WHH is dedicated to creating environments where women and marginalized groups can make decisions and lead the development of sustainable agricultural practices, nutrition solutions, and health initiatives.
Grow Together: Equal rights for women and girls
A Welthungerhilfe project in Uganda aims to address gender inequality through transforming gender roles, and improve accessing to menstrual health, sexual and reproductive health services, and economic resources.

Equal rights for women and men are enshrined in Uganda's constitution. Customs, cultural practices and traditions that violate dignity are prohibited. In the remote rural regions of Karamoja and Teso, however, the reality of life for many women and girls is very different: Over six percent of girls are victims of female genital mutilation, and physical violence against women is widely accepted.
Many girls in Karamoja do not go to school
For many girls, the onset of menstruation means the end of their education. They do not dare to go to school if they cannot afford menstrual hygiene products. With absences of at least five days a month, they quickly miss the boat. Child marriages and teenage pregnancies are further reasons for dropping out of school—if they have ever attended one. In Karamoja, more than 70% of people over ten have never been to school, especially girls. Their career prospects are correspondingly bleak.

Menstruation and contraception are often taboo subjects here. Many young women and girls are able to talk openly about this for the first time in our projects and receive important information.
Nancy Otyang Welthungerhilfe employee in UgandaGrow Together overview
The Grow Together project in Uganda aims to address gender inequality, focusing on the Teso and Karamoja regions. It seeks to transform gender roles, improve access to menstrual health, sexual and reproductive health services, and economic resources. The project engages 5,244 women, girls, men, and boys in community dialogue, education on menstrual hygiene and sexual rights, and advocacy. It also empowers women through small business development and strengthens support networks. Over 400 women have received support to establish small businesses. Implementing partners include Straight Talk Foundation and KIFAD, with a duration from November 2021 to December 2024.
Better health care, education and support in emergency situations
Although women comprise 84% of the agricultural workforce, only 31% own their land and often lack official documents. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the challenging situation: many women have lost their jobs and, due to curfews, often experience violent situations without being able to seek help. Welthungerhilfe (WHH) stands up for the rights of women and girls, offer advice, and help men and women cooperate more and respect each other.
As part of the Grow Together project, much has already been done to improve living conditions for women and girls in Uganda: Contact points for emergencies are being expanded, and staff in communities, health facilities, and schools are sensitized and respond immediately when victims of sexual or domestic violence need counseling and medical help. At the same time, girls and women can now find contact persons for questions relating to sexual and reproductive health and hygiene.

More equal rights, co-determination and economic participation
Girls, women, boys and men take part in educational workshops together. The topic of violence against women, for example, is discussed there. These workshops promote dialog and equal coexistence. The mixed groups discuss issues such as menstruation, hygiene and sexual health to remove the aura of taboo. The workshops also cover contraception so that women and men can decide on family planning as partners in the future. Strategies are also being developed to overcome power structures and barriers to gender equality. Three thousand women are also receiving support to become economically active together and thus more independent. Equal rights, co-determination and economic participation empower women and girls to shape their lives more freely, safely and fairly.
WHH's partners are the local organizations Straight Talk Foundation and Kiyita Family Alliance for Development (KIFAD).

How WHH helps women in Uganda achieve greater equality
- We are conducting education campaigns on menstrual health and sexual and reproductive health for 3,000 girls and women aged 14 to 50 and for 1,000 boys and men.
- We have distributed high-quality menstrual hygiene products to 3,000 girls and women.
- We strengthen the skills of counseling centers, schools and communities to ensure that women and girls have access to information on sexual health, menstruation and contraception.
- We bring women's and men's groups into a dialog about gender-specific role perceptions, power structures, equality, and participation.
- We strengthen the skills of health personnel, teachers and small women's organizations in the project regions to expand counselling and protection services for victims of domestic or sexual violence.
- We have supported 400 women in setting up a micro-enterprise: they receive coaching, training in business management, bookkeeping and technical skills as well as initial equipment for their micro-enterprise.