Community Advocacy
WAGRAU partners with community leaders and organizations to change SOCIAL and CULTURAL NORMS that discriminate against women and girls.
WAGRAU seeks to inform and INFLUENCE the community’s knowledge and understanding of human rights women are entitled to, UGANDAN LAW, and the important role women have in bringing development and prosperity to UGANDA and Africa as a whole.
What is Community Advocacy?
Community Advocacy is a strategic approach to influencing outcomes and driving change on behalf of your community. It involves representing your community’s rights and needs to both community members and appropriate levels of leadership to promote change.
In rural, remote areas of Uganda (and around the world) where education is statistically low and the community is “ruled” by long standing cultural norms, community members need to be INFORMED of THEIR LEGAL RIGHTS. People groups in societal positions of power (such as men, within a heavily patriarchal society) need to be informed of the LAW and it’s consequences. *In the case of WAGRAU, it is also important for men to be informed that women and girls now have access to free legal representation. In Uganda, people do not have the right to an attorney.
WAGRAU’s Community Advocacy primarily promotes gatherings (of 20-300 people) by partnering with like minded community leaders such as law enforcement, government officials and faith based organizations throughout the District of Serere (population 294,200 estimated).
WAGRAU also participates in a regular morning radio show with 500,000-700,000 daily listeners.
Community Advocacy AREAS of FOCUS:
- What is Domestic Violence and what is the LAW?
- What is Assault and what is the LAW?
- What is Defilement and what is the LAW?
- Self Defense Training
- How a Legal Marriage protects Women
- Forced Marriage & Child Brides
- Importance of EDUCATION
- Women’s Rights to LAND
- Women’s Financial Inclusion
- Women’s Economic Empowerment
- Menstruation Shame and poor school attendance
Violations of women and girls rights, and the devaluation of their role in society has COSTLY NEGATIVE consequences that multiply the negative impact on society as a whole.
