Religious leaders in Masaka launch campaign against GBV
Rev. Canon. Herbert Fred Matovu, the West Buganda Diocesan Planner talking to other religious leaders during the launch of a report on GBV in Lyatonde Town on December 10, 2021. PHOTO | CLEOPUS TUKAMARWA
What you need to know:
- The rise of child abuse cases in the region is blamed on corruption from some police officers who connive with the offenders to kill cases or compromise investigations.
Religious leaders under Inter-Religious Council in Masaka Sub Region and civil society organisations have teamed up to fight increasing cases of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in the area.
While releasing a report on GBV done by the Church of Uganda and local civil society organisations operating in the nine districts of Masaka Sub Region on Friday, Rev Canon Gastor Nsereko, the Provost of St. Paul Cathedral Kako, said key factors contributing to GBV include; alcoholism, poverty and power imbalances between men and women.
“Government should reconsider the time when bars should be opened and closed because alcohol has turned men into beasts and some no longer value their women and daughters,” Rev Canon Nsereko, who represented the West Buganda Diocesan Bishop Henry Katumba-Tamale, said.
According to the report, a total of 96 cases of incest were reported in Lyantonde District between 2020 and 2021 while defilement cases were 1,377, teenage pregnancies (1,138), child labour (552), and domestic violence (9,796).
The rise of child abuse cases in the region is blamed on corruption from some police officers who connive with the offenders to kill cases or compromise investigations.
Available police records show that at least five cases of GBV are recorded daily in Lyantonde and the majority of the victims are women and young girls.
Mr Vincent Mayiga, a senior programmes coordinator at Rural Action Based Organisation, said after separating with their partners, most men engaging in farming wait for harvesting season to remarry other women of their choice.
“Faith leaders are trusted partners and a strong voice in addressing the root cause of GBV. Deepening our commitment to mobilise and engage faith leaders to address GBV will see us go further in realising our promise across the region,” he said.
Rev Canon Herbert Fred Matovu, the West Buganda Diocesan Planner emphasised the importance of stronger partnerships among religious denominations, civil society, and non-governmental organisations, and other key stakeholders in fighting injustices in society.
“GBV is increasing in Greater Masaka because women are not empowered and there are still high levels of ignorance on women’s economic rights where men deny their women a chance to start businesses, high restriction towards access to the household property and assets especially land,”
“As the church, we fully support the empowerment of women because we had strong female figures in the Bible like Esther, Naomi, Ruth, and Mary,” he added.
