GENDER EQUALITY POLICY STATEMENT
Promoting Gender Justice and Equality in Uganda
Gender inequality is an affront to human dignity, a challenge to social justice, and an obstacle to development. Denying women of their rightful place in society – by depriving them of equal access to education, justice, or livelihood – means robbing societies of the talent and potential of half of their members. In securing every social need from peace to food, the role of women is paramount.
Justice Tourism Foundation’s Gender Equality Policy aims to eliminate discrimination, ensure equal rights and opportunities, and empower women across economic, social, and political spheres, including but not limited to ensuring equal pay, promoting women in leadership, preventing gender-based violence, ensuring reproductive health rights, and incorporating gender-responsive budgeting.
Justice Tourism Foundation understands gender justice to refer to a world where everybody, women and men, boys and girls are valued equally, and can share equitably in the distribution of power, knowledge, and resources. We want to see all people free from cultural and interpersonal systems of privilege and oppression, and from violence and repression based on gender.
We support the principle of social justice in multiple ways, from addressing economic inequality to access to education, healthcare, and the protection of human rights, to create a world where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. Justice Tourism Foundation stands for equal rights for all, irrespective of sex, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, disability, and social status. Justice Tourism Foundation’s principles establish that we will promote human rights, equality, and a just distribution of power and resources between all individuals, including women and men.
Given the increasing concentration of power and resources in the hands of a few, Justice Tourism Foundation considers that strong popular participation and organization are crucial to change power relations. Women’s influence and organization must increase to participate on equal terms with men, while men’s participation in gender equality efforts needs to increase to realize these goals. In Uganda, women and girls continue to be denied equal opportunity with men, and many suffer appalling violence and confront significant cultural and economic barriers. Discrimination, low access to education, poverty, family pressure, and social stigma obstruct their freedom and advancement.
Justice Tourism Foundation’s equality program targets women and comprises: Awareness activities focusing on gender-based discrimination, fighting early marriages, and violence undermining women’s rights. We provide training focused on women’s and children’s health, vocational training to empower women financially, and deliver grants to support income generation activities for women. Follow-up and counselling for abused and battered women. Life skills training for resolving problems caused by violence. Community mobilization and advocacy related to protecting women from all kinds of violence
The protection of human rights is at the heart of Justice Tourism Foundation will strive to ensure that all persons can fully access and enjoy their rights without discrimination based on their gender identity including women on an equal basis as men, enjoy the rights, opportunities, and actual possibilities to participate on their own terms in all fields of society: socially, economically, politically, and culturally.
With equity, diversity, and inclusion as a core organization’s values, we stand in solidarity with all those working toward a more just society in the context of addressing social or humanitarian issues to improve the lives of others, especially the marginalized and vulnerable communities in Uganda, through the spirit of Ubuntu – emphasizing interconnectedness and shared humanity.
This policy lays out Justice Tourism Foundation’s commitments to strive for a world free from discrimination based on gender, and where every human being can fulfil their potential unhindered by discriminatory laws, economic, and social structures. The policy sets out Justice Tourism Foundation’s commitments and principles for our gender equality work. The policy applies to Justice Tourism Foundation’s work; all programs, our policy, advocacy, and communication work, and not least within Justice Tourism Foundation.