By Alice Kathleen Lakwech
Northern Uganda is a region marked by extraordinary resilience. While much of the country progressed in development, northern Uganda endured over two decades of armed conflict, the effects of which are still felt deeply today. As a result of war-related injuries caused by weapons such as guns and landmines, the region is home to a disproportionately high number of persons with disabilities.
In 2025, the Justice and Reconciliation Project, with the support of a thematic initiatives grant from the EDID-GHDI partnership, implemented a project focused on Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) for women with disabilities in northern Uganda.
Through community engagement, training, and sensitization activities, the project brought to light the often hidden and overlooked challenges faced by women with disabilities in relation to their sexual and reproductive health rights. Participants shared experiences of sexual exploitation by partners and other men within their communities, who falsely framed abuse as “assistance.” Others reported being forced into relationships they did not choose, as well as facing discrimination and verbal abuse from healthcare providers, particularly in maternity wards during childbirth.
Many women revealed that, prior to the project, they believed that sexuality, marriage, motherhood, and decision making were not meant for women with disabilities. However, through the knowledge gained and the safe spaces created during the project, these perceptions began to shift. Women started to recognize their rights, voice their experiences, and see themselves as deserving of dignity, autonomy, and respect.
Overall, the voices and lived experiences documented through this project will continue to inform future advocacy efforts aimed at promoting inclusion, advancing dignity, and strengthening the sexual and reproductive health rights of women with disabilities in northern Uganda.
The project was implemented by Alice Kathleen Lakwech and Dorcus Atyeno, with support from Isaac Odiya, and Benard Okot, from the Justice and Reconciliation Project.
Read the EDID-GHDI Research/Thematic Report:
Lakwech, A. K. (2026). Sensitization and Collaboration with Key Stakeholders on Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights for Women with Disabilities in Post-Conflict Northern Uganda. [Report]. EDID-GHDI, University of Guelph.
