High court judge David Batema has asked parliament to enact the sexual offenses bill in order to criminalize minor acts like sexual harassment.
While launching a report on girls and young women experience of sexual harassment by plan international Uganda in Kampala today, Justice Batema said that once sexual offences are criminalized the courts will give punishment which will deter others from such harassment.
The report shows that women and girls don’t report cases of sexual harassment to the authorities because they are not believed and fear to be judged.
The report also indicates that 84% of cases on sexual harassment reported to the authorities such as police do not get adequate responses.
Speaking at the same function the country director plan international Uganda Grey Lavender said that the research was done across a number of cities in the world with the aim of creating safer cities for girls and women.
He said that the safety of women and girls in Kampala city is still wanting with reports of young women and girls being kidnapped and abducted.
He now calls government to invest in providing gender sensitive education and training to police around issues of street harassment and how to respond to sexual harassment cases an initiative his organization will support.
Lavender also called for more investment in street lighting and security cameras to support the girls and women get evidence of sexual harassment on the streets.