MASAKA.
The high economic impact of gender-based violence (GBV) related cases in Uganda has worried UN women country representative forcing her to ask stakeholders to do their best to reduce the number of cases registered in the country.
Dr Pauline Chiwangu, the country representative UN women, said Uganda loses an estimated $20m which is over Shs73 billion annually due to the social economic impact of violence against women and girls.
While delivering her speech during the launch of the second phase of the collaborative project of UN women at Masaka High Court intended at strengthening criminal justice responses to gender -based violence in the country, Dr Chiwanga asked all stakeholders to continue handling GBV cases from a gender sensitive, survivor centered, and trauma informed approach.
“We appreciate efforts put in place to handle GBV- related cases such as special sessions which plays a critical role to reduce backlog of GBV cases, and we urge more funders to come on board to continue supporting GBV related cases preventive initiatives” she added.
She however raised concern over the need to enhance data collection initiatives, saying that accurate data informs effective GBV programming and effectively informs future preventive initiatives.
The project dubbed Justice for Her Project, funded by the government of Austria is aimed at improving enhanced women and girls’ access to justice through effective, accountable and gender responsive institutions and justices’ system response to GBV.
Dr Katja Yvonne Kerschbaumer, the head of the Austrian Embassy in Uganda and also Development Cooperation, said women in Masaka face heart breaking experiences in their pursuit for justice which prompted the project designers to consider Masaka High Court circuit among other areas such as Gulu, Arua and Nebbi where the Justice for Her Project is going to be implemented.
She explained that Justice for Her Project will be significant in not only providing a onetime solution ,but will create a systemic change in the access of justice by GBV survivors, since there will be institutionalized daily hearing of GBV cases without necessarily waiting for periodic criminal sessions.
“We want to ensure that GBV survivors faced with traumatizing effects of not only get justice in the end ,but get it fast without having to wait for long to access justice, it’s a vital step, in ensuring that victims of GBV are given the urgency and respect they deserve in the judicial process” she added.
The principal judge and deputy chief justice designate Dr Flavian Zeija however, blamed increasing cases of gender-based violence related cases to traditional healers in Masaka region.
Dr Zeija said that traditional healers are misleading communities that they can get rich by doing hilarious things like parents sexually assaulting their children and because people are obsessed with getting rich, they end up sexually assaulting their relatives.
“I call upon local leaders to help in sensitizing communities if GBV cases are to be reduced in the region,”.
He said the project will involve several components other than having cases handled on daily basis including capacity building.
“We are going to train all stakeholders that will be part of the project including lawyers so that they can be gender sensitive while handling GBV related cases, and provision of institutions to support GBV victims, offenders legal aid and community sensitisation among other among other components.” He added.
The participating courts in the Masaka sub region will be Masaka High Court, Masaka chief magistrate court, Kalangala Sembabule and Rakai.
He said that in each participating court, the GBV case management committee will be constituted of the judicial officers, investigation officers, prosecutors and legal aid service providers, and social welfare officers, who will be responsible for GBV case management in that court.
“On a quarterly basis ,the team will agreed on which cases to be handled and timelines, asking community development officers to help court on witnesses tracing since courts are stuck with the challenge of tracing of witnesses which sometimes complicates trial of GBV related cases imploring all actors to ensure that the project succeeds,” he added .
Masaka High Court resident judge justice Lawrence Tweyanze said the area is still stuck with the challenge of high cases of GBV related cases saying that he is optimistic that the project will help much in addressing the case backlog of GBV cases in the region.
“Masaka will benefit much in the project because almost 50 percent of the case backlog we have are GBV related cases and our teams are ready to ensure that we can successfully pull off the task ahead of us”. He added.
The 2024 police crime report showed a slight decrease in GBV related cases from 14,846 cases reported in 2023 -12,424 cases reported in 2024. However, sexual- related cases such as defilement and rape still remain high.
The report also showed that 1,607 were victims of rape, while 12,317 were victims of defilement with female being the most affected since 12,009 were females defiled, while 308 were males.