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FOWODE urges Gulu district to address persistent health and education gaps

10 November 2026, 10:16 am

Participants take part in discussions during FOWODE’s Annual District Accountability Forum in Gulu.

By Mwaka Emmanuel

The Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE) has called on Gulu District Local Government to urgently address recurring gaps in the health and education sectors and incorporate key recommendations into the forthcoming District Development Plan.

The call was made during the Annual District Accountability Forum, held recently at Global Friendship Hotel in Gulu City under the Youth Action for Transparency and Accountability (YATA) project.

Speaking at the forum, Kauma Ruth Michelle, FOWODE Programme Officer for the YATA project, emphasised the importance of involving young people in governance and oversight, noting that the project deliberately places young people at the centre of accountability efforts because they constitute the majority of the population.

Michelle calls for youth involvement in governance and accountability – Eng.

Echoing these remarks, Alfred Oneki, the YATA Project Programme Officer for Gulu District, stressed that persistent service delivery gaps in local schools and health centres should no longer be overlooked. He urged district leaders to prioritise these critical needs during the budgeting and development planning processes.

Alfred Oneki, speaks about service delivery gaps in schools and health centres – Eng.

Responding to the concerns, Gulu District Planner David Livingstone Omal acknowledged the existence of service delivery gaps but attributed them partly to low participation by key stakeholders in public planning sessions. He encouraged civic groups and community members to participate more consistently throughout the planning cycle to ensure that local priorities are accurately reflected in government allocations.

David Livingstone Omal, speaks about stakeholder participation in public planning and ensuring that community priorities are reflected in government allocations – Eng.

Highlighting the broader impact of the initiative, Juliet Luutu Barasa, Programme Manager for Women and Leadership at FOWODE, noted that the forum forms part of the organisation’s ongoing 30-year commitment to empowering women and young people to demand transparency, greater representation in leadership and improved public service delivery across Uganda.

Juliet Luutu Barasa, speaks about the organisation’s commitment to empowering women and young people to demand accountability and improved public service delivery – Eng.