The Women’s Situation Room (WSR) operates as a collaborative, multi-stakeholder platform that brings together key election stakeholders including the Electoral Commission, political parties, security institutions, media, Uganda Human Rights Commission, religious and cultural institutions, and civil society organisations, to collectively promote peaceful elections. Through this collaboration, the WSR fosters a culture of accountability, tracks incidents of election-related violence, and ensures timely responses to emerging threats across the electoral cycle.
Central to this ecosystem are the Women and Youth Peace Advocates and Election Peace Monitors who engage their communities to promote nonviolence and report threats in real-time via the WSR toll-free lines or mobile reporting app. These reports are received by the WSR Physical Situation Room, a 24-hour coordination hub staffed with Political, Legal, Gender, Media, and Security Analysts. Within the Physical Situation Room, the Youth and Eminent Women’s Rooms process and escalate reports, while the Electoral Commission, Uganda Police Force, and Uganda People’s Defence Force operate from dedicated Intervention Desks to enable immediate action. The Peace Cloth, signed by key election actors, symbolizes a public commitment to nonviolence, reinforcing the WSR’s integrated approach to early warning and rapid response.
Leaders of youth groups in each of the WSR districts are identified and trained on how to constructively promote peace in the elections. They are equipped with the necessary logistical support, IEC materials which they use to conduct a sustained awareness campaign on the benefits of, and how to ensure, violence free elections among their peers.
Women leaders are also selected in each of the districts and trained in conflict resolution and peace building. They are equipped with the means to promote peaceful elections in their communities.
The Women’s Situation Room partners with critical actors in Uganda’s electoral processes including the Electoral Commission (EC), the Uganda National Police, the Uganda Peoples Defence Force (UPDF), youth leaders and political parties.
Prior to the elections, the Eminent Women meet with these actors, explaining the role of the WSR in curbing electoral violence and forming partnerships with them to advance the goals of the WSR. As such the EC, UPDF, police and the youth commit to assigning representatives to manage a desk and respond to incident reports within the situation room physical space.
These partnerships were responsible for a large portion of the WSR’s success, particularly during voting days.
The WSR partners with various stakeholders including media houses, telecommunication companies, advertising agencies and other relevant actors to promote peaceful elections.
Women and youth are trained in election observation and deployed in the hot spot districts to observe and report on election violence and election related violence and in conformity with the rules and procedures of the Electoral Commission.
Women
Youth
Peace Observers
Our Women-Led Movement for Peace empowers women to take an active role in preventing conflict and promoting harmony within their communities. We bring together women leaders, grassroots groups, and community influencers to strengthen their skills in dialogue, mediation, advocacy, and peacebuilding.
Through regular trainings, mentorship, and collaborative forums, women are supported to speak out on issues affecting their communities, mobilize others, and lead local peace initiatives. By placing women at the center of decision-making and community action, the movement helps create inclusive and sustainable peace across Uganda.
During the Presidential, Parliamentary and Local Government Elections, WSR Uganda establishes Physical Situation Rooms where intervention and mediation by the Eminent Women take place, supported by political, legal, gender and security analysts. The Rooms include a 24- hour call centre with young volunteers who receive and record incident reports made to the widely advertised toll-free line and forward these to the Eminent Women for action. Strategic partners’ desks are also a key component of the Rooms, and include a desk for the Electoral Commission, Uganda Police Force (UPF) and the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF).