What Drives the Stand By Her Campaign
Uganda faces significant socio-economic challenges, including poverty, gender inequality, and limited access to education and healthcare. These challenges affect families, young people, women, men, and wider communities.
In many communities, women and girls continue to face unequal access to opportunities. At the same time, men and boys may grow up with social expectations that limit open conversations around equality, shared responsibility, and support.
Stand By Her was created to respond to these realities through practical communication, storytelling, awareness, and community engagement.
Women and Men Are Agents of Change
Stand By Her is based on the belief that both Ugandan women and men can contribute to positive change. The campaign encourages women to recognize their potential, pursue opportunities, and participate fully in community life. It also encourages men to become allies by supporting shared responsibility, education, respect, and equal opportunity. Gender equality is not a women-only issue. It is a family issue, a community issue, and a development issue.
Campaign Objective
The objective of the Stand By Her Campaign is to inform, inspire, and strengthen communities in Kampala and Wakiso by promoting equal opportunities, inclusive mindsets, shared responsibilities, and practical community action. The campaign uses podcasts, WhatsApp messages, infographics, flyers, videos, and community conversations to reach young people, parents, students, instructors, partners, employers, and community members.
Who the Campaign Speaks To
Stand By Her primarily targets young women and men in Uganda, as well as current, future, and potential COWA students.
The campaign also reaches parents, guardians, instructors, partner companies, employers, community leaders, and men and women of all ages who want a deeper and more practical understanding of gender equality.
Young Women
Encouraging confidence, education, skills development, leadership, and opportunity.
Young Men
Promoting positive masculinity, shared responsibility, respect, and allyship.
Parents and Guardians
Supporting equal opportunities for girls and boys at home and in learning.
Students and Graduates
Inspiring practical action through training, mentorship, and role models.
Employers and Partners
Encouraging supportive workplaces and professional opportunities for women.
Guided by Local Gender Insights
A commissioned assessment by COWA identified local gender inequalities and their root causes in Kampala and Wakiso. These insights form the foundation of the Stand By Her Gender Equality Advocacy Campaign.
Based on the assessment, five key themes were identified to guide the campaign’s messaging, media content, and community engagement.
How the Campaign Works
Stand By Her uses accessible, practical, and community-friendly communication formats. The campaign is designed to meet people where they are and encourage reflection, discussion, and action.
Our Approach
Listen
Podcast episodes share voices, stories, and practical conversations.
Reflect
WhatsApp messages and written content help communities think deeper about each theme.
Share
Flyers, infographics, and video spots make the message easy to distribute, across all our social pages.
Act
Communities are encouraged to practice shared responsibility, support education, and open opportunities for women and girls.