This year’s International Day of Action on Women’s Health comes at a time when women are facing numerous health challenges, including limited access to essential health services such as sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) services, inadequate medication for women living with disabilities, and low availability of youth-friendly services for young girls, among other pressing issues.
This is largely due to the fact that, since President Trump halted funding to various countries, Uganda which heavily relied on external support for these sectors has faced significant challenges in providing such services.
However, this did not stop Akina Mama wa Afrika from joining the rest of the world in commemorating the International Day of Action on Women’s Health. They gathered in an in-person Rethink Space alongside photojournalists, journalists, editors, content creators, and other media disruptors to explore how we can transform the way sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and gender justice are reported in the media.
The gathering unpacked how current media coverage often overlooks women’s experiences, and explored ways to shift the narrative to center dignity, agency, and bodily autonomy. Participants engaged in ideation, strategizing, and building collective power to tell stories that spark action and affirm the lives and rights of women and gender-diverse people.
During the panel discussion, AMwA aimed to bring together journalists, civil society, activists, and other stakeholders to discuss how best to raise awareness on SRHR coverage for diverse groups of people, in order to create a positive impact.
The International Day of Action on Women’s Health is commemorated every year on May 28th. However, Akina Mama wa Afrika marked the day on May 30th in Kampala.
According to the Head of Programs Sarah Nannyondo, as AMwA marks 40 years of service, this is a time for deep reflection, learning, and strategic thinking. She emphasized the need for collective self-examination to envision the future of the movement. Sarah added that witnessing lives being dehumanized is deeply unsettling, and she called on others to join AMwA in amplifying voices and lived experiences ensuring that these stories take center stage.
Patience Ahumuza, aka Pesh, an influencer, emphasized the need to move away from using posters to communicate SRHR issues and instead adopt different strategies to engage more people. She highlighted the importance of promoting unified narratives through messages that resonate with current realities, making it easier to bring others on board.
Speaking as both a journalist and editor, Barbara Among explained that structural issues, such as patriarchal societies, significantly affect SRHR coverage, as many women still expect men to speak on their behalf. She added that some SRHR stories particularly those involving queer communities are difficult to tell, as covering them can lead to the criminalization of both the subjects and the journalists themselves. This creates fear among writers and journalists, who worry about being penalized for reporting on these issues.
Similarly, Brenda Namata, the Programs Coordinator for Strategic Gender Initiatives and Advocacy at Pollicy, urged feminists and digital storytellers to fully understand the various narratives surrounding SRHR and other health issues.
She emphasized the importance of identifying potential risks in order to respond effectively and strategically. Brenda called on feminists to break the silence and move beyond acting from an individual perspective, encouraging collective action instead. ‘We need to have a collective effort in solidarity in the fight for our rights and to break the silence,’ she emphasized.
However, Ruth Muganzi, a queer feminist, noted that the voices of minority groups are not well represented in mainstream media. She emphasized that these groups have the right to tell their own stories, as they believe they are best positioned to do so. “Not reacting, but responding, keeps us moving forward it gives us intentional hope.”Ruth shared.
During the event, journalists, writers, and other storytellers shared powerful narratives that highlighted the untold stories affecting women and gender minorities. These stories underscored the urgent need for continued dialogue and action on the issues raised.”
