The COVID-19 pandemic created an urgency to fast-track digitalization as a critical infrastructure for access to public services, as well as work and social interactions. Despite this shift, the digital divide between the poor and rich, rural, and urban areas, and men and women has become more evident.…
Unpaid care work is critical for the welfare of all people at household and community levels. Chores such as cooking, washing utensils, taking care of the sick, and collecting firewood are critical to the household’s well-being. This work is hardly appreciated, and the burden is disproportionately borne by…
As the world commemorates International Women’s Day on March 8, 2023, the Economic Policy Research Centre (EPRC) adds its voice to stress the significance of this year’s theme on the role played by digital financial inclusion on gender equality. Uganda has registered substantial improvement in digital financial inclusion,…
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Ugandan businesses has been greatly reported. However, the dent it has had on female-owned enterprises and the slow recovery they are experiencing is not getting the attention it deserves. Majority of women engaged in business in Uganda fall in the Micro,…
Ms. Hildah Namuleme is the Economic Policy Research Centre’s Young Professional (YP) 2023. This is an annual recognition awarded to the best Master of Arts in Economics student of Makerere University. The awardee then joins the EPRC research team as a trainee for two years. Namuleme says she…
A country’s system of taxation can have differential effects on men and women. This column looks at the experience of Uganda, where a recently introduced tax on use of the internet threatens to limit women’s access to services, information, and business opportunities. This article calls for analysis of…
The informal sector in developing countries comprises more than just unregistered street vendors and tiny businesses: it includes numerous established businesses employing hundreds of people across a diverse range of industries while going untaxed. Focusing on the experience of Uganda, this column explores how governments can use the…
Energetic men and boys are fleeing villages for paid work in urban centres, leaving women and children to suffer food insecurity and malnutrition. Hon. Lawrence Bategeka, the former MP of Hoima Municipality, said as land becomes less productive for food production, men have run away. Women and children…
Members of Parliament in Uganda have pledged to use evidence generated from the sugarcane sub-sector study to amplify the farmers’ rights and place sugar industry on a sustainable growth path. The commitment was made during a high-level policy forum where EPRC presented to MPs on different committees of…
Due to gender bias and the patriarchal nature of many African economies, care work, especially unpaid, is considered a woman’s prerogative. This is often intertwined with negative social and cultural norms. In this context, is paternity leave a realistic solution to closing the gender care gap? The Ugandan…