The
government Chief Whip Thomas Tayebwa has said that government is in the process
of enacting tougher legislation to curb sexual offenses in the country.
Tayebwa indicated that the new law will be jointly considered with the
ongoing bail reforms that the government is currently reviewing.
He was speaking on Thursday in Parliament in a meeting with the Women in
Development fraternity from the Lango sub-region.
Tayebwa said that the government has considered toughening legislation on Bail because
offenders are exploiting some loopholes to continuously assault young girls. He
added that the government is determined on ending SGBV and now seeks support
from lawmakers to support the reforms.
Tayebwa also revealed that government would reign in on cultural norms that
shield sexual offenders by introducing legislation.
Meanwhile,
the Uganda Women Parliamentary Association (UWOPA) has expressed
dissatisfaction with how the government has handled the high numbers of girls
facing Female Genital Mutilation-FGM.
The MPs who addressed the press on Thursday in Parliament to mark the 16 days
of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence are also concerned about the
increasing number of gender-based violence, especially during the COVID-19
pandemic and lockdown.
The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence is an international
campaign to challenge violence against women and girls. The campaign runs every
year from 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of
Violence against Women, to 10 December, Human Rights Day. This year’s celebrations will be held on
Friday in Oyam district.
The Vice-chairperson of UWOPA who also doubles as Luwero District Woman MP
Brenda Nabukenya noted that they are going to use the 16 days to continue spreading
awareness on FGM, but also involve men in the fight against Gender-based
violence.
//Cue in This year's national...
Cue out:...Gender-based
Violence"//
Grace Namataha from the Center for Domestic Violence Prevention noted that
violence against the girl child is high at 59% for young females before 19
years and that child marriage is also high where 34% of women 20-24 years were
married before the age of 18 years.
Namata also
revealed that female genital mutilation is still high in the district of
Kapchowra and Moroto with 13% and 52% of girls and women aged 15-49 years
respectively subjected to female genital mutilation.
//Cue in: " fifty six percent...
Cue out:...
behavioral social norms "//
Goretti
Namugga the Woman MP Mawogola and Chairperson UWOPA in the central region asked
the government to increase financing activities aimed at curbing GBV,
prevention, and response interventions across all sectors.
Alex Otto
Freelancer
