HARD Uganda

We extend Eid celebration wishes to all the Muslim brothers and sisters.

It's a privilege and honour to introduce to you our new project titled " Green Harvests, Resilient Homes " funded COHERE @WeAreCohere_Org to be implemented in Rhino Camp Extension(Omugo)Refugee Settlement. Targeting 200 women and youth in vegetable gardening. #Localization

@relonuganda Thanks so much. We are pleased by your efforts in supporting and advancing RLOs meaningful engagement advocacy and financial support

Dear @Harduganda20, we are proud of your commitment to advancing the wellbeing of children! This project is a timely investment in #ECD within refugee & host communities. As RELON, we remain committed to supporting RLOs that continue to drive meaningful, locally grounded change.

HARD Uganda is privileged to introduce to you our new project titled: Improving Early Childhood Development Outcomes for Children 0-5 years in Refugee Settlement and host communities in Uganda. Subgranted by @Mglsd_UG of Gender Labour & Social Dev't funded by Hilton Foundation

Today HARD Uganda & Feminature Uganda under the #GEAR Project, held a community dialogue inRhino Camp–Omugo 6.participants discussed barriers to women’s leadership including intimidation, fear, cultural norms. #OPM urged an end to early marriage & support for women’s leadership.

In #AruaCity & #TeregoDistrict (Omugo zone) @ceforduganda through the Gender Equality and Resilience (GEAR) Project , is empowering marginalized women, girls, and youth (15–59 years) to become self-reliant. Implemented in partnership with @CAREUganda and funded by #AustrianDevelomentAgency the project fosters gender equality and resilience. #Impact at a Glance (Year 2/5): ➡️12,201 participants (65% women, 35% men) reached ➡️ 3,403 VSLA members ➡️ 108 women entrepreneurs supported ➡️ 165 youth trained in vocational skills ➡️ 4181 men & women engaged in dialogue groups promoting equality #Thread 1/3

This week our team under the #SPARK ECD Project funded by @relonuganda under the theme "Nurture Now, Early Childhood Matters " engaged the community in selecting ECD Champions and Caregivers who will be trained to support ECD in the community. #NurtureNow #EarlyChildhoodMatters

Today HARD Uganda hosted @CARE Uganda, @CARE Austria, @feminature and @ceforduganda at our office under the #GEAR Project for a brief learning visit. We shared experiences of working in the refugee settlement, highlighted key gaps affecting refugee and host communities.

Today we join the rest of the world to celebrate the strength and resilience of women.Thanks to our donors and partners for supporting us women led organizations . Indeed the theme Give to Gains speaks louder than words. When you invest in women you gain alot. @GlobalFundWomen

Today we join the rest of the partners to commemorate the international women’s Day in Terego District. The theme of the celebration "Scaling up investment to Accelerate Access to Justice to all women and girls in Uganda" @GlobalFundforWomen

Justice should not be for sale ,Demand fair Courts and equal access to legal support #JusticeNotBribes #NoToBrobribes #justice Thanks @globalfundforwomen for the funding support

Now recruiting a Governance & Strategic Leadership Consultant! Feminature Uganda, with CARE International under the GEAR project, is seeking a qualified consultant/firm to design and deliver a 3‑day Board Governance & Strategic Leadership Training for 9 Women‑, Youth‑ and Refugee‑Led Organizations in West Nile. The assignment includes establishing functional boards, strengthening legal compliance, developing governance tools, and building strategic leadership capacity for 54 leaders across Arua City and Terego District. Duration: 7 working days Training dates: 24–26 March 2026 Location: Arua City Deadline: 12 March 2026, PM (EAT) Applicants must have advanced qualifications, 8–10 years’ experience in NGO governance, and strong facilitation skills. Submit proposals to: procurement@feminature.org Subject line: GEAR Board Governance – [Consultant/Firm Name] See full Call here: feminature.org/board-governan… Feminature does not charge any fees for applications.

We have concluded Day 1 of the International Women's Day 2026 Pre-Conference in Terego District under the GEAR Project. We handed over a hard copy of a petition on the three key issues generated from the community structures to the Deputy Speaker Terego District Local Government Ms. Draru Gloria, these were; 1. Limited access to justice for women and girls, including financial exploitation and informal payments demanded within some justice processes. Women pick loans, but due to high interest rates coupled with shortened payment periods, find it so hard to pay. Some of them have been threatened and the National Identification documents confiscated until completion of the loan balances, which has denied them access to other opportunities like the Government PDM, healthcare services, among others. 2. High levels of gender-based violence (GBV) and inadequate survivor support services, coupled with the emerging form of GBV, which is the technology - facilitated GBV. Police are overcharging survivors of GBV and their affected families before they can commit to arresting the perpetrators. Women are often overcharged, making them endure significant emotional and psychological trauma since they can’t get the service they want. Many women are increasingly experiencing Technology Facilitated GBV in both refugee and host communities, with little understanding of the referral pathways, and a lack of understanding of how to charge or prosecute such cases by the justice system actors. Some Community members have voluntarily withdrawn from legal processes entirely; they prefer not reporting since the extortion by police reinforces a sense of helplessness and prevents them from seeking the justice and support they need. Community members no longer trust the institution of police; instead of protecting lives, police exploit their suffering. Even when timely called to respond to an emergency situation, police always prefer taking their own time to respond. 3. Negative religious and cultural practices and harmful gender norms that undermine women’s rights and participation. Women culturally pressured are not supposed to report their husbands due to norms and values rooted in traditional beliefs, and community-specific practices called "Aru' Ba". Where a woman might feel that exposing or challenging her husband's behavior in public or legal spaces would bring shame to the family. But also, the "Aru' Ba". Tradition presents the woman as being disrespectful, a disgrace, and a social misfit in the community if she reports her husband to the police. Tradition allows the women through her brothers, to pay 01 goat and 50kg of cassava flour, convey elders meeting, and public ally confesses for reporting the husband to the police. In fear, women have resorted to keeping silent and suffering from unreported violence against them. We are grateful to all our stakeholders for a successful first day of the Pre-Conference. Arua City, see you tomorrow.

Moving from Symbolic to Systemic: Redefining Women’s Rights in West Nile. "Giving is not a subtraction; it is intentional multiplication." At the International Women’s Day Pre-Conference taking place in Terego District right now, @AnnetLekuru, Executive Director of Feminature Uganda, delivered a compelling roadmap for gender justice in 2026 under the Gender Equality and Resilience Project (GEAR). She noted, 'The "Give To Gain' Spirit is about investing in maternal health, land rights, and digital safety, which is the only way to ensure regional prosperity. It is about generating a verifiable truth to hold newly elected leaders accountable for service delivery. In her closing remarks, she quoted a Lugbara Provert, “E’bu si aza oye ku”—cultivation is not madness; it is the prerequisite for a harvest. It’s time to cultivate a landscape where every girl, from Rhino Camp to Arua City, can thrive.' The @IWD Pre-Conference is informed by some of the priority issues raised by the community structures, women's activists, grassroots advocacy groups, and change agents during issue generation sessions and community score-cards conducted in the past year. Key to some of these issues includes the unequal social and gender norms that are rooted in cultural practices inclu, including the famous Aruba custom of the Lugbara people, which supposedly invokes curses on women for reporting domestic issues involving their spouses to law enforcement. The priority issues being discussed include the high rates of GBV, including the rise in Technology Facilitated GBV, and inadequate access to justice systems. The pre-conference will deliver a policy paper which will inform the drafting of a petition to be submitted to @AruaCityUg and Terego District Local Government for strategic planning and action in the coming financial year by the nine (9) Women-Led Organisations, Youth-Led Organisations, and Refugee-Led Organisations that Feminature is working with in the two districts. Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls. @careAustria @CAREUganda @ADCinUganda @AcidriBrian_O @AvakoJenev97395 @unwomenuganda @RestlessDev @DCAUganda @ceforduganda @cotauganda @Harduganda20 #IWD2026 #FeminatureUganda #WestNile #DigitalRights #GenderJustice #Uganda

SPARK ECD Project Inception Meeting held today in Rhino Camp Extension Refugee Settlement, bringing together 35 key stakeholders to advance early childhood development. Supported by @relonuganda and @hiltonfound under the theme “Nurture Now – Early Childhood Matters.”

RELON Uganda trains learners in refugee and host communities on how to make books using locally available materials ahead of the reopening of schools. #EducationForAll #RefugeeEducation Read full article here👉: bit.ly/49YHG4E

Today, ww had the privilege to participate in the Refugee Engagement Forum (REF) at Rhino Camp Extension Refugee Settlement. Organized by @ULearnUganda, this platform brings together refugee leaders, RLOs,NGOs, and OPM to discuss key issues affecting refugees’ access to services.

We are excited to announce that applications for the RELON Uganda 2026 Training on Refugee Rights and Legal Frameworks are now open. We encourage eligible members to apply and take part in this capacity-building opportunity Submit your application here: bit.ly/4rqHHEe

Cohere is proud to launch Reframe Voices, a flagship initiative promoting refugee-led advocacy and inclusive knowledge production. It challenges conventional humanitarian practices by creating safe spaces for displaced communities to shape global responses. Historically dominated by Global North actors, knowledge production is shifting toward decolonial approaches, and Reframe Voices seeks to contribute to this change. The inaugural issue prioritises marginalised voices, exploring sustainability of interventions, short-term funding impacts, and gaps between policy and lived realities. Articles highlight how refugee-led organisations navigate crises despite exclusion, interrogate participation as inclusion, and reveal everyday challenges. With accessible submissions, Cohere invites collaboration to reframe narratives in the humanitarian sector. Read the journal here: tinyurl.com/sj5m4wxa #inclusion #RefugeeLeadership #trust #cohere #reframe

📢GET FUNDED: APPLICATION WRITING WEBINAR Looking to apply for the #AUEUYouthActionLab Cooperation Grants? Want to increase your chances of securing funding? This webinar breaks down how to write a strong, competitive application—perfect for youth-led organizations ready to collaborate across Africa and Europe. The deadline is fast approaching—watch the webinar, refine your proposal, and submit your application on time. ▶️ Watch here: youtu.be/r7W_eXfwlGk 👉🏾 Learn more and apply before the deadline: aueuyouth.com/cooperation-gr… ⏳ Deadline: 12 February 2026 | 13:00 CET #AUEUYouthActionLab #AUEUYouthLab #CooperationGrants #YouthLed #GetFunded #Grants #AUEU @EUtoAU @AUYouthProgram @Youth_Forum