Women Uganda 2025+ Knowledge Fair: Showcasing Grassroots Leadership in Peace and Security
Date:
On December 18th, 2025, the serene grounds of the UN Women Uganda Country Office transformed into a vibrant hub of ideas, innovation, and inspiration. Forget rows of chairs and endless PowerPoint slides. Picture this: cocktail tables neatly dressed, guests standing in clusters, conversations flowing like the soft background music that set the tone. Everyday vehicle shades repurposed into exhibition stalls showcased knowledge products and the work of grassroots women peacebuilders—proof that simplicity can be powerful.
The Women Uganda 2025+ Exhibition and Knowledge Fair celebrating women in peacebuilding was not your typical conference—it was a bold statement that collaboration and creativity can thrive even in times of resource constraints.
Why This Exhibition Matters
Welcoming guests, UN Women Country Representative Dr. Paulina Chiwangu framed the exhibition as a space to share the often under documented contributions of women to peacebuilding—through photo displays, videos, knowledge products, and interactive demonstrations. “Women are not just beneficiaries of peace; they are builders and protectors of it. Yet their contributions are often overlooked and under-documented. This event helps us begin to change that narrative”.
A Resource Smart, Eco Friendly Model
In a time of constrained funding, the Fair demonstrated how meaningful convenings can happen with minimal resources. Instead of printing stacks of reports, participants scanned QR codes to access knowledge products on their phones—an eco-friendly move that blended technology with sustainability.
Diverse Voices, Shared Commitments
The Fair drew heads and deputy heads from 20 diplomatic missions, Representatives from UN agencies, Private Sector leaders, and Civil Society Organizations—including several non traditional Women, Peace and Security (WPS) actors eager to deepen their understanding of women’s leadership in peacebuilding.
UN Resident Coordinator Mr. Leonard Zulu underscored inclusive leadership through the Women Uganda 2025+ campaign’s “Plus 1” Changemakers: “We commit to using our voices and platforms to advance Gender Equality, as we know that Gender Equality is not only a matter for women and girls, but also for men and boys”.
Government Perspective: Stability Through Inclusion
Representing the Government of Uganda, State Minister for the Elderly Hon. Gidudu Mafabi commended the Fair as a platform for showcasing achievements, sharing best practices, and elevating local innovations that support nonviolent conflict resolution. He reaffirmed government commitment to gender equality and women’s empowerment as pillars of national stability and prosperity—and to sustained dedication to the WPS agenda.
Grassroots Women at the Center
At the heart of the exhibition were products and initiatives from grassroots women, illustrating the breadth of their contributions—from conflict mediation and violence prevention to community recovery, local action plans and vision maps, among others.
Zurah Asanda, Executive Director of Paradigm for Social Justice and Development (PSD), speaking on behalf of civil society organizations, called for consistent investment in women-led peacebuilding at the grassroots, where women are first responders to conflict. She called for stronger accountability in implementing national and local action plans, backed by financing and coordination. “We must move beyond symbolic participation to ensure women’s meaningful leadership in negotiations, mediation, and decision-making. This exhibition fosters dialogue, learning, and innovation for grassroots work.”
The Women Uganda 2025+ Campaign
Co organized by UN Women and the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office, the Fair forms part of Women Uganda 2025+, a campaign that brings together women leaders and male changemakers across sectors to amplify positive narratives on gender equality and celebrate women’s leadership in every space.
Events such as this one underscore the heart of the Women, Peace and Security agenda; recognizing and celebrating the indispensable role that women, alongside men, play in advancing peace and security at all levels. The stories shared and knowledge showcased serve as a powerful call to action for all stakeholders to recommit support to promoting the full implementation of the Women, Peace and Security agenda in Uganda by investing in women’s leadership in peace and security at all levels, meaningfully engaging youth, and expanding localization to ensure that peace is inclusive, sustainable and benefits everyone