Some of the participants at the Women’s Conference in Sweden
"Everything we do, the image we present to others and in our work, begins at home."
It is very important to ensure that families live with dignity. And dignity does not come by chance — every member of the household must work for it. But we, the women, are the first to be looked at to ensure that the family is dignified.
The dignity of a family begins with the woman’s conduct in the home. This includes good communication, mutual respect, cleanliness, and hard work as priorities.
When a family has children, we must recognize that the home is their first school — where values are strengthened, culture and traditions are passed on, and the national language is taught. Everything else follows afterwards.
This was part of the package delivered by Oweek. Hajjat Mariam Nkalubo Mayanja, Minister for Gender in the Buganda Kingdom, to Kabaka’s subjects who attended the Women’s and Children’s Conference in Stockholm, Sweden, in the Scandinavian Province.
Minister Mariam Nassejje Mayanja added:
"When families are stable, the communities we live in are also stable, and the world itself becomes stable."
The Kabaka’s representative was officially inaugurated as County Chief in Kyaggwe.
Oweek. Mariam noted:
"Although respect begins with the woman in the family, there must also be a good relationship with their husbands. True dignity involves everyone in the home — recognizing each other’s abilities, sharing responsibilities, and supporting one another in all situations.
For families to be stable, husband and wife must strengthen their bond, think of ways to build their household, and put those ideas into practice."
She went on:
"We know very well that here in Sweden you face challenges, because the culture is different from that of Buganda. It is not easy to remain rooted in your traditions while living in another culture.
For example, it is difficult to teach children Luganda when everything they do and read is in Swedish. However, we must make the effort: speak it, look for books, and in this era of technology, we can easily find online resources that teach Luganda."
Despite cultural differences, Minister Mariam pointed out values that should never be lost — such as respect for others, courtesy, table manners, proper dress, communication, and other human virtues including truthfulness, honesty, admitting mistakes, caring, hard work, and leadership.
Dr. Sarah Nkonge Muwonge, Chairperson of the Buganda Women’s Convention, urged parents to teach their children their clans and matters concerning their kingdom, and to give them Baganda names so they can take pride in their heritage.
The conference was held under the theme: “Strong Families and Unity — Pillars of Development.”
The youth and young children who attended showcased different aspects of their culture, including food preparation, traditional games, singing, and reading in Luganda.