FR LAZAR ARASU: Why National Progress is Failing the Rural Woman

What the report says

Watchdog Uganda published an opinion piece by Rev. Fr. Lazar Arasu SDB arguing that claims of women’s progress in Uganda often overlook the situation of rural women. The article says visible successes, such as female lawmakers, top university graduates, and women in corporate leadership, are concentrated in urban areas, while women in villages remain exposed to poverty, low literacy, domestic violence, and limited decision-making power.

The commentary focuses heavily on family life, education, and economic dependence. It says many rural women have large families, are unable to negotiate family planning because husbands refuse, and are left to raise children alone when men work in towns or abandon households. It also describes a wider pattern of women lacking skills, savings, and awareness of services, which the author says leaves them vulnerable to exploitation by politicians and unable to benefit from health, agricultural, or microfinance support.

The piece further links rural disadvantage to school outcomes, noting poor performance by rural girls in primary examinations and describing how many leave school early for marriage or pregnancy. It presents education and vocational training as central to breaking the cycle of dependence. As an op-ed, the article reflects the author’s view rather than a reported investigation, but it highlights a persistent policy issue in Uganda: the gap between urban-centered progress and the realities faced by women in rural communities.