Uganda Police has vowed to intensify the fight against Gender Based Violence (GBV)as it joins hands with other partners in the country.
According to the Director Research, Planning and Development, AIGP Edward Ochom, their commitment is as per the constitutional mandate, cooperate with civilian agencies in protecting life and property and joins the global community in making a statement on behalf of women and girls suffering violence.
Ochom urged the community and partners to join hands and respond to the cry of women and girls in our respective communities.
“According to the crime report 2018 presented in May 2019, it showed a decrease in the volume of crimes by 5.25 per cent and on the other hand an increase in sexual related crimes with 17,521 as compared to 16,862 indicating 659 increase.” He said that violence is experienced by both women and men in Uganda and stands at 51 per cent which is far above the African average of about 37.7 per cent
The Swedish Ambassador to Uganda, Per Lindgarde, said “Human rights and access to justice for women and girls is core of Sweden’s intervention in Uganda and working with Uganda Police is of great important when it comes to increased access to justice for women and girls and women’s economic empowerment.”
“Sweden pledges continued support to the justice sector in terms of capacity building of formal justice actors adding that, it will focus on the entire justice chain from entry to exit in terms of investigating, prosecuting and adjudicating GBV cases in a gender responsive, victim-centered and trauma-informed matter.”
Ochom revealed that, Police has set up structures such as Sexual Gender Based Violence desk, Child and Family Protection Unite, Women Affairs and Community Liaison Offices to respond to the cry of battered women and girls.
The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is an International Campaign which takes place every year commencing on 25th November, the international day for the elimination of violence against Women to 10th December.
It was initiated by activists at the first Women’s Global Leadership Institute in 1991 and it is commemorated and coordinated each year by the Centre for Women’s Global Leadership.
This time, a caravan has been put in place to traverse the country and help during the 12 days activism in sensitization of the masses in the fight against gender based violence.
This year, a hashtag #GenerationEquality and #orangetheworld were created in line with the society evidence of violence episodes against Women and Girls who are marginalised and their lives suppressed due to cultural socialization process.
