Ahead of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence (GBV), women activists in Uganda have expressed concerns over the escalating cases of GBV and child marriage in the country.
Development Diaries reports that the Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE) made this known, as they noted that the number of cases has escalated despite sustained efforts by civil society organisations (CSOs) to tackle the challenge.
The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, which begins from 25 November until 10 December, is a key international moment to call for an end to violence against women and girls.
Almost all Ugandan women and girls (95 percent) have experienced physical or sexual violence, or both, by partner or non-partners, according to the 2020 National Survey on Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG).
On the recent rise in GBV cases, FOWODE’s Director of Programmes, Elizabeth Ampairwe, underscored the low prosecution rate for offenders as a contributing factor.
In 2022, only 7.8 percent of domestic violence cases reached court, and merely 1.1 percent resulted in a conviction.
Ampairwe also highlighted the 2022 police report, which revealed disheartening figures: 17,698 cases of domestic violence, 1,623 cases of rape, 8,960 cases of defilement, and 14,693 sex-related cases.
A comprehensive GBV intervention is needed to protect women and girls and to reduce their exposure to violence while increasing their chances of recovery and resilience.
Development Diaries, therefore, calls on the Ministry of Gender Labour and Social Development in Uganda and the police in the country to ensure the protection of women and girls in line with the country’s laws while ensuring that culprits are prosecuted.
Photo source: MSF
