Clare
The International Justice Mission (IJM) Western Uganda regional manager, Emmanuel Emwamu, urged religious leaders in the Tooro Sub-Region to utilize their influence to mitigate domestic violence, promote justice, and support survivors of violence within their congregations.
Emwamu cited the surging number of domestic violence cases in the country and emphasized that since most Ugandans belong to a particular religion, religious leaders could play a crucial role in addressing this issue.
During an Interfaith dialogue meeting held yesterday at Kalya Courts in Fort Portal City, it was revealed that the Rwenzori West region has high crime rates resulting from domestic violence.
Top causes mentioned
The causes identified include poor communication between spouses, the monetized economy, false prophecies from religious leaders, failure to understand each other, failure by couples to fulfill their conjugal rights and harmful gender stereotypes.
Mr. Bosco Omara, a research specialist at the Inte Religious council Uganda, noted that the IJM preferred the dialogue to center around violence against women because the Uganda Bureau of Statistics 2021 revealed that 95% of all reported gender violence victims and survivors were women.
Possible solutions
In response, Sheikh Abdul Hakim, the District Khard Tooro Muslim district, urged religious leaders to walk with the talk following the teachings of the Bible and Quran but also express a sense of humanness in their positions.
He discouraged disunity that exists in religious denominations, emphasizing the need for all religious leaders to live exemplary to their followers.
Rev.Yongeza Mukonzo, the coordinator IRCU, highlighted the need to support domestic violence survivors through promoting reconciliation, offering them psychosocio support among other possible ways.
Bishop Robert K.Muhiirwa, representing the Catholic Church and the Inter-Religious Council Tooro Chapter, called for religious leaders to preach about embracing marriage as a vocation, where couples should tolerate, forgive and forget seek counseling from right sources but above all pray together.
Bishop Muhiirwa also praised IJM for the insightful engagement and called for more efforts in advocating for ending violence against women and supporting the boy child, who seems to have been neglected recently.
