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Ugandan comedian Anne Kansiime says African women know their rights and are using their power.<\/p>\n
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By<\/strong>\u00a0Bonnie Yu, Brittany Wang and Sophia Sheng<\/b><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.23.3″ text_font=”Roboto||||||||” text_text_align=”left” header_font=”||||||||” header_6_font=”Roboto|700|on||||||” header_6_font_size=”12px”]<\/p>\n On a sunny May day in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, Ugandan comedian Anne Kansiime sat in her hotel lobby with two friends relaxing after hosting the pre-auditions for East Africa\u2019s Got Talent, a spin-off of the popular British talent show and a first for East Africa.<\/p>\n Ms <\/span>Kansiime, who has been dubbed Africa\u2019s Queen of Comedy, hosts TV shows, runs a charity and owns a hotel and bar. \u00a0She is also one of only a handful of African women in the comedy business.<\/p>\n Both Rwanda and neighbouring Uganda rank near the bottom of the United Nations Gender Inequality Index<\/a><\/span>, 158 and 162 respectively out of 189 countries. The index looks at achievements in reproductive health, empowerment and economic status.<\/p>\n \u201cIf women are suffering, it is not because of our ignorance, it is the process. And we are now aware of our rights. We are aware of the power and advantages we have,\u201d said Ms Kansiime.<\/p>\n Ms Kansiime pointed to her friend at the table, Nana Kagga, as a source of inspiration.\u00a0 Ms Kagga, also from Uganda, is a petroleum engineer, Hollywood actress, scriptwriter, producer and business owner.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are the mother of Africa. We have held the land for so long without recognition,\u201d said Ms Kagga. \u201cUnfortunately, recognition for African women has come late\u201d.<\/p>\n In Rwanda, more than half of the labor force is female, one of the highest percentages in the world, according to the World Bank<\/a><\/span>, and Uganda is not far behind.<\/p>\n But as the primary work in many sub-Saharan countries is in agriculture, instead of lifting the social and financial status of women, they have instead become the major laborers.<\/p>\n
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