Youth Arts Movement Uganda holds Youth Forum on Women's Rights and Safe Mobility

Local Actions winner, Kenneth Mulinde and his organization Youth Arts Movement Uganda (YAMU), held a youth forum on women’s rights and safe mobility themed “Realizing a more feminine transport system in our cities”. YAMU and partners of local actions project #BeRoadsSmartUG invited feminists, rights defenders, and young professionals to the online forum.

The event brought on seventy participants and featured road safety officer and lawyer of the Ministry of Works and Transport Uganda, Judith Karara. Other speakers include Primah Kwagala – the CEO of Women Pro Bono Initiative, Akiteng Isabella – feminist and rights advocate, Ruth Kitamirike – a Global Youth Leadership Academy fellow, Allan David Emollot – African Union National Coordinator of African Youth Charter Hustlers, Onesmu Atukanda – representative of Safe Boda Uganda, and more. 

The speakers discussed the importance of rethinking streets as safe spaces. It was emphasized that there is a need for a transport system that guarantees equal rights to move without the threat of being run down by speeding vehicles or having to face harassment, especially for children, women, girls, and persons with disabilities. 

It was revealed in the session that a lot of young people, especially women, in Uganda had fears about diverse forms of violence which include verbal, physical, and even psychological attacks while engaging in different aspects of life; from mobility to healthcare, the fear exists among a lot of the members in society. 

Through the event, participants and speakers came together in the call to meaningfully involve and engage young people in road safety management and other initiatives to create and implement solutions for the road safety crisis. 

As part of the activity, Kenny launched a Youth Petition for Safe Mobility that he also presented to the Ministry of Works and Transport Uganda through Judith Karara. Judith then expressed her concern and willingness to respond to the urgency of safer mobility for young people, seeing it as a basic human right. The webinar received commitments to drive intentional systems change within the region to make travelling through public modes of transport safer for road users.