Kabale: District and cultural leaders in Kigezi sub-region, Uganda, are calling for a comprehensive and inclusive approach to combat Sexual Gender-Based Violence (SGBV).
In a statement made during a Regional Cultural Dialogue yesterday, Manzi Gordon, the Principal Assistant Secretary of Kabale District, drew attention to the issue of underreported cases of Sexual Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) and emphasized the importance of addressing GBV across all genders.
The dialogue, organized by Girls Must Uganda, a Feminist organization in the Kigezi Sub-region, aimed to disseminate an assessment report on existing cultural interventions to combat Sexual Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) in high-risk communities.
During the dialogue, which brought together cultural and district leaders from Kisoro, Kabale, and Rukiga districts at Heras Country Resort in Kabale district, Gordon highlighted the need for a balanced approach to combat GBV. He stressed the report focused on girls only, saying that boys and men also experience GBV and face rights violations and violence.
Gordon shed light on the prevalent cultural norms that discourage men from reporting incidents of physical abuse by women, resulting in an underrepresentation of male victims in GBV statistics.
Advocating for inclusivity, Gordon emphasized the importance of comprehensive efforts to address SGBV, extending support and interventions to boys and men who are often silenced victims. He emphasized that GBV affects all genders and called for prevention and intervention efforts that encompass everyone.
Gordon also addressed the alarming impact of SGBV on married men, stating that they are among the most affected. He urged a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by men, highlighting that these challenges, along with SGBV, contribute to the increasing rate of suicide among married men. Gordon challenged prevailing assumptions that attribute such suicides solely to alcohol or financial difficulties, emphasizing the need to address the multifaceted factors involved. He emphasized the importance of creating a society where no gender is overlooked and where violence in any form is actively prevented.
Maclean Kamusiime Batware, the LC3 Chairperson for Southern Division in Kabale Municipality, attending the dialogue emphasized the importance of empowering both girls and men in the fight against gender-based violence (GBV). Batware acknowledged the need to bring boys and men on board to create a truly empowered and inclusive society.
The dialogue also provided a platform for Richard Mporera, an LC 5 elderly councilor in Kabale district, who revealed that poverty was identified as a root cause of GBV in Uganda. He encouraged Ugandans to leverage government programs such as the Parish Development Model, Emyooga, and others to combat poverty, thereby addressing one of the underlying factors contributing to SGBV.
Maurine Tukahirwa, the founder and Chief Executive Officer at Girls Must Uganda, called upon cultural leaders to become committed champions in advocating for the prevention of sexual gender-based violence. She emphasized the importance of building the capacity of other cultural leaders in Uganda to effectively address SGBV.
The dialogue in Kabale District shed light on the underreported cases of SGBV and highlighted the need for comprehensive strategies that include all genders. By raising awareness and engaging cultural leaders, it is hoped that the fight against SGBV will gain momentum and contribute to the creation of a safer and more equitable society.
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