Women at the forefront of Ebola preparedness and response in Bundibugyo District

When Uganda confirmed an Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo virus strain in May 2026, communities across the country were placed on high alert. Although the outbreak was largely contained in Kampala and Wakiso, its proximity to western Uganda heightened preparedness efforts in neighbouring districts such as Bundibugyo. Uganda recorded 20 confirmed cases, including two deaths, before officially declaring the outbreak over on 28 July 2026, following 42 consecutive days without a new locally transmitted case.

For Biira Enid, Team Leader of the Bundibugyo Young Mothers Initiative (BYMI), the outbreak was deeply personal.

"I am an Ebola survivor, so I understand the fear and challenges that communities go through during an outbreak. The knowledge I have gained will help me support others to identify signs early, seek care, and reduce stigma against survivors."

Recognizing that women are often the first responders within families and communities, UN Women, in partnership with the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, district authorities and other partners, supported gender-responsive Ebola preparedness in Bundibugyo District.

More than 60 women leaders from Women's Rights Organizations (WROs) and Women-Led Organizations (WLOs) were trained on Ebola preparedness, early detection, Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, referral pathways, community engagement and the different ways public health emergencies affect women, men, girls and boys.

Following the training, Biira mobilized and trained 55 women from Kisenyi, Busunga and Katanga cells in Bundibugyo District to strengthen community preparedness.

"Through the training, women have gained knowledge on Ebola signs and symptoms, prevention measures, referral pathways and the importance of understanding how emergencies affect women, men, girls and boys differently," she explains.

Today, these women serve as trusted community resource persons, sharing accurate information, dispelling rumours, identifying suspected cases early and guiding families to appropriate health services.

The initiative also strengthened the capacity of local women's organizations, government officials and frontline responders to integrate gender equality, gender-based violence (GBV) prevention, Rapid Gender Analysis (RGA) and Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) into emergency preparedness and response.

Community dialogues created safe spaces for discussing gender-related challenges that often emerge during disease outbreaks, including increased caregiving responsibilities, barriers to accessing health services and heightened risks of gender-based violence and the need for inclusive response mechanisms.

UN Women continues to advocate for emergency responses that protect not only public health but also the rights, dignity and wellbeing of women and girls. This includes promoting women's leadership in emergency decision-making, ensuring continuity of essential protection services, and strengthening the collection of sex- and age-disaggregated data to support evidence-based responses.

Although Uganda successfully contained the outbreak, the experience reinforced an important lesson: communities are the first line of defence against public health emergencies. By investing in women's leadership, knowledge and community networks, UN Women is helping build more resilient communities that are better prepared to prevent, respond to and recover from future disease outbreaks.