The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Amudat, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | ActionAid Uganda has held a one-day intergenerational dialogue in Lokales subcounty, Amudat district and the main objectives is to enhance inter-generational relationship between men and boys, and women, and girls, that are supportive of adolescent gender and Sexual Reproductive Health (SRHR).
One of the most common vices they are trying to fight is Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). Although FGM was declared illegal in 2010, the practice is still being conducted secretly.
Susan Ikwakol the psychosocial support officer in Amudat said that the major aim is to have violence free communities.
“Within these discussions, we make sure the aspect of Gender Based Violence (GBV) comes out. How do the negative social norms affect women and girls are who are mostly faced with GBV?”
Cheptalal Sewareng the woman councillor Lokales subcounty said that FGM is the basis of GBV and that the only way to curb GBV, FGM needs to be addressed first.
“I underwent FGM and it has affected my relationship with my husband and so have other women. Our husbands disrespect us, they can’t even move with us anywhere,” said Sewareng.
These intergenerational dialogues provide a platform for women and girls to voice and challenge child marriages as a violation of their rights through solidarity action towards denouncing child marriages, and share their perspective in the promotion of education, employment, livelihood, talent development.
The programmes are geared towards nurturing progressive social norm change specifically in the Campaign to End child marriages and teenage pregnancies in Amudat.
With the support of key community influencers such as cultural and religious leaders, the campaign aims at dialogues with boys, men, women and girls supporting inter-generational dialogues at community level to engage boys, girls, women and men in dialogues and consensus – building on alternatives to child marriageengage boys, girls, women and men in dialogues and consensus.
Susan Adimo, the Amudat Child and Family Protection Unit officer attributes the ongoing practice to lack of security on porous borders bordering Uganda with Kenya on the side Karamoja.
‘’Some of girls are being taken to Kenya and get circumcised from that side’’ she says.
Ikwakol said that for this to work, they involve community leaders, cultural leaders, religious leaders and the subcounty leadership and health workers to talk about the dangers of sexual based violence.
“When we came, there was less or no information about gender based violence but we are grateful with the support from UNFPA and the project we have implemented, we have done a lot of sensitisation in communities,” she said.
In Karamoja, the project is implemented in Amudat District aimed at eliminating FGM and provision of integrated gender-based violence services in the district.
ActionAid established Amudat District GBV One-Stop Centre in 2021 and it has implemented various activities including the mobilisation and training of Male Agent Groups and Female Agent Groups in 05 Sub Counties of Loroo, Kongorok, Abiliyep, Losidok and Lokales.
