An announcement at Kampala International University requesting pregnant testing from female Ugandan students has sparked outrage online.
The widely circulated notification, which was later retracted, warned female students enrolled in midwifery and nursing programs that they must perform pregnancy tests and that, in the event that they did not, they would not be permitted to take their exams. The announcement was posted on Twitter by Catherine Kyobutungi, executive director of the African Population and Health Research Center.
Someone please help me here!
This is total hogwash, discriminatory and unacceptable.@kiuvarsity – what the hell??
Female nursing and midwifery students being asked to take a pregnancy test, at their own cost as a pre-condition for sitting exams is peak nonsense!!! pic.twitter.com/d71YsPGXHP— Dr. Catherine Kyobutungi (@CKyobutungi) November 9, 2022
She admitted to threatening to sue the institution over the warning to the BBC.
Totally unacceptable and just ridiculous! This discriminatory directive shd be withdrawn immediately. Shame! https://t.co/vNIO3W1ZBu
— Winnie Byanyima (@Winnie_Byanyima) November 10, 2022
Dr. Kyobutungi called the action colonial, without legitimacy in academic institutions, and an effort to impose morality laws on women. Others criticized the warning on Twitter, calling it unacceptable and discriminatory.
As we draw closer to #16days of activism, it’s sad to see that institutions still front abusive policies.
If at lower institutions of learning we have integration of pregnant girls, it’s appalling that @kiuvarsity is policing women’s bodies through this discriminatory policy. pic.twitter.com/wIBfLXp2gV
— The Women’s Probono Initiative (@WomenProbono) November 9, 2022
Winnie Byanyima, director of UNAids, called it “completely unacceptable and absolutely stupid.” “Sad to see that institutions still front harsh policies,” another Twitter user commented. Since then, the institution has distributed another warning urging students to avoid the sign calling for pregnancy tests and focus instead on their examinations.
To all Nurses and Midwives
This is to inform you that the internal memo on pregnancy and pregnancy testing dated November 8th has been rescinded (withdrawn).
We wish you all the best in the forthcoming exams. pic.twitter.com/lS9vXLqJeb
— Kampala International University (@kiuvarsity) November 10, 2022
