RAHU joined her partners CEHURD and FIDA to launch the #GenerationGender programme baseline study report. The study was conducted in 6 programme districts of Namutumba, Iganga Kapchorwa, Bukwo, Adjumani and Kween. The report highlights key gender related issues that hinder the realization of a gender just community and includes:
The study findings indicate that the majority of the respondents (67.5%) were either not knowledgeable or did not acknowledge gender-based violence (GBV) as a human rights violation, with no significant differences between youth (66%) and stakeholders (68%).?
- A? fraction of respondents (13.4%) had no clue about what gender justice entails - a? majority of these were found in Kapchorwa (55.9%), Kween (12.5%), and Adjumani (18.5%) districts.?
- Several discriminatory actions and behaviors were documented in the study districts, with girls being disproportionately affected. The highest ranking forms of? GBV are child marriages (92.2%), sex for money (73.3%), rape (68.7%), traditional harmful practices (56.7%), sexual assault (52.1%), and denial of access to resources (33%).
- Other discriminatory actions include; girls are given more house chores than boys, boys are preferred and enrolled in school compared to girls because girls get married at early ages, youth are excluded from community livelihoods groups, and youth are excluded from community leadership, e.g. school management committees. The COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions aggravated the existing inequalities that women and girls were already experiencing.?
- The results revealed a strong attachment to cultural and religious practices and norms as an accelerator and the main cause of GBV and gender injustices. To an extent, cultural norms lead to continued non-participation of youth in decision making processes related to gender justice.? A shocking percentage of 67.4% of the respondents attested to the low participation in decision making. The effects of COVID 19 pandemic? related restrictions further condensed the opportunities for youth participation in decision making processes.’?
- The results revealed that a majority of respondents (47% stakeholders and 56.7% youth) had not heard about GBV and youth related laws and policies. It was also striking that some of the duty bearers interviewed as key informants in districts and sub counties did not know the national laws /policies that guide their work. Those that could mention some, were not knowledgeable about their contents, the years when they were enacted or to explain how the law affected their work. Media campaigns and engagement of duty bearers through activities related to laws, policies related to GBV and gender justice will improve this situation through the advocacy pathway.
- The results revealed very poor implementation of GBV prevention, gender, and youth related laws and policies. A factor reported to have hindered the achievement of gender justice in Uganda. Additionally, the progressive bills, including the Sexual Offenses Bill, the National Legal Aid Bill, and the Marriage and Divorce Bill of 2009 that seek to address GBV, have not been passed into law because of lack of political will.?
The absence of a national standalone statute on gender equality further hinders the realization of gender equality and gender justice. Gaps in the legal framework and systems such as updating the statutory instruments to reflect progressive court decisions that promote gender equality, lack of capacity amongst judicial officers in adjudicating gender related cases, still pose an? enormous challenge in achieving gender justice in Uganda.