The Speaker of Parliament, Anita Annet Among, has presided over the closing of a landmark gathering and the official launch of the African Rangelands and Pastoralists Women Charter at Speke Resort Munyonyo in Kampala.
The event brought together more than 200 participants from across Africa, including grassroots pastoralist women, government officials, civil society organisations and regional leaders committed to advancing gender equality, climate resilience and sustainable land governance.
In her remarks, Speaker Among emphasized the critical yet often overlooked role of women in pastoral communities, noting that discussions about rangelands have historically focused mainly on men while leaving out the indispensable contribution made by women in sustaining livelihoods and supporting families.
She conveyed greetings from Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the President of Uganda, and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting pastoral communities through key policies such as the Uganda National Land Policy and the Uganda Climate Change Act.
Among also highlighted ongoing efforts to ensure peace and stability in rangeland areas, including disarmament programmes in Karamoja and cross-border cooperation aimed at addressing livestock theft.
The Speaker noted that Uganda’s rangelands cover nearly half of the country’s land area and form part of the Uganda Cattle Corridor, which supports the livelihoods of millions of people.
She stressed that pastoralist women play a central role in animal care, food production, household resilience and peacebuilding, making their inclusion in policy and decision-making processes essential.
Speaker Among called for the development of inclusive policies that strengthen women’s leadership, secure land rights and promote climate adaptation as well as sustainable food systems.
Among reaffirmed that the Government of Uganda remains committed to creating an enabling environment for pastoralism to thrive, while strengthening the rights of pastoral communities, particularly women.
She added that addressing the impacts of climate change in rangeland areas remains a key priority for sustainable development and the protection of livelihoods across pastoral regions.
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