{UAH} IDDI AMIN NEVER TARGETED LANGIs/ACHOLIs, THEY TARGETED HIM {---Series two-Hundred and eighteen}
Friends
There are unequal power relations between women and men, endemic household poverty and negative attitudes towards the women. An unfavorable patriarchal culture promoting male dominance, early and forced marriages, violent initiation rites and practices such as wife battering, murder of wives/husbands, child labour, family neglect, burning with hot water or cooking oil, women cutting men's sex organs, insults and use of abusive languages, use of threatening words, threatening to divorce, denial of conjugal rights, rape, defilements, denial of properties and property grabbing from widows and orphans. The use of corporal punishments as acceptable means of instilling discipline in women and children also exacerbates the problem and limits the women and girl's competence to protect and defend themselves against the aggressors.
Such powerful statements are not of EM but of John Bosco Okello Okello, the Dokolo District Chair-person that just got fade up with violence in Dokolo district especially in Agwata and Kwera sub counties. Friends there are ways we can treat this problem and I beseech all of you to agree that we put our heads together to {a} find a solution to this kind of violence but {b} push our governors to write stringent laws to deal with people that are entrenched into this violence, so that we as a Ugandans that have not decided to be this violent can remain safe from them. This is a part of the Dokolo district plan to address gender based violence.
Ugandans we need to address the Acholi/Langi violence candidly.
Foreword
Gender Based Violence (GBV) is violence that is directed against a person on the basis of gender or sex. GBV
includes acts that inflict physical, mental or sexual harm or suffering, threats of such acts, coercion and other
deprivation of liberty (CEDAW 1994). Physical, sexual and psychological violence occurring in the family
including battering, sexual abuse of female children in the household, dowry-related violence, rape, defilement,
early and forced marriage constitute forms of Gender Based Violence.
GBV is largely rooted in unequal power relations and abuse of power coupled with the low status accorded to
women in general. Dokolo District Local Government has developed the GBV District Action Plan to respond
to the challenges posed by Gender Based Violence in the district.
In every community, there are people who are always affected by acts of violence, brutality and abuses.
Some of the abuses are committed behind closed doors in the confines of one's home and these often remain
unreported, unnoticed and completely hidden, and sometimes they are accepted as a normal way of life. This
kind of situation can not be allowed to continue.
Gender Based Violence is a violation of human rights as it perpetuates the stereotyping of gender roles that
denies human dignity and hinders human development. GBV is most prevalent in an environment where there
is general lack of respect for human rights and Dokolo District Local Government would like to correct such
a situation.
Dokolo District Local Government with assistance and facilitation from the Centre for Women in Governance
(CEWIGO) has developed this District action plan on GBV to respond to rampant cases of Gender Based
Violence in the district.
The development of the district action plan began with the signing of memorandum of understanding (MoU)
between CEWIGO and Dokolo District Local Government. This made way for a two day capacity building
workshop which was conducted by CEWIGO and then identification and constitution of a District Task Force
to formulate the District Action Plan (DAP).
This District Action Plan spells out the district objectives and strategies to tackle the problem of GBV, and
reflects the District's commitment to achieve a society where respect for human rights of both men and women:
boys and girls is taken seriously. Dokolo district will therefore ensure that GBV is addressed right from the
homes.
Background to the District Action Plan on
Gender Based Violence
Dokolo district experiences a high rate of Gender
Based Violence as evidenced by the number
of cases reported to the police and probation
offices. According to reports from the police department,
from January to March 2012 alone, 51 cases of
defilement were recorded, 20 cases of assault, 36
cases of domestic violence, 5 cases of rape, 3 cases
of murder, 4 cases of arson and 47 cases of child
neglect. These are just the few cases that were
reported as many more cases remain unreported.
Similar cases of child neglect are also handled by
the Probation and Welfare Office in the district.
Having experienced civil war in Northern Uganda,
the population of Dokolo is now experiencing
high rates of domestic violence, defilement,
physical violence, psychological violence, sexual
abuse, especially against women and girls. Sexual
and gender based violence is a violation of human
rights. It perpetuates the stereotyping of gender
roles that deny human dignity of individuals.
The Centre for Women in Governance (CEWIGO)
a non-governmental organization that coordinates
civil society monitoring of the implementation of
UNSCR 1325, 1820 and the Goma Declaration
of the States of the Great Lakes Region signed
a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with
Dokolo District Local Government to develop
and implement strategies aimed at ending Gender
Based Violence in the district
The District Action Plan (DAP) on Gender Based
Violence is therefore a result of the memorandum
of understanding signed between CEWIGO and
Dokolo District Local Government. The MoU
is aimed at ending violence against women by
implementing the provisions of the Uganda
National Action Plan for UNSCR 1325, 1820 and
the Goma Declaration.
The two parties aimed at implementing a pilot
project between December 2011 and November
2012 geared towards developing a district action
to combat plan in Dokolo District. Gender Based
Violence is still a major
development challenge in Dokolo District. There
are unequal power relations between women and
men, endemic household poverty and negative
attitudes towards the women. An unfavorable
patriarchal culture promoting male dominance,
early and forced marriages, violent initiation rites
and practices such as wife battering, murder of
wives/husbands, child labour, family neglect,
burning with hot water or cooking oil, women
cutting men's sex organs, insults and use of
abusive languages, use of threatening words,
threatening to divorce, denial of conjugal rights,
rape, defilements, denial of properties and
property grabbing from widows and orphans.
The use of corporal punishments as acceptable
means of instilling discipline in women and
children also exacerbates the problem and limits
the women and girl's competence to protect and
defend themselves against the aggressors.
Some of the causes of GBV in Dokolo District
include high alcohol consumption in the district,
poverty and limited engagement of the youth
in productive ventures. Community resilience
mechanisms that protect women and children
from GBV and promote the values of intolerance
to GBV are still inadequate in many communities
in Dokolo district. There is need to empower
the women and the girl child economically and
providing opportunity to attain education
Access to and up take of high quality and childfriendly
GBV response services is still inadequate
in all communities. There is need to strengthen
the local council system especially the secretary
for children's affairs in every local council so
that they are empowered to play their roles as per
the Children's Act Cap 59. Child participation,
child rights clubs in schools, youth friendly
facilities in community centres where messages
on reproductive health can be passed on to them
need to be put in place and strengthened.
The efforts of civil society organizations Local
Governments and other actors, are not adequately
coordinated providing little room for learning,
documenting and sharing viable and sustainable
solutions to GBV prevention and response.
District Response:
The district has formulated 3 ordinances on
access to formal education, child protection
and alcohol consumption. The ordinance on
child protection was submitted to the Attorney
General for review and approval, and this has
been successfully done. The ordinance on equal
opportunities in education was approved by both
the Attorney General and the District council and
is now ready for implementation, while that on
alcohol consumption is still with the Attorney
General and is awaiting approval.
The District Community Development Office,
through its routine programs, continues to
sensitize communities on issues of child abuse,
child labour, and child neglect; family desertion
& domestic violence.
The district conducts the coordination of all GBV
actors in the district. However this needs to be
strengthened and where possible other actors on
GBV programs should be attracted to the district
to support the GBV initiatives.
Stay in the forum for Series two hundred and nineteen on the way ------>
EM
On the 49th Parallel
Thé Mulindwas Communication Group
"With Yoweri Museveni, Ssabassajja and Dr. Kiiza Besigye, Uganda is in anarchy"
Kuungana Mulindwa Mawasiliano Kikundi
"Pamoja na Yoweri Museveni, Ssabassajja na Dk. Kiiza Besigye, Uganda ni katika machafuko"
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