Growing up, she witnessed struggling women, domestic workers and single mothers.
Their experiences ignited Ms Adriko’s passion for advocacy, team work and insights on balancing roles as mothers, wives, and professionals.

For the past six years, Ms Liliane Byarugaba Adriko has led The Uganda Association of Women Lawyers (FIDA-Uganda), steering the organisation to provide advocacy, legal empowerment, and justice for women.
With a father who was a banker and a mother who was a nurse, Ms Adriko grew up in an institutional estate in Naguru, Kampala, where her father worked. She began her education in Nairobi,Kenya, before continuing at Namagunga Primary Boarding School. For secondary school, she attended Mt St Mary’s Namagunga. Later, she pursued a law degree at Makerere University.

Passion for social justice
Growing up, Ms Adriko witnessed struggling women, domestic workers and single mothers. Their experiences ignited her passion for advocacy.
“I saw the struggles of women in vulnerable situations around me. That desire to make a difference drew me to law,” she says.
Ms Adriko’s career began at Kampala City Council (KCC) as a legal officer where she later became a senior legal officer.
“My first position was as a legal officer at Kampala City Council , but I found pockets of time to work at Kawuma and Kakooza Advocates as well as Birungi, Semuyaba Iga, and Company Advocates to gain some litigation skills for my professional development,” she shares.
One of the early challenges Ms Adriko faced in her career was gaining her clients’ trust while she was expectant.
“In active litigation, many men questioned whether I could manage to go to court and handle their cases while pregnant. At KCC, my maternal responsibilities also led to missed opportunities for further study,” she recalls.
Despite these setbacks, she acknowledges that having children was an important step in her life.
“I recognised that life has different seasons. When it was time for motherhood, I understood that there would be missed opportunities. But once my children were older, I knew I could resume my career and navigate the path forward,” she says.

Leading FIDA Uganda
In 2015, Ms Adriko joined FIDA Uganda as a legal officer. She advanced through the ranks, becoming the manager of the Legal Aid Clinic, then director of programmes, and eventually Chief Executive Officer (CEO) six years ago.
As CEO, Ms Adriko provides strategic direction to ensure that FIDA’s work aligns with its mission. Under her leadership, FIDA operates in 15 offices nationwide.
Her leadership has been defined by key transformative moments, particularly in building a strong, motivated team. She understands the importance of a well-trained team aligned with the organisation’s mission.
“We have developed robust teams that are invested in our work. They have become leaders in their own right, working without supervision. They have advocated for projects, pushing through to ensure accountability. When a donor visits and reports that our teams are performing well and engaging effectively, it makes me proud. I do not need to visit Arua myself to speak with donors, our officers in Karamoja confidently communicate about our projects during monitoring and evaluation,” Ms Adriko shares.

Holistic approach to legal aid
Recognising that legal assistance alone was not enough to address the challenges women face, FIDA introduced counselling programmes designed to help women regain independence and stability.
“When women come to us for legal aid, their primary issue is the legal challenge. However, this alone cannot meet all their needs. This prompted us to provide counselling and economic empowerment programmes to reduce their dependence on men. What has been transformative is witnessing these women grow throughout the process. Many now confidently speak about their issues, no longer needing us to prompt or speak for them. Additionally, FIDA has supported over 25 women and youth groups in accessing funding opportunities,” she reflects.
Under Ms Adriko’s leadership, FIDA has also expanded its impact, ensuring young professionals grow into competent advocates for women’s rights.
“In 2022, we launched a leadership academy which was intended to propagate the collective knowledge of the FIDA membership. The academy has quickly spread its wings to Ethiopia and Sudan and where we are training women lawyers on Gender Based Violence (GBV) prevention,” Ms Adriko proudly shares.

Power of teamwork
One of Ms Adriko’s proudest moments at FIDA was leading the team in organising its 50th anniversary celebration in December 2024. The board tasked them with mobilising former members and fundraising for the celebration.
“Bringing together founders like Hon Rebecca Kadaga, Dr Miria Matembe, Hope Mwesigye, and Justice Mary Maitum, who were there at FIDA’s inception, was phenomenal as well as sharing our work with a broader audience beyond the NGO sector,” she notes.
Proceeds from the event enabled FIDA to open two family justice desks in Kabale and Kitgum, demonstrating the impact of local philanthropy.
FIDA has seen a growing demand for its services, with legal aid cases rising from 4,000 to 25,000 in the last eight years. Despite limited resources, Ms Adriko views these challenges as opportunities.
“This demand has driven us to seek innovative fundraising strategies and expand outreach to underserved areas,” she says.
While progress has been made in advancing women’s rights, Ms Adriko highlights areas needing further attention. She stresses the importance of engaging cultural and religious leaders to foster a collective understanding of gender equality.
Ms Adriko also points to the financial gap between men and women in business with 54 per cent of Ugandan women engaged in business compared to 63 per cent of men.
“To bridge this gap, the government must implement alternative financing mechanisms that allow women to access capital without traditional collateral,” she recommends.
Ms Adriko calls for policy recognition of unpaid care work, urging its integration into national planning to create more opportunities for women. “Women spend three to six hours daily on unpaid domestic labour, limiting their participation in economic and community activities,” she notes.
She encourages women to seek mentorship, identify obstacles, and take action. Through FIDA’s male engagement strategy, she works to involve men as allies in the fight for gender equality, believing that open discussions within households and communities can shift societal norms and empower women in decision-making.
A major challenge for women advancing in their careers is balancing multiple roles as mothers, wives, and professionals. Ms Adriko emphasises the value of strong support networks.
“True balance is about prioritisation. When with family, I immerse myself in that moment; at work, I focus entirely on my responsibilities. Having systems in place ensures all aspects of life function smoothly,” she explains.

Role of law and policy
Ms Adriko highlights gaps in legal protection, particularly for survivors of gender-based violence (GBV). “Without witness protection laws, many cases collapse because witnesses are compromised,” she explains.
She also calls for the passage of key laws that have stalled in Parliament, such as the Marriage Bill and the Sexual Offences Bill, which have been pending for decades. “These laws would remove barriers women face in seeking justice,” she says.
Beyond legislation, Ms Adriko urges greater investment in law enforcement to ensure existing laws are effectively implemented. She also advocates for stronger responses from duty-bearers to address emerging issues, including technology-facilitated GBV.

ON A LIGHTER NOTE…
What is one thing on your bucket list that you are determined to accomplish?
Parasailing

What was your childhood dream job?
To be a medical doctor, but, I realised that while I liked the idea of helping people heal, my heart was not strong enough to handle the process of doing so. Additionally, chemistry was not very kind to me.

Who is your biggest cheerleader or supporter in life?
My husband, children, siblings and in-laws.

What is the best compliment you have ever received?
One day, while driving my FIDA-branded car, a police officer shared her struggles with me, asking for economic empowerment programmes to support her children. I took the time to listen. My
daughter later commented on my kindness, noting that I was not in a rush. It was a reassuring
moment.