Alumni Profile
Joyce Mpanga
MS'62, Education
Uganda, East Africa
Joyce Mpanga was the first woman in the history of her country to earn a master's degree.
Joyce Mpanga
In 1960, at the start of her career, Joyce Mpanga became one of the first women in the Ugandan parliament. The British colonial governor of Uganda selected her for the role. "He saw me in a competition and was impressed with my debating skills," says Mpanga.
During Mpanga's first term, she initiated legislation and policies for the advancement of women and for their inclusion in the mainstream. But while she enjoyed this work, she still wanted to further her education and fulfill her dream of a teaching career.
Determined to pursue her education in the United States, Mpanga set her sights on earning a master's degree, then returning to Uganda equipped to teach. She put her government service on hold and headed to Bloomington.
Her time in IU's School of Education resulted in Mpanga becoming the first woman in the history of her country to receive a master's degree in any subject. She returned to Uganda to serve as deputy headmistress at a prestigious girls' school. She had realized her dream of teaching, but the political situation in her homeland was about to turn her life upside down.
In 1966, when the monarchy was overturned, Mpanga and her husband were forced into exile. They lived in London, where Mpanga taught English at a primary school and raised her two children. In 1972, they were allowed to return to Uganda.
When the Museveni government of the late 1980s pledged to eliminate discrimination against women in official policy and practice, Mpanga was appointed minister for women and development. That year, 1987, marked a turning point for Mpanga.
More than 25 years after she had entered politics, Mpanga was ready to act. She proclaimed the government's intention to raise women's wages, increase women's credit and employment opportunities, and improve the lives of women in general.
She served as secretary of state for women in development in the late 1990s, and then became secretary of state for primary education from 1989 to 1992. Mpanga and other women leaders have been instrumental in helping women achieve equal rights and political power in east Africa. She also served as a director for the East African Examinations Council and has represented Uganda at several international conferences.
Mpanga continues to travel internationally and raise awareness on women's issues. "I want to sensitize people to exercise the freedom that is given to them here," says Mpanga. "In Uganda, because of tradition, culture and custom, boys are most often given better educational opportunities than girls."
Downplaying her historic role in Uganda's recognition of women's rights, Mpanga says, "I was in the right place and right time, and I was interested."