Youths call on government to establish centres for gender-based violence victims

11 December 2024, 3:18 pm

By Kyeyune Ali

Youths who are part of the Youth Line Forum Uganda, a youth-led organisation, have called on the government to establish centres for victims of gender-based violence (GBV) across Uganda following the closure of their 16 Days of Activism campaign.

The 16 Days of Activism, which began on 25 November 2024, involved outreach programmes to homes and various community groups, including victims, perpetrators, community leaders, and law enforcers. These outreach efforts provided a platform for individuals to share personal stories and ideas on how to end GBV in Uganda.

The call was made during a press conference at their headquarters in Kampala. Ms Leah Mugasa, the Programme Coordinator for Youth Line Forum, representing the Executive Director, Ms Ruth Asiimwe, stated that while their work advocates for both women and men, they also prioritise diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice for all, engaging boys and girls in universities, as well as people from both the informal and formal sectors, to ensure that everyone is involved in the fight against GBV.

During the 16 Days of Activism, over a thousand active participants, both online and offline, including women, men, and young people, were sensitised and committed to becoming change agents in their communities. Youth were also empowered to take on leadership roles in the fight against GBV within their communities.

Mr Owen Rubunda, a youth activist with Youth Line Forum Uganda, said, “As a forum, since many youth engage heavily in social media, we have been active in creating and sharing posters to circulate within their spaces, advocating for the fight against GBV.”

The major challenges highlighted include deeply entrenched cultural stereotypes, fear of reporting GBV cases to the police due to shame, and children’s reluctance to speak out for fear of losing parental support.

Ms Natasha Ahereza, also a member of Youth Line Forum, emphasised the need for the government to take a stronger stance, noting that while there are many GBV cases, there are limited resources to fund efforts to support these cases and ensure justice.

She pointed out that, according to the 2023 Police Crime Report, 14,681 cases of domestic violence were reported, but only 1,520 of these cases reached court, resulting in just 423 convictions.

Despite the government of Uganda launching the National Gender-Based Violence Action Plan in 2016, in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goal 5 to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls, GBV continues to be a pervasive issue in Uganda.