Women's rights groups have demanded that Uganda's government incorporate gender considerations into its tax policies and the 2027/28 national budget. The Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE) released a report examining how taxation affects women, arguing that existing measures do not adequately address the economic pressures they face. The organisation highlighted concerns including inadequate tax education for women running small businesses, the conduct of tax collectors and daily levies imposed on market traders.
Mary Kamuli Kuteesa, the Minister of State for Gender and Cultural Affairs, said women's economic contribution was not adequately reflected in official statistics, which showed men accounting for more than 60 per cent of recorded economic contribution. She urged policymakers to make taxation more understandable and to incorporate gender concerns into future finance bills, calling on civil society and media to sustain pressure for reform.
FOWODE's executive director Patricia Munabi argued that taxes raising prices of essential commodities such as cooking oil and sugar place additional pressure on women, who often bear responsibility for providing food for their families. She warned that rising fuel prices increase transportation and production costs, pushing up prices of other goods and services. FOWODE is engaging stakeholders at district level through budget conferences to ensure women's priorities are considered.
Beyond taxation, Kuteesa linked women's welfare to accountability in managing public funds, saying corruption undermines access to essential services including maternal healthcare. She argued that money diverted from public hospitals affects expectant mothers who depend on government facilities for care.