Today I join the global community to salute you all, the women and girls of Uganda, as we commemorate the International Women’s Day (IWD 2026) under the global theme Rights. Justice. Action. For All women and girls. 

We recognize the important role that women and girls continue to play in driving national and local development. We stand with the rest of the world to advocate for sustained efforts to enhance the role of women in transforming our societies. This means, safeguarding the rights of women and girls, eliminating all barriers on access to justice, and facilitating opportunities for their participation in development at all levels.

As has been noted by the United Nations Secretary General, Gender inequality remains one of the greatest human rights challenges of our time. This is reflected in the high cases of domestic violence, large gaps in employment and economic opportunities, unequal participation in leadership at all levels, limitations in land and other property ownerships and other systemic barriers. These disproportionately affect those already facing marginalization - women, youth, refugees and host communities, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups. 

As the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), we prioritize inclusion, participation, access to justice and human rights services for women and girls as integral to achievement of Uganda’s Vision 2040, the 2030 Agenda and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Today, as we commemorate IWD 2026, we recognize the urgency to scale inclusive justice services and reforms. We encourage partners to expand opportunities for women and girls in Uganda to contribute to national and local development. This could be through their inclusion in leadership and a wide range of economic opportunities, while at the same time effectively supporting them to resolve all forms of disputes effectively.

UNDP continues to support the Government of Uganda in enhancing effectiveness, efficiency and accountability in justice services delivery, specifically through:

• Digital justice systems, which have interlinked courts and prisons in the districts of Masaka, Lamwo, Gulu, Mbale, Mubende, Jinja, Kitgum and Mukono. These digital justice systems are removing geographic, privacy, logistical and costs barriers, that often prevent women, specifically in rural areas from safely participating in court hearings. Real-time court transcription, enabled through high tech equipment, is removing administrative and procedural challenges, thereby enhancing efficiency in disputes management. This reflects our joint commitment to improving access to justice for women and girls - to the last mile. 
• Court Open Days, which are demystifying access to justice processes. They are also enhancing collaboration between the public and the justice chain-linked actors, especially in hard-to-reach islands, like the Buvuma Islands. By enabling meaningful dialogue on access to justice, Court Open Days provide an opportunity for the public to learn more about how all interrelated justice chain actors’ function. The public is also able to raise concerns related to these processes for their immediate resolution. 
• Strengthening case management capacities of Local Council Courts (1&2) and expanding provision of legal aid services. Which has advanced inclusive justice and safer communities where women, youth and girls can live free from GBV. 
• Rolling out of application of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms, alongside supporting Judiciary case settlement weeks. Through these interventions, more vulnerable women and girls are having various pathways for access to justice services, especially in rural communities. 
• Rolling out the Gender Equality Seal Certification of the Judiciary.  Gender Seal Certification is a globally recognized process which elevates the adoption of core gender equality principles across all functions of the Judiciary.

These interventions, delivered together with our #partnersatcore, which include the European Union and the Government of Netherlands, taken together are bringing improvements in the public perceptions on justice services delivery and the Judiciary. With improvements in perceptions noted from 69% in 2024 to 82% in 2025.

We recognize that in our pursuit of gender equality, access to justice and sustainable development, we must continue to advance opportunities and innovations. These will empower women and girls to have agency, be it at the family level, nationally or globally.

Advancing justice, rights and action for women and girls is a human rights imperative. It is also about enhancing inclusive development, it is at the heart of achieving the aspirations of the SDGs.