The Price Of Justice : Why Ugandan Women Can’t Afford Their Rights

When legal fees cost more than justice itself, equality becomes a luxury Uganda's women cannot afford. In courtrooms across Uganda, empty chairs tell a story of justice denied. While the law promises equality, women possess just 64% of the legal rights that men hold, and for many Ugandan women, the path to justice is paved with impossible choices: pay rent or hire a lawyer? Feed children or afford court transport?

None of Us Is Safe

"Gender-based violence, case backlogs particularly in defilement and aggravated defilement cases and slow, costly, and intimidating judicial processes" continue to plague Uganda's justice system, warns Hon. Peace Regis Mutuuzo, the State Minister for Gender, Labour and Social Development.

Her words aren't mere political rhetoric. In Uganda, nearly two-thirds (64%) of women with disabilities report experiencing physical, sexual, or emotional violence in their lifetime. Yet when survivors seek justice, they encounter a system designed to exclude them.

"The fight against gender-based violence requires deliberate action, accountability, and investment. As a government, we are committed to ensuring that no woman or girl suffers violence in silence or without recourse. None of us is safe," Minister Mutuuzo declared at the 16 Days of Activism campaign.

The Justice Gap

Dr. Paulina Chiwangu, UN Women Uganda Country Representative, paints a stark picture. She highlighted that 51% of Ugandan women experience physical violence, yet accessing justice remains beyond reach for most.

Why? The barriers are crushing:

Legal fees exceed monthly wages. Transportation costs to distant courts. Childcare expenses for court days that stretch into weeks. Lost wages from jobs that won't wait. Special Gender-Based Violence sessions have resolved over 4,500 cases, but thousands more languish in backlogs.

"There is still limited legal awareness, inadequate legal aid, systematic justice system failures," notes opposition leader Adong, pointing to gaps that no number of good intentions can bridge.

When the Law Isn't Enough

Uganda achieved 77.8% compliance with the Sustainable Development Goals gender-equality legal-framework indicators and full compliance on gender-responsive public financial management impressive on paper. The country has enacted robust legislation: the Domestic Violence Act, Anti-Female Genital Mutilation Act, and reforms to succession laws.

But laws without enforcement are promises without delivery.

Many police stations, courts, and legal aid services are not fully accessible for persons with physical, sensory, or communication disabilities. For survivors, the absence of sign language interpreters or accessible information becomes an insurmountable barrier.

The 286-Year Wait

If progress continues at its current pace, it will take 286 years to close legal protection gaps. Uganda's daughters cannot wait three centuries for equality.

"Access to justice for women and girls is not optional, it is a constitutional imperative, a development necessity, and a moral obligation," Minister Mutuuzo emphasized ahead of International Women's Day 2026. "Scaling up investment in justice systems is an investment in Uganda's future, stability, and prosperity."

The question Uganda faces is simple: Can we afford not to invest in justice for half our population?

The answer determines whether Uganda's women will live to see equality or whether their granddaughters will still be waiting.

Martha Nimusiima is a journalist, writer, and reporter with a passion for storytelling and a keen eye for detail.