SYLVIA K
In the effort to end gender-based violence (GBV) against girls and women in Uganda, the active involvement of men is crucial. This has been realized by Betty Mujungu, a women’s rights activist from Fort Portal, who stresses the key role of men as fathers in this fight during an exclusive interview.
She emphasizes the need for men to understand that they also have daughters, and it is essential for them to take a stand against violations of their daughters’ rights.
Mujungu, advocates for collective action, urging both men and women to come together and have open conversations with their children about GBV to foster healthier families in the future. She points out that families affected by GBV often experience breakdowns, psychological trauma among children, and even fatalities.
Highlighting the impact of GBV on women in homes, Mujungu emphasizes the necessity for teamwork involving the government, religious institutions, and the community to effectively eliminate GBV. In the Tooro region, she notes that GBV cases involve assaults, denial of land ownership, and denial of access to workplaces.
On a national scale, Uganda observed the 16 days of activism against violence targeting girls and women, which concluded on November 25, 2023. Disturbing statistics from the Uganda Bureau of Statistics in 2021 reveal that 56% of married women aged 15-49 reported experiencing physical and/or sexual violence from their husbands. Additionally, 36% of women reported experiencing sexual violence, primarily from partners, with 28% indicating victimization within the past year. Alarming rates of child sexual abuse are also reported, with 59% of women disclosing incidents of sexual abuse during childhood.
