Women's Probono Initiative

The Women's Probono Initiative (WPI) is a feminist non-profit organisation based in Uganda. Established in 2018, it began in July of that year by providing free legal services to women who could not otherwise access legal representation. Its mission is to boldly advance gender equity, challenge gender discrimination and combat violence against women and girls through advocacy, research and creative lawyering. WPI was formed partly out of the recognition that there were hardly any women actively engaged in litigation, especially for cases addressing the rights of women and girls. The absence of female litigants meant that male lawyers could articulate the facts but not necessarily communicate the lived realities of women and girls from a position of experience and deep understanding. WPI operates as a knowledge hub for research and knowledge management on women's rights, Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), free legal advice and impact litigation with a bearing on women and girls. Its services include direct legal representation, legal advice to walk-in clients, assessment of community needs, identification of potential legal challenges, and the development of advocacy goals and litigation strategies to reform practices that target and penalise women and girls. It also develops community-based mediation mechanisms that can be utilised outside court, documents community practices that inform impact litigation and national advocacy campaigns, and conducts research to inform national advocacy campaigns. WPI's work is grounded in the context of a patriarchal society where male-centred dominance at the workplace, in families and in society at large creates special problems that make it difficult for women to report issues of abuse, violence, discrimination and social inequities. It cites national statistics indicating that more than 1 in 5 women experience sexual violence and that at least 22% of women in Uganda report having experienced sexual violence (UDHS, 2016); that 77.7% of children in primary schools and 82% of students in secondary school have experienced some form of sexual violence (Ministry of Education and Sports, 2016); and that a 2019 report by the Uganda Parliament's Committee of inquiry into allegations of sexual violence in institutions of learning noted a culture of silence and a norm not to report cases. WPI also points to discriminatory laws and practices such as the Customary Marriage Act, 1970, which legitimises polygamy, inadequate systems to regulate medical service provision to women and children, and social acceptance of domestic violence. WPI publishes reports and newsletters, including a bi-annual newsletter, a practice guide for legal service providers supporting LBQ women in Uganda, and commentary on issues such as the impact of Ebola on women's rights and SRHR, and menstrual hygiene in workplaces. Its vision is a just and equitable society where women and girls are free from discrimination and violence.

The Women's Probono Initiative (WPI) was established in 2018. In July 2018 it began providing free legal services to women who could not otherwise access legal representation in Uganda. The organisation was formed partly out of the recognition that there were hardly any women actively engaged in litigation, more so for cases that addressed the rights of women and girls. The absence of female litigants meant that male lawyers, with all their credentials, could articulate the facts, but not necessarily communicate the lived realities of women and girls from a position of experience and deep understanding. WPI operates in the context of a patriarchal society where male-centred dominance at the workplace, in families and society at large has created special problems that make it difficult for women to report issues of abuse, violence, discrimination and social inequities. The organisation cites national statistics to frame its work: more than 1 in 5 women experience sexual violence and at least 22% of women in Uganda report having experienced sexual violence (UDHS, 2016); 77.7% of children in primary schools and 82% of students in secondary school have experienced some form of sexual violence (Ministry of Education and Sports, 2016). A 2019 report by the Uganda Parliament's Committee of inquiry into allegations of sexual violence in institutions of learning noted a culture of silence and a norm not to report cases by women due to beliefs that 'men can not be rejected'. WPI also highlights discriminatory laws and practices such as the Customary Marriage Act, 1970 that legitimises polygamy, inadequate systems to regulate medical service provision to women and children, and social acceptance of domestic violence. Over time WPI has developed a service model that combines direct legal representation, legal advice to walk-in clients, assessment of community needs, identification of potential legal challenges, and the development of advocacy goals and litigation strategies to reform practices that target and penalise women and girls. It also develops community-based mediation mechanisms that can be utilised outside court, documents community practices that inform impact litigation and national advocacy campaigns, and conducts research to inform national advocacy campaigns. WPI serves as a knowledge hub for research and knowledge management on women's rights, Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), free legal advice and impact litigation with a bearing on women and girls. WPI publishes reports and newsletters. Its publications include a bi-annual newsletter, a practice guide for legal service providers supporting LBQ women in Uganda, and commentary on issues such as the impact of Ebola on women's rights and SRHR in Uganda, and menstrual hygiene in workplaces. Its vision is a just and equitable society where women and girls are free from discrimination and violence.

• 2018

  Women's Probono Initiative established.

• 2018

  In July 2018, WPI began providing free legal services to women who cannot otherwise access legal representation in Uganda.

A feminist non-profit legal and advocacy organisation providing free legal services and research to advance gender equity and combat violence against women and girls in Uganda.

• Direct legal representation

  Legal representation for women who cannot otherwise access it.

• Legal advice to walk-in clients

  Free legal advice to walk-in clients.

• Community-based mediation

  Community-based mediation mechanisms that can be utilised outside court.

• Research and publications

  Research to inform national advocacy campaigns, and publications including a bi-annual newsletter and practice guides.

• Impact litigation

  Impact litigation with a bearing on women and girls.

• Advocacy campaigns

  National advocacy campaigns informed by research and community documentation.

1. 1Women Probono Intiative - Your Rights, Your Lifewomenprobono.org
2. 2About us - Women Probono Intiativewomenprobono.org
3. 3Legal representation - Women Probono Intiativewomenprobono.org
4. 4Women's Probono Initiativewikidata.org