As the world celebrates International Women’s Day tomorrow, Freedom and Roam Uganda (FARUG) the first Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex organization in Uganda will spearhead the community revelry.
To mark the day, FARUG has released a statement to commemorate the day as well as pay respect t the women who have been strong enough to create a difference in the minority community.
FARUG will celebrate this year’s Women’s Day under the theme ‘WE PUSH FOR PARITY’ in the hope of further pushing for the much desired equality for both sexual and gender minorities.
STATEMENT
We have shattered so many glass ceilings we created a carpet of shards. Now we are sweeping away the assumptions and bias of the past so women can advance across new frontiers,” says UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in his message for International Women’s Day 2016.
On March 8, Freedom and Roam Uganda joins people around the world in honoring women and celebrating their contributions towards a more peaceful, and progressive world. FARUG, which has been led by strong and smart, women human rights defenders from Kasha J Nabagesera to Junic Wambya and now the current Executive Director Ssenfuka J Warry, stands as a lasting example of the powerful change that determined women can make and sustain on behalf of the LGBT community in Uganda.
It is a great and too often untold success story that so much of the political, economic, and social progress of the LGBT community in Uganda for the last few decades could never have been imaginable without the leadership and courage of strong women. FARUG is on the fore front and has earnestly continued to advocate for the rights and inclusion of LBT women. In the fight against sexual and gender based violence, and the joint call for non-discriminatory health policies for sexual minorities, Freedom and Roam Uganda and Queer Youth Uganda have come together on this women’s day to #PLEGDE FOR PARITY.
Our theme for the day “WE PUSH FOR PARITY” is a testimony of the work FARUG as an organization has been carrying out all this while creating and embracing new opportunities for empowerment of LBT women, advancing human rights of all women regardless of their sexual orientation and gender identity, more young LBT women are finding their voices, and paving the way for future generations of the LBT community in Uganda to live a better life.
On this women’s day, FARUG has pledged to fight towards progress in access to healthcare for minorities and inmates, to take front row in the fight against sexual and gender based violence and call for gender inclusive leadership and to uphold career development and sustainability skills for LBTI women.
We are calling upon everyone: LGBT organizations, government, civil society organizations, religious leaders, educational institutions, international human rights organizations and partners, individuals(men and women) to pledge to take a concrete step to help achieve gender parity more quickly .- whether to help LBTI women and girls achieve their ambitions, call for gender-balanced leadership, exposure to strategic and financial roles and integrated networks designed to help women advance, respect and value difference. Each of us can be a leader within our own spheres of influence and commit to take pragmatic action to accelerate gender parity.
#TETULINA BUZIBU
