GBV Prevalence in Uganda remains high despite efforts to address it says US Ambassador Natalie.

In Summary
  • Prevalence of Gender based violence in Uganda remains unacceptably very high despite efforts by government and other partners to address it.
  • COVID-19 pandemic soared  Gender based violence rates all over the world.
  • United States sets a side 6million doses of COVID-19 vaccine for Uganda.
  • Child marriage is still very high in Uganda, at 34%
US Ambassador to Uganda H.E Natalie Brown during the Gender Based Violence GBV Dialogue in Bwaise Kampala
US Ambassador to Uganda H.E Natalie Brown during the Gender Based Violence GBV Dialogue in Bwaise Kampala
Image: Daudi Zirimala

The United States Ambassador to Uganda HE Natalie E Brown has called upon cultural leaders and other stakeholders to commit themselves and form a collective effort to eliminate all violence against women and girls in Uganda.

Speaking during her visit to Gender based Violence shelter in Bwaise,HE Natalie said that concerted efforts are very important because during the COVID-19 pandemic Gender based violence rates soared all over the world and its incumbent upon all citizens in Uganda to participate in the elimination of GBV.

Women and Girls under the Gender Based Violence shelter in Kawempe presenting a skit to HE Natalie Brown
Women and Girls under the Gender Based Violence shelter in Kawempe presenting a skit to HE Natalie Brown
Image: Daudi Zirimala

She noted that 77% of the girls and women received gender based violence services from PEPFAR during this period, a number that might be underestimated given the fact that some women and girls who experience such violence do not report such cases to police, legal officers among others.

In Uganda there are daily reports of women living in abusive situations whereby some girls and women are raped and defiled as they travel to and from school or from fetching water for their families and many become infected with HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases says Ambassador Natalie Brown.

HE Natalie E Brown signs the symbolic recommitment board at Action Aid GBV Shelter Bwaise
HE Natalie E Brown signs the symbolic recommitment board at Action Aid GBV Shelter Bwaise
Image: Daudi Zirimala

Similarly the United States Government has made available to Uganda 6.5 million doses of COVID-19 to save lives of Ugandans most especially pregnant women.  

Speaking at the same event the ministry of Gender labour and social Development said that, the prevalence of Gender based violence in Uganda remains unacceptably very high despite efforts by government and other partners to address it.

According to the state minister for Gender and Culture Peace Regis Mutuuzo, statistics reveals that 56% of women in intimate relationships have experienced violence whether physical, sexual or emotional which requires a sexual harassment policy to curb such cases.

Ambassador Natalie in agroup photo with Action Aid Country Director Xavier Ejoyi ,IDI Executive Director Dr. Andrew Kambugu ,CDC Director Lisa J Nelson and MOGLSD officials during the 16 days against GBV
Ambassador Natalie in agroup photo with Action Aid Country Director Xavier Ejoyi ,IDI Executive Director Dr. Andrew Kambugu ,CDC Director Lisa J Nelson and MOGLSD officials during the 16 days against GBV
Image: Daudi Zirimala

In her remarks presented by Naomo Juliana Director Gender to mark 16days against GBV, Mutuuzo said that whereas physical violence against women has reduced from 51% to 45% in 2021, sexual violence has instead increased from 22% in 2016 to 36% in 2021.

Additionally violence against children below 12yrs equally remains very high in the past twelve months with physical violence against boys standing at 68% and girls at 73%, emotional violence for boys stands at 57%,61% for girls, sexual violence for boys is at 4% and 7% which indicates that girls and women continue to be disproportionately affected.

Ambassador Natalie with some of the shelter Team taking selfies
Ambassador Natalie with some of the shelter Team taking selfies
Image: Daudi Zirimala

Mutuuzo said that child marriage is still very high in Uganda, 34% of women aged 20-24yrs were married before the age of 16, meanwhile for the ages of 18 there were those at 7% who were married before that age, therefore teenage pregnancy and child marriages have far reaching implications to our girls and society as a whole