- Many persons with disabilities and young girls face challenges like sexual harassment in accessing public transport.
- Laws to protect young girls from sexual harassment are not been implemented.
Non- governmental organization PLAN International Uganda has raised concerns on continued exclusion of people with disability in planning and use of public transport.
While engaging stakeholders in the transport sector including officials from the ministry of works, the Program Manager Safer Cities for Adolescent Girls Plan International, Lydia Tebekanya said that they would like to see a transport system with suitable and comfortable seats for people with disabilities to enable them to easily enjoy these services.
Tebekanya says that many persons with disabilities and young girls still face a lot of challenges like sexual harassment in accessing public transport which has made these modes of transport unsafe.
She says that even though the country has laws to protect young girls from sexual harassment these have not been implemented.
She however said that for the last six years they have worked with Taxi and Boda boda operators and have been able to start campaigns to end sexual harassment against adolescent girls while using their transport.
"Transporters have put in place contact persons in case a girl is harassed in the city while using their services they can report". Tebekanya noted.
Plan international is rooting for better access of public transport by women and people with disabilities.
The General secretary Kampala operational taxi stages association Luwaga Abbey said that as leaders they are going to sensitize the players in the industry to appreciate the plight of the people living with disabilities.
The spokesperson USAFI taxi park Mohammed Kawooya said they have found it difficult to hand over to police those who sexually harass adolescent girls at the taxi park because there is no law to penalize them.
President Museveni recently refused to assent to the sexual offences bill and returned it to parliament claiming that several provisions of this act are already provided for in other legislations.
The principle licensing officer ministry of works and transport Natukunda Immaculate said her ministry was working on policies that will address the issues of indiscipline such as sexual harassment and hygiene among others.