+256 392 777 410 info@fuemployers.org
WORD OF THE ED
Dear Esteemed Member,
The end of the year is here and its always an opportunity for each of us to reflect on the progress achieved over the past 12 months. This particular year has been a good one at both national and global level as Employers steadily recovered from the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on jobs and businesses. We are pleased that the global employment community was able to continue work operations and thrive in various business endeavors.
The Presidential CEO Forum was recently launched and has since registered success with several high-level meetings organised with key stakeholders to improve public and private sector collaborations and partnerships to advance economic growth. It was a pleasure to host the inaugural FUE Employers’ Conference this year for Employers to identify issues and explore priorities to achieve business recovery and foster employment creation. The Employer of the Year Awards (EYA) was held for yet another year to recognise and appreciate outstanding Employers that applied best human resource practices despite the pandemic as well as provide a platform for business leaders to learn and adapt excellent business practices.
We also convened the annual FUE-CEO Breakfast Meetings bringing a wide network of business professionals together to discuss employment trends, adopt new work modalities and build professional networks for decent work and organisational growth. The 11th Annual Women’s Leadership Conference was successfully held to equip women leaders with leadership skills to excel in their different spaces of work and graduate the 18th and 19th cohorts of the Female Future Leadership Program . Furthermore, a variety of webinars, physical trainings and special courses were conducted to ensure all FUE members are provided with relevant knowledge and practical skills to ease their employment journey. On the policy and advocacy front, your active participation in consultative meetings throughout the year is greatly appreciated and your views were consolidated to inform numerous subjects including mid-term access, labour migration, health and investment among others.
Heartfelt appreciation to our partners and sponsors for the immense contribution to the success of our work and projects. We look forward to your unwavering support and commitment to the Federation in the year to come to accomplish greater things in the Employers’ fraternity.
Merry Christmas and Prosperous New Year 2023!
Thank you.
Together for Employers.
Douglas Opio
Executive Director.
In this Issue
- The Word of the ED
- The 3rd Bi-Annual Private Sector CEO Retreat
- International Day for Pesrsons with Disabilities
- The 16 Days of Activism Uganda Women’s March
- FUE Member Engagement
- FUE New Member Alert!
- 2022 New Members
- Season's Greetings
THE 3rd BI-ANNUAL PRIVATE SECTOR CEO RETREAT
The Presidential CEO Forum (PCF) commemorated one year of existence on the 24th August 2022. The PCF is a direct link between the private sector leadership, CEOs from corporate institutions and government executives with the aim of contributing to the national development agenda as well as connecting the public and private sector at both the decision making and implementation levels.
The 3rd Bi-Annual Private Sector CEO Retreat was convened from 5th to 6th December 2022 at Chobe Safari Lodge themed, ’Unlocking Private Sector Investment Through Strategic Interventions for Socio-Economic Transformation’. H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, The President of the Republic of Uganda was the Chief Guest at the event.
In his address, President Museveni implored the key industry players in attendance to adapt low-cost strategy for cargo and revealed the Government’s plan to build a brand-new standard gauge railway from Kampala to Kasese. He advocated for a robust education system, quality health facilities and a professional business network to boost investment opportunities as well as access to regional and international markets.
Furthermore, the workshop deliberations centered on greenhouse gas emissions, climate change, improved livelihoods, tourism, taxation, cost of capital, export promotions and value addition. As Employers, we recommended the creation of a proper information system and extensive market strategy to enhance production and distribution of goods and services. We believe this innovation will enhance resource management, improve efficiency and boost accountability in various organisations.
The PCF is a key driver of economic growth through the various discussions and engagements between the public and private sector. We believe collaborations and partnerships between the Government and Employers will support policy formulation, industrialisation and access to regional markets to enhance Employer competitiveness and create a conducive business environment.
Kindly click the link below to view part of the proceedings of The 3rd Bi-Annual Private Sector CEO Retreat:
INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
According to the United Nations, an estimated 1.3 billion people live with some form of disability around the world whereas the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) Report 2016 indicated 12.4% of the Ugandan population are Persons with Disability (PwDs). The International Day for PwDs is commemorated annually on 3rd December. This year’s celebrations were held on Saturday 3rd December 2022 in Kole District under the theme, ’Transformative Solutions for Inclusive Development: The Role of Innovation in Fueling an Accessible and Equitable World’. The Guest Speaker was H.E. Jessica Alupo, the Vice President of the Republic of Uganda.
H.E. Jessica Alupo in her speech affirmed government’s support towards PwDs through various support programs at national level. She emphasised the need to empower, train parents and children with disabilities to find decent employment and excel in their studies. H.E. Alupo further reiterated government’s commitment to subsidise on the cost of accessing surgeries and other services through disability grants upon a positive feasibility test.
FUE is the custodian of the Uganda Business Disability Network (UBDN), a network led by Employers that aims at promoting disability inclusive workplaces in Uganda with a current membership of 25 members. Through the UBDN, we have conducted trainings, run accessibility audits, held career fairs, influenced policy formulation and collaborated with various partners to advance job creation and decent work for PwDs to excel at all levels. We advise all Employers to join the UBDN to contribute to disability inclusion at the workplace.
At the commemoration event, the Vice President officially launched the Braille Version of the Constitution and the Audio-Visual Persons with Disabilities Act 2020 to cater for persons with visual disabilities in addition to addressing the myths and misconceptions on albinism. This is a significant milestone for Uganda that happens to be the 13th country in the world to have the braille version of the constitution.
‘A PwD reading the newly launched Braille Version of the Constitution’.
A diverse workforce provides various skill-sets, enhances maximum productivity and increases Gross Domestic Product (GDP). We remain committed to advocating for disability inclusive workplaces to accommodate PwDs for sustainable development.
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THE 16 DAYS OF ACTIVISM UGANDA WOMEN’S MARCH
In Uganda, 56% of women suffer physical violence and 27% experience sexual violence while 1 in 3 women will be physically or sexually abused in their lifetime according to global statistics. The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) is an annual campaign to raise awareness and galvanise action toward eliminating GBV and Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) around the world.
In commemoration of World AIDS Day 2022 and the 16 Days of Activism Uganda, we were delighted to organise and participate in a Women’s March on Tuesday 6th
December 2022 in partnership with Reproductive Health Uganda (RHU) under the Promise II Project in Hoima District. The Women’s March aimed to raise awareness against Gender Based Violence, Stigma and Inequality at the Workplace. Participants included local council leaders, Employers, commissioners, health workers and persons living with HIV/AIDS.
After the march, there was an awareness meeting where FUE Member Organisations shared testimonials on the support received from the Federation regarding Gender Equality and Sexual Reproductive
Health Rights (SRHR) at the workplace. Employers were urged to ensure occupational health and safety by providing contraceptives, condemning stigma, offering counselling services and developing support groups for persons living with HIV/AIDs. Additionally, training opportunities, equal pay and equivalent opportunities were recommended as ways to enhance maximum productivity and gender equality.
FUE remains committed to advocating for gender equality and women empowerment at the workplace to promote decent work. Its time for tripartite partners to take collective responsibility to address GBV and SRHR challenges in the world of work.
FUE MEMBER ENGAGEMENT
The Federation of Uganda Employers (FUE) has three regional offices in Mbale, Lira and Kasese districts to cater for Employers located in Eastern, Northern and Western Uganda respectively. On 8th to 9th December 2022, our Executive Director, Mr. Douglas Opio conducted courtesy visits to FUE member organisations based in Eastern Uganda. The Employers that hosted FUE included Kibimba Rice Limited, Tororo Cement, Child Christian Care Program Vocational Institute, Mt. Elgon Hospital Limited and Mbale Clinical Research Institute.
These membership visits are significant to provide updates on various policy developments, discussions on recent amendment acts such as The Employment Amendment Act, training needs, skills development, productivity, occupational safety and health. FUE members also have the opportunity to provide feedback on the support offered to them regarding various employment issues in addition to other services they require to support their work and improve their service delivery.
Special appreciation to all esteemed members for their unwavering support, immense contribution, active participation and commitment to the work of the Federation. We remain committed to our mission to enhance employers’ competitiveness through policy advocacy, fostering sustainable employment relations and provision of business support services.
FUE NEW MEMBER ALERT!
It’s a great honor to welcome Cavendish University Uganda (CUU) to the FUE Family. Cavendish University is a private institution accredited by the Uganda National Council for Higher Education. CUU offers market-relevant and accredited academic programs to fulfill their mission to transform and inspire students to reach their full potential in employment, entrepreneurship and ethical leadership.
2022 NEW MEMBERS
We would like to celebrate and warmly welcome the FUE 2022 New Members. We hope you have benefited greatly from the work and services offered in the FUE Membership Value Proposition. We look forward scaling greater heights with you in 2023. Onwards and Upwards in strengthening the Employers’ fraternity!
If you are not yet an FUE member, become an FUE member today to benefit from a variety of services and a wide network of business professionals! Contact info@fuemployers.org | 0392 777 410 or visit www.fuemployers.org for more information.
Remember, ‘Every Good Employer is a Member of Federation of Uganda Employers’.
Together for Employers.