Uganda still has long way to go in GBV fight

KAMPALA - Uganda has made significant strides in combating gender-based violence (GBV) but the statistics remain alarming.

According to Uganda’s 2022 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey, approximately 56% of Ugandan women have experienced some form of physical violence since the age of 15, while nearly 22% have faced sexual violence.

Furthermore, there was a general decrease in cases of domestic violence registered countrywide from 17,698 in 2022 to 14,681 cases in 2023, according to the Uganda Police Force Crime Report (2023).

However, its 2020 report showed that 7,168 cases of domestic violence were reported in 2020. This means that despite the decrease in 2023, this was still higher than those of 2020. 

The Police said domestic violence has mainly been caused by disputes over family property, failure to provide for the family, drug and alcohol abuse and cases of infidelity.

Swedish Ambassador Maria Håkansson stressed the need for collective action against gender-based violence, emphasizing that victims should never be blamed. (Credit: John Musenze)

The gender ministry says 90% of the 1,000 violence-related calls received daily through their helpline of Sauti 116 involve children including rape, child neglect and torture.

Mugisha John, the national co-ordinator for the Saudi 116 Helpline, said the central region has majority of the callers with West Nile on the list.

“We operate 24-7, receiving 1,000 calls, with 40 to 50 cases requiring urgent response. Men are reported the most for cases of child marriages, harmful cultural practices and sexual violence, including defilement and rape" Mugisha says.

This was during the stakeholders' visit at the Sauti 116 call centre in Kireka, Kampala on November 26, 2024. The stakeholders were from the gender ministry, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), UN Women and the Embassy of Sweden in Uganda.

The SAUTI-116 Helpline, launched in 2014 by the gender ministry, operates as a toll-free, 24/7 hotline, offering a secure and confidential environment for survivors of GBV and violence against children (VAC) to report incidents and access essential support services. Since its inception, the helpline has received over one million calls, with a notable surge during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In her speech, gender state minister Peace Mutuuzo (2nd R) emphasized Uganda's strides against GBV. (Credit: John Musenze)

In her speech, gender state minister Peace Mutuuzo emphasized Uganda's strides against GBV.

"Receiving a thousand calls daily is not a cheap thing. It has broken the silence that harboured GBV," she said.

Mutuuzo said men, who are the most culprits of GBV need to be sensitised but also women need to be empowered, especially those in rural areas.

According to Mutuuzo, Uganda has a lot of highly patriarchal communities struggling to transform. She also highlighted economic violence as a growing concern, where men exploit women's economic empowerment.

She empowered survivors to transform their experiences into testimonies of resilience.

"To the ladies or girls who have gone through this experience, it should strengthen you... Pick those pieces and turn them around, mould yourself into something very useful," Mutuuzo said.

Gift Malunga, the country representative of UNFPA, appreciated the Ugandan government for the efforts made in fighting GBV including setting up a national call centre, which doesn’t stop at receiving calls but also collecting data, offering other support like lawyers, counselling and linking victims to law enforcement. (Credit: John Musenze)

Gift Malunga, the country representative of UNFPA, appreciated the Ugandan government for the efforts made in fighting GBV including setting up a national call centre, which doesn’t stop at receiving calls but also collecting data, offering other support like lawyers, counselling and linking victims to law enforcement.

She said UNFPA together with other agencies has been supporting such initiatives through a joint program since 2016.

“The focus of UNFPA is to promote gender equality and prevent gender-based violence including managing GBV survivors,” Malunga said.

She added that GBV requires a multi-sectoral approach which means partnerships including engagement of the community leaders like cultural and religious leaders and families.

The biggest facilitators of GBV include poverty, cultural norms, unemployment, alcohol and substance abuse, stigma and silence among others according to the gender ministry.

Olivia, a gender-based violence (GBV) survivor plaiting her friend's hair. (Credit: John Musenze)

Swedish Ambassador Maria Håkansson stressed the need for collective action against gender-based violence, emphasizing that victims should never be blamed.

“We must never blame the victims. There is nothing that can justify GBV whether someone’s power, gender status or money,” she said.

She, however, expressed worry over the many GBV cases despite the efforts done. She called upon other stakeholders especially the Police and judiciary to make sure victims always get justice.

GBV survivor's ordeal

Olivia, 23, was raped at the age of 11 in Primary Five when she was going to school early in the morning. She says the memories that happened many years ago can never erased from her head much as it has taken many years.

By then, she was staying with her stepmother who never believed her story. She was instead helped by other people who took her to the hospital for medical help.

Olivia ran away from home and came to Kampala where she found a support group easy to say girls empowerment who taught her how to weave hair and earn a living.

Olivia, has resumed her education and is now in Senior Four while earning a living through hairstyling. Her aspirations include owning a salon in Kampala and supporting fellow survivors.

Olivia called upon guardians to always listen to their children but also create time for their children.

The burden of GBV in Uganda

GBV poses a pervasive threat to Uganda's social fabric, exacerbating inequality, undermining economic development, and eroding human rights. Despite efforts to combat GBV, rates remain alarmingly high.

Recent trends indicate a mixed picture. Sexual violence has decreased from 12.7% in 2016 to 11% in 2022, a 1.7% decline, according to the Uganda Demographic and Health Survey (UDHS 2022).

Physical violence against women has also declined, from 56% to 44%. However, spousal violence has increased from 40% to 43%, and child marriage persists at 33%.

Encouragingly, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is on track to meet the 2030 elimination target, currently standing at 0.2%.