WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT 2023
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Contents
| **Section ** | 1.0 Introduction | 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Section | 2.0 Programmes in 2023 - The Justice Project | 4 |
| Section | 3.0 Women in Leadership objectives | 8 |
| Section | 4.0 Visit by Funders | 8 |
| **Section ** | 5.0 Our impact in 2023 | 11 |
| Section | 6.0 Organisation Plans | 13 |
| **Section ** | 7.0 Structure, governance and management | 13 |
| **Section ** | 8.0 Financial statement 2023 | 14 |
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Legal and Administrative Information
UK Board of Trustees for Women in Leadership,
Cianne Jones Lorraine Newbold Bethany Turner Rajini Lolay Natalie Kawesa-Newell Suhas Khanderia Kavita
Executive
Cianne Jones (CEO)
Address
Women in Leadership PLATF9RM Hove Town Hall Church Road HOVE East Sussex BN3 2AF
Website: www.womeninleadership.org.uk enquiries@womeninleadership.org.uk
To see more picture of our work with our partners on the ground in Uganda UK can folow us here:
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Section 1.0 Introduction
Women In leadership works to improve women’s and girls’ health & access to quality SRHR, GBV and mental health services, advancing education and leadership and accelerating their economic empowerment in rural Uganda. This is through low cost, community-based interventions that can be replicated by others. We operate with 3 thematic areas of Health, Education and Economic Empowerment.
Section 2.0 programmes delivered in 2023
In 2023 we worked in Partnership with WIL Uganda and The Circle to deliver the my body my rights Project in Uganda.
This year, 2023, we delivered my body my rights project sessions at Busembatia health center focusing on sexual reproductive health and rights. We were able to reach out to 765 women and girls throughout the year. These sessions target antenatal days and take place on a weekly basis.
The My Body My Rights project seeks to improve access to information and utilisation of contraceptive and family planning services by rural women and girls in Uganda through a community-based outreach programme delivered by Village Health Teams (VHTs).
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In 2023 we worked in Partnership with WIL Uganda and The Circle to deliver the Justice Project in Uganda.
This is a community-led Gender-Based Violence Campaign, leveraging community radio to raise awareness and challenge harmful cultural practices, alongside training 10 Village health workers (VHTs) and engaging local police in the effective response to Gender-Based Violence at the community level.
The Justice project seeks to break the silence around domestic violence, amplify the voices of women who have experienced violence.
The project aims to reach out to 100 direct and 500 indirect beneficiaries (women and girls) aged between 15-49 years within a timeframe of one year.
We were able to reach out to 114 direct beneficiaries and 570 indirect beneficiaries.
Role of Village Health Workers (VHTs) in the Justice Project
The VHTs support the survivors by providing advocacy support at health centres and when reporting to the police. They accompany the women at both police and health centres, and also make follow-ups on their clients (maintenance of contact with clients).
Activities on the Justice project
Training of trainers.
We had a 4 days training of 15 VHTs on gender-based violence and response. All the VHTs were from 3 sub counties who can build on our work and advocacy forming a strong support system for women and girls with in the community which is very sustainable. The training was delivered by 2 previous trainees and gender-based advocates alongside the WIL Uganda staff using the WIL Uganda GBV handbook and we had a police engagement where the police officers took the VHTs through the roles of police in GBV response and how they can support them on the project. The VHTs had a chance to ask any questions to the police officers and they were all responded to.
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Pictured above was the VHTs during their engagement with the police.
Pictured above was Mulabiza Florence, a previous trainee on the project delivering the training to the new village health.
Our team has been supporting women and girls who have been victims of violence since 2014, supporting them to access health services and advocating for them at the police station.
Office drop in desk
Our teams have been supporting women and girls who have been victims of gender-based violence to ensure that they get justice at both police and at village level. They come to office and our team accompanies them to police to make sure they get justice, the team at office
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also carry out counselling of the survivors of abuse to make sure their mental health is supported.
Pictured above on the left is our office team supporting women at police and on the right is Mutesi Catherine, an office gender-based advocate supporting the woman in office to make sure she gets justice from the husband also present.
Break the silence radio talk shows
This is aimed at creating awareness about gender-based violence and challenging the harmful society practices. They are normally aired live on Busoga one radio.
Pictured above was a radio talk show about where to access GBV services and how they can support when victims of GBV.
Section 3.0 Women in Leadership objectives
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As part of our recent 4-year strategy we identified three distinct goals and objectives as an organisation as discussed below.
3.1 Health.
To increase women’s and girls’ access to SRHR, GBV and mental health services and uptake of voluntary contraception, through quality delivery of health services in the Busoga region by 2025
3.2 Education .
To increase women’s and girls’ access to SRHR, GBV and mental health services and uptake of voluntary contraception, through quality delivery of health services in the Busoga region by 2025.
3.3 Economic Empowerment.
To increase the sources of income and business skills management of women and girls in the Busoga region by 2025
Section 4.0 Visit by Funders
- 4.1 Tool mission UK funders
In March this year, we had a visit from tools mission UK. The funders had previously provided sewing machines to our charity aimed at empowering women and girls with the tailoring skills .
Pictured on the left and behind the signpost were funders from tools mission UK who had paid a monitoring visit for the tailoring project and the rest were staff from WIL Uganda.
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4.2 Visit by Circle funders
The Circle is a UK based global feminist organisation aiming at women empowerment and ending violence against women and girls. They fund grassroot organisations like women In leadership.
They have been funding us for the last 2 years and we have been able to reach out to 2500 women and girls supported by our Justice project. This is through radio talk shows, direct beneficiaries and indirect beneficiaries. The funders were in the country from the 26th - 29th June 2023.
Staff photo with the funders
Couples supported by the project
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The pictures above are of the GBV advocates during the refresher training by Catherine and on the right was Raakhi interacting with the GBV advocates and going through the WIL GBV manual used by advocate.
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Section 5.0 Our impact in 2023
The Justice project case studies
Both Women and girls have been supported on this project and the GBV advocates have ensured that they get Justice. This has been observed through our monitoring and evaluation tools, the case reporting forms and case studies/ success stories. The case reporting form is filled at entry, then a case study is collected at both 3 and 6 months. This is intended to monitor the situation of the GBV survivors. In this year, we have supported 114 direct beneficiaries and 570 indirect beneficiaries on the justice project. We supported women and girls on the Justice project. On the My Body My Rights project, we have been able to reach out to 746 women and girls.
4.1.0 Case studies from the Justice project beneficiaries shared by our partners in Uganda
| Name: | Namukose Juliet |
|---|---|
| Age: | 30 |
| Village: | Bukonte |
| Date: | 23/01/2023 |
| Issue reported |
Psychological assault and emotional abuse. |
What was the issue and did you report anywhere
I reported at WIL Uganda office the issue of my husband abusing me, using threatening words and chasing me away from the home with my three children.I first reported to the chairman L.C .1 of Bukonte village many times because I lived in violence for two years. We had so far three meetings with the LC1 but my husband could not change, he repeats the same behaviour after a few days. When I went to the LC1 again, the chairman said that he is fade-up with my husband’s behaviour and the chairman advised me to take another step.In December 2022, I heard of WIL Uganda’s programs at Busoga one Radio station that they work on Domestic violence issues and went there to report my husband.
Why did you choose to come to WIL Uganda Office or WIL Uganda Village health worker?
I wanted to be helped by the organisation after knowing the programs run by WIL Uganda over the radio that they are working on violence against women in partnership with police. Also my husband had failed to change after several meetings with the Lc1.
Were you helped and what kind of support was given to you by WIL Uganda or WIL Uganda Village health workers?
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I was helped by the WIL Uganda officer. She advised me to think of my future and make a decision to have a better life or to live a happy life. She took me to Busembatia police station, we met Maama Police , I explained my problem and maama police referred me to Namutumba district in the office of child and family protection office for help because I was from Namutumba district and Busembatia police station is located in Bugweri district. I failed to go to the Child and family protection office in Namutumba district due lack of transport and to meet other expenses.When I got home, I found when he had removed all his properties including food stuff and left only mine in the house a sign to show divorce. Since the WIL Uganda advised me to think about living a better life, I decided to pack my properties and leave the home. I now stay on my own and I am living happily without fear.
Do you think this project has had an impact in your life or in the lives of other women? If yes, explain the impact?
Yes, the counselling I received from the WIL officer made me think and I made a decision to stay on my own with my children. I am living free from violence and happy with my children.
4.1.1 Case studies from the Justice project beneficiaries
| Name: | Mutesi Harriet |
|---|---|
| Age: | 35 |
| Village: | Majengo |
| Date: | 23/01/2023 |
| Issue reported |
Physical violence |
What was the issue and did you report anywhere?
I reported the issue of physical violence to the VHT called Babirye Florence. I found my husband with a young girl as his girlfriend. When I talked to him regarding such a young girl, he started abusing and beating me.
Why did you choose to come to WIL Uganda Office or WIL Uganda Village health worker?
I choose to report to the VHT because I was aware that WIL Uganda always helps women with violence cases
Were you helped and what kind of support was given to you by WIL Uganda or WIL Uganda Village health worker?
Yes, they counselled me and there after they talked to my husband to give me my properties and leave him with the girl because it’s what I had decided.
Do you think this project has had an impact in your life or in the lives of other women? If yes, explain the impact?
Yes, it had an impact on my life because they talked to my husband and he agreed to give me
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my properties and I am now settled at my own place. Within a period of two weeks, I built the house and entered and am living a happy life.
This project is helpful to the community because they counsel and guide the women with similar problems I had.
Section 6.0 Organisation Plans
Our CEO will be focusing on developing a more robust fundraising strategy focusing on 2-3 year awards that will enable the organisation to bring back our other thematic areas like Education and economic empowerment.
Our CEO will also be working on accelerating the growth of unrestricted funding through the investing in the international volunteer programme and reaching out to universities specialising in international development.
We also plan to build on the work undertaken with local VHTs as a route to scale up the My Body My Rights programme and our GBV project and disseminate other vital information to women and girls in their communities.
Section 7.0 Structure, governance and management
7.1 Board of Trustees
Women in leadership is a registered charitable incorporated organisation in the UK. It is governed by a constitution. The Board of Trustees comprises 5 people who are responsible for the supervision of the management of all the affairs of Women in Leadership. Board meetings are held four times a year at the end of every quarter. Trustee recruitment and appointment is done based on the specific skills required.
No other organisation or body has the right to appoint trustees to the charity.
7.2 Trustees’ Responsibilities
The board of trustees is responsible for ensuring that all the activities are within UK law and fall within the agreed charitable objectives. Its work includes setting strategic direction and agreeing the financial plan. The trustees are responsible for maintaining proper accounting records which reveal the financial position of the charity with reasonable accuracy at any given time. They are responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud or any other irregularities. The board delegates day to day running of the charity to the Executive Director and acts on advice and information from regular meetings with members of the Executive Team.
7.3 Risk Management
The trustees actively review the major risks that the charity faces on a regular basis, together with an annual review of the financial systems. The trustees have taken steps to put in place and regularly review a reserves policy. The trustees regularly review the risks the organisation
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faces through an organisational risk management process and have identified those risks which the charity faces and confirm that they have established systems to mitigate significan trisks.
7.4 Equal Opportunities
Women In leadership is a charity committed to the promotion of equal opportunity. It takes affirmative action to ensure women and girls have equal access to education and employment. In carrying out this objective Women in Leadership treats individuals with respect within the organisation and in the field. Wherever possible we create a broad base for consultation and decision making.
Signed on behalf of the Trustees,
Cianne Jones, CEO
Section 8.0 Financial statement 2023
Finance department was required to prepare financial report which gives a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the organisation and the operating results for the financial year ended as at 31st December 2023
It was also our responsibility to ensure that the finance department to ensure that the organisation maintains proper accounting records which disclose with the reasonable financial position of the organisation.
During the financial year ended as at 31[st] December 2022, the organisation was able to raise a total amount of £779 and spent £1490 to run the services as it’s indicated in the annual return submitted.
Our appreciation is highly extended to all our funders, The Circle, Lush, Tools with a Mission and everyone who has helped to raise funds in the which has enabled us run the mentioned services and projects.
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Section 9.0 Annex
Annual report compiled by the project Manager: Mukyala Zaituna.
Signature…… ………………Date……18/12/23 Approved by the Chief Executive Director: Cianne Jones Signature…… ………………Date 18/12/23
9.1 Annex.
Financial statement compiled by the Finance officer: Paul Kyazzye
Signature…………… …… Date 18/12/23
Approved by the Chief Executive Director: Cianne Jones
Signature………………… Date: 18/12/23
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