ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia — Wakiso District Woman Member of Parliament Hon. Betty Ethel Naluyima, who also serves as Shadow Minister for Gender, Labour and Social Development and Publicity Secretary of the Uganda Women Parliamentary Association (UWOPA), has called for stronger efforts to ensure women move beyond representation to having meaningful influence in decision-making.
Naluyima made the call while chairing a session on “The Role of Citizens, Civil Society and the Private Sector in Enhancing Women’s Influence Across All Sectors” at the World Women Parliamentarians’ Forum in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
The session brought together women parliamentarians and other stakeholders to examine how women can be empowered to play a more influential role in shaping policies, making decisions and driving development across different sectors.
Naluyima emphasised that increasing the number of women in leadership positions is only one part of the journey, arguing that true progress must also ensure that women have the opportunity and authority to influence decisions that affect their communities and countries.
She called for stronger collaboration between citizens, civil society, the private sector and governments, saying a united approach is necessary to create an environment where women can participate effectively and confidently in leadership.
As the representative of Wakiso District, Naluyima’s participation at the international forum also places the experiences and concerns of women in one of Uganda’s largest districts within a wider global conversation on women’s leadership and participation.
The legislator noted that partnerships across different sectors can create more opportunities for women to contribute to policy development, influence important decisions and participate meaningfully in national and global development.
Naluyima further stressed that women’s empowerment should not stop at political representation, but should translate into stronger voices in institutions, greater participation in policy processes and increased opportunities to lead in different sectors of society.
She said the discussions in Mongolia provided an important platform for women parliamentarians to exchange experiences, strengthen cooperation and identify practical ways of ensuring that women’s voices carry greater weight in decision-making processes.
Naluyima said the collective goal should be to build a future where women are not only represented but are empowered to lead, influence and transform society, with stronger partnerships among citizens, civil society, the private sector and governments serving as a key pathway towards achieving that goal.
