Cultural information access and utilisation by rural women : A framework for Uganda

Abstract

Uganda is well endowed with cultural diversity that critically needs to be harnessed because of its potential to improve the quality of life of the Ugandan people. Issues such as language and literary arts, indigenous knowledge, culture and environment, cultural tourism, culture and young people, belief system and values reside in women mainly and should be emphasized. Women in most cases are at the forefront of such issues as first teachers of language, and guardians of our cultures most especially in rural settings where more than 80 percent of our people reside. They are a majority in the country's population and therefore a cultural army of the country. Unfortunately they are not well catered for in many things they do or affecting them although they are most visible in local and cultural activities. To promote and strengthen Uganda's rich, and diverse cultural identities, enhance social capital, collaboration and participation in cultural life, promote community action on sound cultural practices that impinge on human dignity, and to conserve and protect Uganda's tangible and intangible heritage, information provision is important. Although there are efforts in providing information at various levels of education and other sectors of society, no strategy addresses the cultural information needs of rural women in Uganda specifically Creating opportunities for society to understand and appreciate rural women and cultural in information is essential. This paper aims at providing strategies for facilitating access and utilization of cultural information about the Ugandan cultures.