Miss Curvy organiser to defend controversial pageant at Women’s Day dialogue

Some of contestants and organisers of Miss Curvy pageant pose for photos at Parliament where they met Speaker Rebecca Kadaga on February 27, 2019. PHOTO BY ALEX ESAGALA

The Miss Curvy organiser has been invited to Makerere to defend her controversial beauty pageant as part of activities to mark the International Women’s Day at the university.

Ms Anne Mungoma will be one of the discussants at the two day Gender Identity Week dialogues whereby Miss Curvy has been identified as one of the topical issues to be interrogated under the controversial subject of “commoditization of the female body”.

The third edition of Gender Identity Week is organised by the School of Women and Gender Studies in partnership with the Embassy of Sweden and it explores topical issues related to gender and sexuality. The events will take place at the School of Women and Gender Studies at Makerere University.

Dr Victoria Namuggale from Makerere University briefs the media about the Gender Identity Week as Mr Andrew Byaruhanga, the communications officer at the embassy of Sweden (2nd right), Associate Prof Consolata Kabonesa, the coordinator of the Gender Identity Week (2nd left) and DR Ruth Nsibirano from Makerere School of Women and Gender Studies (extreme left) look on. Courtesy photo

Associate Prof Consolata Kabonesa, the coordinator of the Gender/Sida project told a press conference on Saturday that the Gender Identity Week gives a platform to discuss topical issues about gender issues.

“The event aims at facilitating dialogue among university staff, students, development partners, development practitioners, media and other stakeholders,” Prof Kabonesa said, adding, “we give gender issues an academic face”.

Ms Mungoma will be joined by other prominent women including Prof Christine Dranzao the vice chancellor of MUNI University in Arua, Ms Ruth Ojambo-Ochieng, Ms Harriet Anena an award winning author, Dr Euzobia Baine, among others, who will among other topical issues interrogate the representation of Ugandan women in the society.

Women’s day is celebrated every March 8. At Makerere, the School of Women and Gender Studies dedicates a full week of activities including exhibitions on particular subjects.

This year’s women’s day theme is Empowering Women through innovative approaches to social protections; a pre-requisite for inclusive and sustainable development.

Mr Andrew Byaruhanga, the communications officer at the embassy of Sweden has sponsored a training for Makerere students in writing profiles of women on Wikipedia. The project will be launched on Friday, March 8 at Makerere. The program is equipping 50 students with skills to increase the profiles of Ugandan women on Wikipedia. The embassy of Sweden sponsors several women driven research cooperation at Makerere and five other universities in Uganda, Mr Byaruhanga, added.

Dr Ruth Nsibirano who will be one of the panelists on March 7, 2019 said Women’s day celebrations at Makerere gives academicians and feminists a chance to evaluate their efforts towards building a more gender equitable society. She however added that there is more to do especially in the areas of education, access to resources of production and healthcare.

Meanwhile, Dr Victoria Namuggale asked women and men to take gender equity as a matter of concern.