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ASSOC.PROF.JUDITH AKELLO ABAL(FMS AS DEAN FMS)

Assoc. Prof. Judith Akello Abal

Ag. Deputy Vice Chancellor – Academics

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Assoc. Prof. Judith Akello Abal

  • Professor
  • jabal@lirauni.ac.ug
  • +256 772 592115

Associate Professor Judith Akello Abal is a Ugandan academic, researcher, and gender specialist currently serving as Ag. DVC – AA Lira University. She holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) from Makerere University under the DAAD scholarship program and completed her Post-Doctoral Research at Technische Universität Dresden, Germany. She also holds a Master of Arts in Education and International Development from the University of London (Commonwealth Scholar), a Master of Business Administration from Makerere University, a Bachelor of Education, and a Diploma in Education (Business Education).

With over two decades of teaching, research, and academic leadership experience, Prof. Akello has served in various capacities including Senior Lecturer, Head of Department, Dean of Students, and Research Ethics Committee Member. Her teaching portfolio includes Gender in Business, Research Methodology, Public Finance, and Principles of Management. She has supervised numerous Master’s students across Business Administration and Public Health programs.

Her research focuses on gender, women’s economic empowerment, functional adult literacy, entrepreneurship, reproductive health, and socio-economic development in Northern Uganda. She has published extensively in peer-reviewed international journals and has secured competitive research grants from IDRC, Erasmus+, Horizon Europe (M-CARE), and other funding bodies.

She actively contributes to academic governance as a Senate Member and Research Ethics Committee member at Lira University and serves on several regional and international professional networks.

Education & Qualifications
  • Post-Doctoral Research Degreee (2021). Dresden University of Technology (Technische Universität Dresden)- DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) Scholarship. Research Report: Unlocking the Socio- Economic Development Potentials: Women’s Experiences of Functional Adult Literacy (FAL) In Northern Uganda 
  • Doctor of Philosophy (2020). Makerere University Kampala – DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) Scholarship. Thesis: Unlocking the Socio- Economic Development Potentials: Women’s Experiences of Functional Adult Literacy (FAL) In Northern Uganda 
  • Master in Business Administration (2010). Makerere University Kampala. Master’s Dissertation: Community- Managed Micro-Finance: A New Technique to Sustainably Tackle Extreme Poverty in Uganda; A Case Study of Oribcing Women’s Co-Operative Savings and Credit Society
  • Master of Arts in Education and International Development (MAEID) (2009). Institute of Education, University of London, United Kingdom -Commonwealth Scholarship. Master’s Dissertation: What happens to Universal Primary Education (UPE) dropouts in Uganda? Case Study: Lira District-Northern Uganda 
  • Bachelor of Education (2003). Makerere University Kampala. Research Report: The Effects of Office Practice on the Performance of O’Level Students: Case Study: Aduku Secondary School
  • Diploma: Education (1996). Institute of Teacher Education, Kyambogo, Kampala-Uganda

Proffesional Career loading…

  1. Akello, J. A., Lutwama-Rukundo, E., & Musiimenta, P. (2017). Literacy: An alternative  gateway to grassroots women’s improved income generation in Lango Subregion, Northern Uganda. Adult Education Quarterly, 67(2), 79–96. https://doi.org/10.1177/07417136166851
  2. Akello, J.A., (2021). Functional adult literacy and vocational training: Women’s opportunity for socio-economic development in Uganda: A case study of Apac District Northern Uganda (ERIC No. ED617723). ERIC.
  3. Akello, J. A., & Lutwama-Rukundo, E. (2022). Functional adult literacy levels: Relevance to women’s improved income generation in Apac District, Northern Uganda. International Journal of Education, Training and Learning, 6(1), 17–25.
    https://onlineacademicpress.com/index.php/IJETL/article/view/524
  4. Akello, J. A., & Lutwama-Rukundo, E. (2022). Adult learning: An alternative gateway to women’s improved participation in children’s education in Lango Region, Northern Uganda. International Journal of Education, Training and Learning, 6(2).
    https:/doi.org/10.33094/ijetl.v6i2.671
  5. Akello, J. A., & Musiimenta, P. (2022). Women’s functional adult literacy and access to community participation in Apac District, Northern Uganda. International Journal of Education, Training and Learning, 6(1), 1–10. http://onlineacademicpress.com/index.php/IJETL/article/view/485
  6. Adong, M. R., & Akello, J. A. (2023). The impact of financial benefits on employee productivity: A case study of the Joint Clinical Research Centre in Lango Region, Northern Uganda. International Journal of Social Sciences Perspectives, 13(1).
  7. Kabunga, A., Acanga, A., Akello Abal, J., Kambugu Nabasirye, C., Namata, H., Mwesigwa, D., Auma, A. G., Kigongo, E., & Udho, S. (2023). Phenomenology of induced abortion in Northern Uganda among HIV-positive women following an  unintended pregnancy. Open Access Journal of Contraception, 14, 73–82.  https://doi.org/10.2147/OAJC.S407547
  8. Abal, J. A., Ebila, F., Ayo, H., Acio, C., & Kabunga, A. (2024). The influence of Uganda women’s entrepreneurship program on livelihoods and cultural dynamics in Amolatar, Northern Uganda. International Journal of Social Sciences Perspectives,
    14(2), 44–51. https://doi.org/10.33094/ijssp.v14i2.1895
  9. Akello, J. A., Ebila, F., Ejang, M., Acanga, A., Ayo, H., Acio, C., & Kabunga, A. (2024). Gender-specific entrepreneurship programs: Understanding the lived experiences of rural women entrepreneurs in Amolatar Sub-Region, Uganda. Researchjournali’s Journal of Entrepreneurship, 10(2).
  10. Kabunga, A., Kigongo, E., Acanga, A.,Tumwesigye, R., Auma, A. G., Musinguzi, M., Kambugu, C. N., Okalo, P., Abal, J. A., Namata, H., & Mwesigwa, D. (2024). Qualitative study on stigma as a barrier to emergency contraceptive pill use among
    university students in the Lango subregion, Uganda. BMJ Open, 14(2), e079478.
  11. Kigongo, E., Ekungu, E., Edmonton, A., Auma, A. G., Ongom, M. C., Samson, U., Anyolitho, M. K., Kabunga, A., Murara, O., Akello, J. A., & Omech, B. (2025). Bridging participation gaps: A community-led inception for integrating comprehensive
    adolescent-friendly family planning and post-abortion care (CAFFP–PAC) into primary healthcare facilities in Northern Uganda. Open Access Journal of Contraception, 16, 81–96. https://doi.org/10.2147/OAJC.S550132
  12. Ejang, M., Apio, S. O., Obote, D., Okuna, V., & Akello, J. A. (2025). An analysis of gender and political glass ceiling in Apac District local governance, Northern Uganda. East African Journal of Arts and Social Sciences, 8(4). https://doi.org/10.37284/27074285

Her research focuses on gender, women’s economic empowerment, functional adult literacy, entrepreneurship, reproductive health, and socio-economic development in Northern Uganda.

  1. Research Titled: Unpacking the Influence of Women’s Economic Empowerment Initiatives Through Women’s Entrepreneurship Program on Livelihoods and Cultural Dynamics in Amolatar Sub-Region- Grant Award Number: RG/2023/10
  2. Negotiating Motherhood in Gendered Cultural Spaces: Breastfeeding Student-Mothers and Staff at Lira University Through Performing Arts and Culture-Project ID: Lira University Internal Research Grant- Grant Reference Number (RG/2025/TRACK 1/Academic Staff/01)
  3. Enhancing Integration of Adolescent Family Planning and Post-Abortion Care in Northern Uganda: A Citizen Science, Gender-Transformative Approach, Project ID 110713-IDRC Grant
  4. Advancing Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship Advancing Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship Through Postgraduate Education in East Africa Through Postgraduate Education in East Africa Erasmus + Capacity Building in Higher Education, Project ID-European Union, Project ID: 101178404
  5. Implementation of an Integrated Care Model for Patients with Multiple Cardiometabolic and Mental Health Conditions in sub-Saharan Africa (M-Care Project)- Project ID Funder: Horizon Europe Grant Agreement number: 10122656
  • Keynote Speaker (2025). Equity bank’s Abakyala Ku Ntiiko women initiative held at Lira Hotel, in Lira City
  • Akello, J.A & Omara P. (2020). Discussion Series on the Issues of 2020/2021 National Budget to the Local Community in Lango Region. Can Government Really Achieve this? Voice of Lango. Lira-Uganda.
  • Akello, J.A. (2017). Research findings to international workshop in Bonn Germany- The Right Livelihood College (RLC)sponsored by DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) on Unlocking the Socio- Economic Development Potentials: Women’s Experiences of Functional Adult Literacy (FAL) In Northern Uganda. https://rlc-blog.org/?p=2196
  • Akello, J.A. (2016). Conference paper drafted and presented at 1st Cairobi (Cairo and Nairobi)- Conference, for DAAD Alumni at Cairo-Egypt on Women and Functional Adult Literacy Training: A Gateway to Improved Income Generation in Uganda. alumni@daadcairo.org and conference@daadafrica.org