Innovative Youth With Action Uganda

The violence against Children survey 2018 by the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development revealed that 1 in 3 girls suffer s*xual violence due their childhood and 7 in 10 boys suffer physical abuse.
Violence affects the physical and mental well-being of children,to be responsible and productive citizens in future.There is need to support them in resisting physical violence.
Appreciation to Uganda Police Force for arresting the abusive Mother and ensuring Justice for the young boy. .Daily Monitor

equality in Uganda

Uganda Constitution 1995 Article 33 states: Women shall be accorded full and equal dignity of the person with men; the State shall provide the facilities and opportunities necessary to enhance the welfare of women to enable them realize their full potential and advancement

Source : upr-info.org
Image source:https://womendeliver.org/2017/data-information-driving-gender-equality/

gender based violence in Uganda

The 2016 Uganda Health and Demographic Survey (UDHS), shows that 49% of women between age 20 and 24 years, were married before their 18th birthday, and 12% before their 15th birthday. More than 1 in 5 women aged 15-49 have experienced s*xual violence at some point in their life compared to men, with less than 1 in 10 (UDHS, 2016).

GBV hinders women’s and girls’ full enjoyment of reproductive health rights. Victims of s*xual violence may need emergency contraceptive pills for any unintended pregnancies; treatment for s*xually transmitted infections including HIV; medical attention for other injuries including mental and psychological trauma.

Social norms in the communities that favor negative male masculinities also need to be challenged. The negative social norms often accept violence such as wife battering, child marriage, FGM, and in some cases r**e as normal societal occurrences.

Source : UNFPA Uganda

gender based violence

Samuel Ojok is one of the Role Model Men and Boys trained with support from UNFPA under the Joint Programme on Gender-Based Violence (GBV). PHOTO: UNFPA/Cinderella Anena

AWERE, PADER - Samuel Ojok, is a twenty-five-year-old man from Latek West village in Awere sub-county located in Pader district, Northern Uganda.

Married with two children, Ojok is a catechist in a local church in his community. He is also one of the role-model men working to advance gender equality and positive masculinity in his male circles in Awere.

Ojok conducts home visits to support household that are affected by gender-based violence, and he advises couples about living violent-free lives.

“In this community, I use my catechist role and experience to counsel women and men on peaceful co-existence, and I often talk about living in harmony at home,” says Ojok.

With support from UNFPA, Ojok trained on the SASA methodology, a community mobilization tool to prevent violence against women, and he has participated in several capacity building sessions on s*xual and reproductive health and rights.

On ground, he is supported by ACORD, one of UNFPA’s Implementing Partners (IPs), under the United Nations Joint Programme to Prevent Gender-Based Violence, with funding from the Embassy of Sweden in Uganda.

According to Ojok, alcohol and substance abuse is one of the root causes of gender-based violence.

He advises men to support their partners in solving women’s health issues. He dares them to challenge harmful social and cultural practices that sanction power imbalances between women and men, which further perpetuate gender-based violence.

“It is very uncommon for men to consider women’s voices as important in decision-making and day-to-day management at the home,” says Ojok. “I share with my wife any relevant thoughts and seek her input for the betterment of our family.”

Ojok adds that his wife is pleased to see him contribute to the work of transforming other men in the community. UNFPA joins Ojok’s wife in applauding him, and all the other men who through various community-led platforms such as the Male Action Groups (MAGs) are using their positions to mobilize communities to prevent gender-based violence, and advance s*xual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).

Story by Cinderella Anena/UNFPA Uganda.

Inspiring piece from Agnes Kabonesa

From child marriage to a role model Read more

equality

"I think Gender Equality basically begins in the mind. It is an individual’s perception of treating another person at par with himself/herself. It does not happen in one day – it’s more of a practice that you do every day.

Observing a Mother’s Day or a Fathers’ Day or an International Women’s Day is meaningless if we do not understand the crux of the meaning of equality. Ultimately, it is something that we need to internalise, and reflect on in our actions as well. Without this, purely focusing on observances does not help us further the cause of equality at all."

Image source : Unisef

gender based violence

"Everyone should look in the mirror, before pointing a finger. Maybe you are the person everyone is complaining about, but you don't see it. Women know the wrong things they do, and man also know the wrong things they do. Even if everyone denies it and trying to be innocent in public. We point fingers at others and hoping that they don’t find out , about our bad traits, character and behavior. Hoping we are not exposed one day on the wrong things we are hiding. Everyone needs to work on themselves and fix the wrongs they do. That is how we will fix the country."

De philosospher DJ Kyos

Image source; Daily news Egypt

gender based violence in Uganda

Do you know , In 2016, the Uganda Police Force Annual Crime Report showed that cases of gender based violence that were reported and investigated increased by 4%. This means an increase from 38,651 to 40,258 cases between 2015 and 2016. Yet, the 2016 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey revealed that 1 million women are exposed to s*xual violence every year.

Ref:www.girlsglobe.com
Image : Global journel press

the gender based violence

""They are strong
They are the rock.
They are important
Lets love them.
Lets respect them
Lets honor them.
Lets appreciate them
Lets protect them
Lets support them
Lets save them
Lets listen to them
Lets believe them
Lets be there for them.

They are our children, our sisters, our girlfriends, our friends, our wives, our mothers, our grand mothers, our colleagues, our neighbors. They don't need to prove themselves or to explain themselves to anyone. They need to be who they are. Phenomenal women.""

De philosopher DJ Kyos