GBV remains a big challenge in Uganda

By Charles Katabalwa

27^th Oct 2023

The Government has been tasked to construct shelters for gender-based violence (GBV) victims across the country.

The shelters provide temporary accommodation as referral linkages are made to ensure the victims or survivors are assisted, emergency care or first aid, counseling, psycho-social support, and legal aid. The shelters also enable the victims and survivors to cope with the after-effects of violence through life skills and capacity-building programs.

Peter Eceru, the Program Coordinator Advocacy at the Center for Health, Human Rights and Development-CEHURD said whereas there are 21 shelters for GBV survivors across the country, the government doesn’t have any since they are run by Non-Governmental organizations. He wants the government to invest resources and take it as a critical matter.

Ecweru was speaking in a meeting organized by (CEHURD) to popularize Gender-based Violence -SGBV laws and policies in Kampala.

Ecweru also noted an increase in the number of SGBV cases because there are fewer cases prosecuted in courts of law than those reported at police cells.  He said that this has resulted in public impunity and the lack of a witness protection law has also accelerated the problem.

Idi Mubarak Mayanja, the Principal Women in Development Officer at the Ministry of Gender said that the arrangement of GBV shelters is done at the local government level which provide land and shelters where the victims are looked after for two weeks as they look for where they can be resettled.

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