Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1698931528870.pdf (Uganda)
THE REPUBLIC OF UGANDA STATEMENT TO PARLIAMENT ON 16 DAYS OF ACTIVISM CAMPAIGN AGAINST GENDER BASED VTOLENCL 2OL7 BY HON.

PEACE MUTUUZO REGIS MINISTER OF STATE FOR GENDE& LABOUR AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT IN CHARGE OF GENDER AND CULTURE AFFAIRS 28TH NOVEMBER 2OT7 1_ Rt.

Hon.

Speaker Hon.

Members I take this opportunity to brief this August House about the 16 Days of Activism Campaign against Gender Based Violence.

This is an international campaign to challenge violence against women and girls.
The campaign runs from 25th November, which is the International Day of Elimination of Violence against Women to 10th December, which is the International Human Rights Day.
The 16 days also highlight other significant international days such as: i) International Human Rights Defenders Day, which falls on 29th November ii) World Aids Day on 1't December and iii) International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development on 5th December The 16 days of activism originated from the first Women's Global Leadership in 1991.

Since that time, the UN adopted numerous Declarations and Resolutions on Ending Violence against Women and Girls.
These include the UN Declaration on Ending Violence against Women of 1993.

The Declaration of 25th November as the International Day for Ending Violence against Women in 1999 by the UN General Assembly and the UN Secretary General's 2 Launch of UN|TE to End Violence against Women Campaign in 2008.
These efforts provided an opportunity to take advantage of the 16 days to raise public awareness and increase political will and resources for preventing and ending all forms of violence against women and girls in all parts of the world.

Every year/ Uganda joins the rest of the world to use the 16 days to galvanize action to address GBV in all its forms.
The Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development which is the national machinery for promotion of gender equality and women's empowerment coordinates the events during this time.
The Campaign has been used as an advocary and mobilization strategy with the following objectives: i) Raising awareness about gender-based violence as a human rights issue at the family, community, national, regional and international levels; ii) Strengthening family and local initiatives to end GBV; iii) Establishing a clear link between national and internatlonal initiatives to end GBV; iv) Providing a forum in which stakeholders can develop and share new and effective strategies; v) Demonstrating the solidarity of women and men around the world in addressing issues of GBV; 3 vi) Lobbying governments to implement commitments made to eliminate GBV.
Every year, the campaign is undertaken under a selected global theme which can be adapted to the individual country circumstances.

This year, the global theme is "From Peace in the Home to Peace in the Woild: Make Education Safe for All!".

This very theme was used last year.

Therefore, in Uganda, we adopted " From Peace in the Home to Peace in the Nation: Male engagement for the safety of women and giils" as our national theme.
The theme was selected basing on the approach Government has adopted to focus on the participation of men and boys for social norm change.

Rt.

Hon.

Speaker Hon.

Members Gender Based Violence is a direct manlfestation of gender inequality and human rights violation and serves to perpetuate poverty and impede development process and raises the need for interventions to address the underlying causes of GBV which emanate from unequal power relations between men and women.
While there is evidence that men and boys also experience some forms of gender based violence both in and outside the family set up, women and girls are disproportionately affected and face 4 grave consequences of the violations.

Violence has negative health and physical consequences on women.

It also impacts negatively on the social economic development of the country.

The cost of GBV on the individua!, families, community and nation at large is very high.
Male engagement for the safety of women and girls means promoting the role of men and boys in confronting and transforming the social norms and negative cultural practices that perpetuate violation of women and girls' rights.

Rt.

Hon.

Speaker Hon.

Members Government of Uganda has registered significant progress towards prevention and response to GBV.

There are legal and policy frameworks and programmes in place.

As a result, there is evidence that there is reduction in GBV cases.
For instance, physical violence among women aged 15 - 49 years decreased from 34o/o in 2006 to 27o/o in 2011.

There has also been increased reporting and prosecution of cases.

Therefore, the focus of this year's campaign is to mobilize the communities particularly men and boys to directly engage in the processes to prevent and/or respond to GBV.
Men have power in society as household heads, community, traditional, cultural and religious leaders and they 5 hold majority of decision making positions in public, private sector and politics.

This necessitates engaging them for the safety of women and girls.

When men in positions of leadership speak on issues of gender, they are listened to because of the influence they hold in their constituencies.

Men control resources at different levels household, community and national level.
Targeting male children and youths is critical to build a future generation that will appreciate harmonious relationships and consequently, promote gender equality including the safety of women and girls.

Rt.

Hon.

Speaker Hon.

Members During this period, several activities will be undertaken by different state and non-state actors across the country.
The Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development launched this campaign on Friday 24th November 20L7, which was hosted by Mityana District Local Government at Sekanyonyi Church of Uganda Primary School.

Some of the major events include: i) High level policy dialogue on 4th December 20L7 at Hote!

Africana organized by UN Women in partnership with its 6 implementing partners such as the Uganda Police Force, CEDOVIP, Uganda Law Society and FIDA Uganda.
ii) Uganda Police Force started their activities yesterday Monday 27th November 2017 with a GBV case management and exhibition at the Railway Grounds, Today 28th November 20L7, Police has convened a dialogue with bodaboda riders on prevention of violence against women and girls and will convene a similar event in Nansana on 5th December 2017 .

In addition to the above, there are several events organized by Civil Society Organisations upcountry.
For example, Transcultural Psychosocial Organization in collaboration with UNHCR, and War Child Canada are conducting trainings on elimination of GBV as well as media campaigns in Adjumani District.

Uganda Law Society is organizing mobile legal clinics in Gulu, Kitgumu and Pader Districts among others.
Religious Institutions under their umbrella Organization, the Inter Religious Council of Uganda are passing on messages on ending violence against women and girls particularly domestic violence in the places of worship.

Indeed, the Chairperson of the Inter Religious Council, the Mufti of the Supreme Council of Uganda, delivered a strong commitment statement at the launch of the campaign last week.

The Media including print, electronic and social media is heavily engaged in this campaign.

7 Rt.

Hon.
7 Rt.

Hon.

Speaker Hon.

Members In conclusion, I would like to call upon Honorable Members of parliament to show solidarity in ending all forms of gender based violence NOT only during this period of 16 days of activism against gender based violence, but all the time.
Let us use the political microphone and media houses to discourage early/child marriages, rape in all its forms, female genital mutilation and cutting, beating and battering of wives and girls, psychological torture and all other exploitations and discriminations based on gender.

As responsible mothers and fathers, let us embrace our role to socialize our daughters and sons without violating their rights and also teaching them to respect the rights of others.

Rt.

Hon.

Speaker Hon.


Members The budget process is ongoing and I would like to appeal to you Honorable Members for increased budget allocation to our sector especially to the programmes of Uganda Women 8 Entrepreneurship Programme, Youth Livelihood Programme and Social Assistance to Older Persons.

This will enable us to reach out to those beneficiaries whose rights are being violated because of lack of economic means.
We need to commit our own resources to programmes to eliminate gender based violence and promote women's rights.

The funds will help us to intensify campaigns against gender based violence through community sensitizations.

It is only when we, aS Ugandans, are fully involved that Ugandan society will be transformed.

Thank you very much.

FOR GOD AND MY COUNTRY 9