The continuing threat of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) against women and girls in Uganda is caused by a complex combination of factors. Based on the National Demographic data from 2020, the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) 2021, reports that, 56% of married women aged 15-49 reported to having been experiencing physical or sexual violence at the hands of their husbands.
The report further indicates that, thirty-six percent of the women reported having been victims of sexual violence in the past year, and more than one in three (36%) had suffered sexual assault, usually at the hands of a partner. With 59% of women claiming having experienced sexual abuse as children, child sexual abuse is equally widespread. According to the national statistics, 33% of girls under the age of 15 had their first sex under duress. Of the women who claimed having had GBV, very few gave a detailed account.
The Uganda Police Force’s crime data from 2016 to 2021 show 272,737 cases of GBV, including 2,278 homicides were linked to intimate partners, while 33% of the cases involving female homicide comprise domestic abuse. However, public awareness campaigns and community policing initiatives don’t seem to have had any effect on the decline in GBV incidence during the six-year time frame.
According to Caleb Ahabwe from Uganda Network on Law Ethics and HIV/AIDS (UGANET), traditional gender norms and customs perpetuate unequal power dynamics, leading to the acceptance or normalization of Gender-Based Violence.
“It is the gender social norms that inform who has power and who does not. For instance, you will see that all social norms in Uganda point towards glorifying masculinity and patriarchy, a practice that leaves women with less power hence skeptical to being violated,” Ahabwe said.
Betty Namaganda, a student of Law at Makerere University said that, inadequate implementation, and enforcement of laws and policies related to Gender-Based Violence have contributed to impunity for offenders.
“When laws and policies are not effectively enforced, perpetrators of GBV are less likely to face legal consequences for their actions. This lack of accountability will definitely encourage the wrongdoers and perpetuate a culture of impunity. Also, some victims of GBV are reluctant to report these incidents because they do not trust that the legal system will effectively address their cases. And of course, when laws and policies related to GBV are not effectively implemented, it undermines the public trust in the judicial system and other relevant institutions, hence discouraging victims from seeking help,” Namaganda said.
According to Josyline Bata Kamateneti, the Woman Member of Parliament (MP) of Ntungamo district, limited access to education, economic opportunities and resources for women exacerbate their vulnerability to violence.
“When women lack economic opportunities, they may be financially dependent on their abusers, making it difficult for them to leave abusive situations. These women are also not aware of their rights and resources available to them, hence making it harder for them to seek help and support for relevant offices,” Kamateneti noted.
Denis Muloni, a resident of Budadiri said that, societal stigma and fear of revenge has prevented victims from reporting incidents of GBV because they are scared of how they will be treated by the society.
“It is at times difficult for the victims to report these cases because they fear that the person who wronged them will come back and seek revenge against them or their families. You see, no girl child wants to be known in the village that they have been raped because they will be judged and may never even get married,” Muloni noted.
Efforts to address the factors contributing to the persistent GBV threat require a comprehensive approach that includes promoting gender equality, improving access to education and economic opportunities for women, enforcing laws and policies against Gender-Based Violence, and changing cultural norms and attitudes through awareness campaigns and education.
