Engendering Equality: Working Holistically in a Ugandan Slum Neighbourhood to Challenge Gendered Inequalities, Sexual Ignorance and Abusive Sexual Behaviours

This project will work in 7 schools (4 primary, 3 secondary) in the working class/slum neighbourhood of Walukuba/Masese in Jinja, Uganda. It builds on related work over the past 3 years with communities in Walukuba that has evidenced widespread gender inequalities and sexual and reproductive health challenges, particularly amongst girls. It privileges a dialogic, participatory and creative methodology that prior work has shown to be richly generative and impactful. This action research project brings together arts, public health, education, gender and anthropology researchers from the UK and Uganda to work with 280 young people (aged 13-16) and a local community arts activist organisation ‘We Are Walukuba’. The project aims to promote gender equality, health and well-being in relation to sexual relationships and activity among young people, and support regional and national authorities in delivering more effective and impactful sexual and reproductive health and gender education programmes in schools.