your own rights representing vulnerable and often overlooked groups like children in need, female youth, rural women, persons with disabilities, people living with HIV/AIDS, refugees and those at risk of human trafficking or sexual exploitation. So please, on behalf of the UN family, I want you to acknowledge and receive our vote of thanks for  your sacrifice, your leadership and accepting this responsibility

Members, we are fighting what I call a triple pandemic; gender-based violence, COVID-19 and the climate crisis. Success will require our collective actions and commitment.

As I conclude, I would like to confirm that through the United Nations Development Cooperation Framework for 2021 – 2025, we the UN are committed to implementing an integrated delivery approach in support of the aspirations in Spotlight, the Sustainable Development Goals and Uganda’s Third National Development Plan. I believe that together we can leverage our work in Community Mobilisation and Mindset Change, and in Human Capital Development to make sure that women, girls, children, and all vulnerable members of our society can safely attain their full potential.

Thank you for your attention and I wish you great successful deliberations.