Dr. Priscilla Mwondha holds a PhD in Development Studies from the Institute for Social Development, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa. She also holds a Master’s Degree in International Development from the Josef Korbel School of International Affairs, University of Denver, Colorado, USA, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from the College of Education, Makerere University Kampala. She currently teaches at Makerere University. Her research interests include gender studies, women’s empowerment, and development with an emphasis on natural resource exploitation and social construction of gender.
Dr. Mwondha’s PhD dissertation was titled “Towards Bringing the “Gender Digital Divide” in Uganda: A Study of University to Work Transition Patterns among ICT Graduates” (2018).
Award Information
The project will examine the impact of the exploration of oil in the Albertain Graben and its impact on women and children. Activities associated with the exploration of oil such as compensation of communities that have been displaced to make way for the construction of a refinery have been seen to kindle cases of gender based violence. These activities have also been seen to disintegrate the family unit, creating destitute children and broken families because men have abandoned their 'old' wives and children and married new, younger ones especially after receiving compensation money. The closure of several schools without an alternative school has forced many children out of school. Over 400 children have missed school over the past five years. Deteriorating health conditions due to closure of health centers in the oil-rich area that has been earmarked for the establishment of an oil refinery. In addition, livelihoods and survival systems have been disrupted because their primary means to livelihood and income (land) was taken over by government without provision of alternatives. The area which has been earmarked for resettlement of the affected communities is unsuitable for habitation as social services and infrastructure (roads, water) and agricultural fields are far from the proposed resettlement area. The project is intended to illuminate the plight of women and children which may be the root cause of conflict, insecurity and conflict in the future.
