Legal Framework in Advancing Women’s Rights in Business Operations in Uganda: Issues and Challenges

Abstract

In Uganda, women are considered key Stakeholders such as entrepreneurship, providing employment and leadership roles in corporate practice in small and large-scale businesses. However, despite their roles and laws that seem to protect them, there are systemic barriers that may mitigate women's rights in business operations. It is in this regard; this study examines the legal framework and issues in securing women's rights in business operations in Uganda. The study adopts a doctrinal method relying primary and secondary research materials. The data obtained was systematically and analytically analysed. The study found that in Uganda, the laws concerning the protection of women's rights in business operations are sufficient, but systemic challenges, such as Uganda's constitutional limitation on global laws, global laws seem to be ineffective in ensuring state compliance, and also require state parties such as Uganda to ensure that, within their administrative and legislation enforcement, women’s protection. Furthermore, enforcement is also constrained by several systemic and socio-cultural challenges, such as patriarchal idealism and cultural limitations on women’s leadership or decision-making. Furthermore, the low legal awareness of women’s rights and low compliance in the private sector in complying with the law often stand as a barrier. Hence, the study concludes and recommends that Uganda needs to strengthen and improve its domestic legal provisions by explicitly embedding international instruments into national law and having independent monitoring mechanisms with the authority to ensure compliance. Furthermore, wide awareness and sensitisation on women’s rights in business operations.