Our Achievements

London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) in partnership with Raising Voices and CEDOVIP successfully conducted the follow up survey (SASA! study) to assess the impact of SASA! as implemented by CEDOVIP in Rubaga and Makindye Divisions. The preliminary findings showed significant progress on effectiveness of preventing VAW as will be seen in the report released by the (LSHTM):

  • Change in behaviours such as men sharing household chores with their partners, improved couple communication, including acceptance of women’s negotiation for safe sex.
  • Many community members deliberately talk with their neighbours and peers about creating safe relationships with their partners and explain to those who use violence that it is not acceptable.
  • Many community members take individual and collective actions to prevent acts of violence and create family rules that say no to violence.
  • Many community members and local leaders report reduced physical violence against women.
  • Preliminary SASA! study results indicate that CEDOVIP made significant steps in reducing sexual violence against women and reduced concurrent partnerships among both men and women.
  • Community activists took on a leadership role to sustain activism to prevent VAW after CEDOVIP’s exit and they are committed to mentor many more activists to prevent VAW the SASA! way.
  • We made significant steps to shift social acceptability of intimate partner violence. In particular the acceptability of physical violence and women’s right to say no to sex among both women and men.

The national SASA! roll out parnters, with CEDOVIP’s support inspired many community members to create activism to prevent VAW in their communities. In Kasitu Bundibujjo community, activists (CAs) formed a CA association that will sustain activism after CEDOVIP winds up the partnership. In Palisa, Gulu and Lira a strong collaboration between staff, CAs, police, local leaders and health workers as well as Nzito, the king of Batwa, continued to mobilize communities to prevent VAW.

  • CSO Partners report that SASA! enabled them to structure their VAW work in a systematic way and they are clearer about what they can do, how to do it, and the realistic outcomes within a specific timeframe, thus their programming has improved.
  • Partner CSOs reached out to more than 50,000 community members who included men in drinking joints, carpentry, bodaboda stages and markets. This enabled men to recognize the benefits of non-violence in their relationships and families. Many community members took on responsibility to prevent VAW and some are supporting women experiencing violence, while others committed to support men, who use violence in order to change their behaviour.
  • A big number of community activists in Busoga publicly shared personal benefits from the program i.e. renewed relationships, self esteem and respect from community. This, in the long run, will inspire many people to use their power to join and expand the activism within communities.
  • There is a considerable ownership of the program by community members in Busoga (through community action groups) where there are many community members and local leaders promoting SASA! ideas of respect, safety and healthy relationships and also supporting community activists to reach out to other community members to create fairness in their relationships.
  • Some husbands and wives to CAs joined their spouses in initiating community dialogues to create awareness on VAW and HIV by supporting their partners to mobilize community members for activities and personally resonating with the SASA! ideas. This presents an opportunity for the extended activism within the communities.
  • Many community members in Busoga broke the silence around VAW and they demanded for the authorities to take quick action against the perpetrators.

National Advocacy

  • Produced a report that estimated the cost of domestic violence to the economy of Uganda and enabled the public and policy makers to pay attention to preventing domestic violence.
  • In partnership with the Domestic Violence Coalition and the Uganda Law Reform Commission, translated the DVA into 8 local languages
  • Successfully launched the translated versions of the Domestic Violence Act and developed simple info sheets to create awareness about the DVA.
  • Increased the public’s awareness of the DVA through the media work as well as established close working relationships with the Judicial Service Commission and the Judicial Training Institute. This collaboration will be vital in enabling the implementation of the DVA.

SASA!

CEDOVIP was the pioneer organization in implementing SASA!, a community mobilization approachin 2008. Between 2008 and 2012, a cluster randomized trial was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of SASA!in Kampala, Uganda. Some of the key results were that in the intervention communities compared to control ones, women and men were less likely to accept a man’s use of violence against a partner; and when women experienced sexual or physical violence from an intimate partner, they were more likely to receive a better response from the community. Further information on SASA!study results can be found at http://www.biomedcentral.com/1741-7015/12/122.

The Domestic Violence Act (DVA)

Uganda Police Force

Health

Referral Point Networks

Justice, Law and Order Sector (JLOS)

National Achivements

Media

CEDOVIP has worked since 2000 on the prevention of violence against women (VAW) in Uganda. Some of the major successes include:

  • Winning the UNAIDS 2010 Red Ribbon Award for innovative work in preventing violence against women and HIV.
  • Piloted SASA! a new and promising approach at the community level which comprehensively and provocatively addresses the intersection between VAW and HIV in Rubaga and Makindye Divisions in Kampala, Uganda.
  • Promote national prevention of violence against women through national SASA! rollout through capacity-building and coordination of 8 NGOs partners in 8 districts. In addition, we work with the Community Development Officers in another 8 districts of the Busoga sub-region to mobilize communities to prevent violence against women. This is part of the Government of Uganda- Irish Aid Joint Programme to address GBV in the Busoga sub-region.
  • CEDOVIP’s SASA! is the site of an extensive process and impact assessment through a collaboration of Raising Voices, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and Makerere University. It includes a randomized control trial of 1584 community members, a study to assess the cost/benefit ratio of the approach, as well as an extensive study on the qualitative components. These studies lead to understanding in detail the implications of community-based violence prevention efforts, creating simple tools other organizations implementing SASA! can use, and also to contribute to the larger body of knowledge in the field of violence prevention.
  • Influenced Parliamentary tabling and passage of the Domestic Violence Bill into an Act of parliament in November 2009.
  • Mobilizing the community in Kawempe Division to prevent domestic violence. This intense grassroots activism encouraged community members, leaders, and heads and staff of key institutions to rethink domestic violence and to take action to prevent it in their families and communities. This program, based on Mobilizing Communities to Prevent Domestic Violence (Raising Voices 2003), has been highlighted as a promising practice.
  • Developed and published Responding to Domestic Violence: A Handbook for the Police Force. This publication, which was developed in collaboration with the Uganda Police Force (UPF), acts as a standardized protocol to guide officers handling cases of domestic violence.
  • Created the first ever Domestic Violence Bylaw in Uganda, in collaboration with the Kawempe community and leadership structures. The Bylaw was used to enhance, legitimize and inform advocacy for national legislation on the Domestic Violence Act, as well as serving as a model for other communities in Uganda.
  • Increased public attention and awareness on VAW in Uganda through intense media engagement. This has also positioned CEDOVIP as a credible voice linked to the grassroots and capable of bringing these critical issues into national policy arenas.
  • Scaled up the community mobilization approach used in Kawempe Division to 10 communities (9 districts) throughout Uganda. These grassroots efforts are essential to creating a new climate in Uganda that is respectful of women’s human rights. It is also helpful in informing and promoting national policy and legislative reform.
  • With Raising Voices, established and coordinates a Learning Center for activists working to prevent domestic violence. More than 300 activists and practitioners from around the region and world have come to learn practical skills of effective community mobilization to prevent VAW.
  • Engaging positively and sustainably in various policy review and formulation processes. For example, national training curriculum on managing GBV cases with the Ministry of Health and World Health Organization, post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) policy revision processes, and particularly the Domestic Violence Act drafting and successful advocacy.
  • Successfully coordinated the national Domestic Violence Bill Coalition, whose members include CSOs, members of the donor community, religious leaders, members of parliament, and media houses from throughout Uganda.
  • Spearheads the annual national observance of 16 Days of Activism against violence against women, since 2000.
  • Strengthened the capacity of over 600 police officers, religious leaders, health care providers, and probation officers in Kampala . This created institutional changes in both policy and practice that led to improved service delivery for women experiencing violence.
  • Developed CEDOVIP as a center where staff and management are committed to a professional, ethical and functional work environment which is focused on implementing quality violence prevention work. CEDOVIP serves as a role model to other civil society actors.
  • CEDOVIP developed the entire GBV module for the police training curriculum for incoming and in-service officers to increase knowledge and develop skills to handle VAW issues. This will go a long way in creating a supportive environment for women at the police at the police stations

NATIONAL ADVOCACY FOR LAW REFORM

CEDOVIP advocated for law reform to enhance political will to enact and amend VAW responsive laws and ensure allocation of resources for the implementation of these laws to eliminate violence against women and girls. 

POLICY & LEGAL REFORM PROCESSES WITH PARLIAMENT AND ULRC

  • CEDOVIP in partnership with Uganda Law Reform Commission developed the DVA implementation step-by-step guide, and translated the Prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation Act into Kupsabiny and Nga’Karimojong to strengthen the use of the DVA and FGM Act and therefore access to justice. 
  • CEDOVIP established a working relationship with UWOPA Executive to strengthen advocacy for review and passing of pending EVAW bills; and subsequently enhanced VAWG knowledge and skills among 34 Members of Parliament.  
  • Strengthened the coordination and capacity of 159 justice actors from Nakawa, Makindye and Nabweru to implement VAWG laws and provide survivor centered services to women and girls experiencing violence. 
  • Deepened the knowledge of over 1,400 community members of Nakawa and Makindye division about the DVA, the role of the duty bearers in implementing the DVA/EVAW laws and where to seek services.
  • 73 Uganda Police Force officers from 5 Police Divisions in the Kampala Metropolitan region strengthened skills to investigate and handle VAWG cases.
  • CEDOVIP provided technical assistance to JTI and 24 Magistrates, 80 court clerks and secretaries strengthened skills for effective VAWG justice service provision. 
  • 30 CSO partners strengthened their capacity on child marriage, social norms and practices sustaining it, and how to advocate and inspire policy makers to adopt and implement a legal framework to eliminate child marriage in Uganda. 
  • 23 media personnel strengthened their knowledge on child marriage, including objective reporting and adherence to the ‘Do No Harm’ principle.

STRENGTHENING CSO ADVOCACY CAPACITY LAWS ON CHILD MARRIAGE 

CEDOVIP’s work on ending child marriage is aimed at strengthening capacity of more than 30 COS partners to spearhead efforts to end child marriage, challenge social norms and practices sustaining it, and inspire policy makers to adopt and implement a legal framework that will effectively contribute to the total elimination of child marriage in Uganda. The activities undertaken in 2022 for this purpose included: –  

  1. Two advocacy training for the GFF partners on ending child marriage.
  2. Capacity strengthening training for the media personalities on objective reporting on child marriage; and 
  3.  Involvement in the 16 days of activism campaign; 
  4. A press conference on child marriage; as well as 
  5. Printing and disseminating IEC materials on child marriage in Uganda. 
  • The trainees’ strengthened knowledge on child marriage, its root cause, vis-à-vis contributing factors, and consequences for the adolescent girls, the communities they come from, and the nation at large. This a milestone the trainees professed was the missing link in their advocacy work. In the subsequent deliberations they noted that their advocacy work will be more effective based on the knowledge and skills acquired;

These successes were realized in course of year 2022

  • The trainees strengthened knowledge and skills on effective advocacy to end child marriage noticing the need to identify strategic partners, build and operate in networks with carefully selected stakeholders to strengthen perpetrator accountability, avoidance of victim blame and ensuring that survivors of child marriage get justice; 
  • The participants strengthened knowledge on the content of the particular laws and pending bills relating child marriage. The knowledge depth also augmented confidence to undertake and popularize these and other laws and policies to end child marriage.

INSTITUTIONAL STRENGTHENING

CEDOVIP continued its work towards promoting a positive operational culture to prevent and/or respond to VAWG among institutional allies i.e., the police and health institutions. 

WORK WITH POLICE

CEDOVIP engaged the Child and Family Protection Department, the Department of Training, Planning and Quality Control, and the Directorate of Criminal Investigation Department of Uganda Police Force through: – training, onsite mentoring, collaboration engagements, and relationship building activities. 

The key achievements included: – 

  • Over 500 police officers strengthened skills to investigate domestic violence cases as part of their mandate of protecting life and property, maintaining law and order.
  • More than 500 police officers deepened knowledge, skills, and confidence for investigating, collecting, and using evidence on domestic violence while prioritizing survivor safety. This has improved the quality of services for the survivors as reflected by the increasing number of DV cases reported and improved the quality of results of the cases handled at CFPU countrywide. 
  • A cumulative number of 278 health workers from the KCC health centers of Kitebi, Kiswa, Kisugu, Kawaala, Kisenyi, KCC clinic city hall, Komamboga and Bukoto other health units in Kampala were engaged through capacity strengthening activities including onsite and distant mentoring, physical trainings, collaboration meetings, and guided staff meetings.  

These activities strengthened health workers’ skills to provide survivor centered services to the domestic and sexual violence survivors prioritizing best practices like: – 

  • Use of VAW interview guides to screen for patients experiencing violence; 
  • Appropriate and timely medical examinations, treatment and referrals of patients for other services as needed;
  • Ensure privacy and confidentiality for the survivors by talking to one person at a time and handling them in separate designated GBV response rooms/tents; and 
  • Probing about the conditions that suspected survivors of violence may have to get to the root cause of those conditions and ensure appropriate 
  • support is provided for those with VAW related conditions. 

These and other capacities of the health workers including creating an environment that favors survivors to seek support also strengthened survivors’ confidence to open up for support. As a result, the trained health care workers: – 

  • Supported 152 women/girls to open up and access appropriate support for the ailments associated with violence that they had initially concealed; 
  • Provided relevant information during investigations on approximately 100 cases of survivors of VAW supporting them to access justice.
  • Are exercising more professionalism while handling cases related to VAW for example they are more patient, non-judgmental, provide more time to listen and talk to clients and clients report that they find the sessions helpful. They leave “satisfied”.

IMPROVING CSOS’ RESPONSE TO VAWG SURVIVORS

CEDOVIP continued to promote comprehensive and coordinated response for survivors of VAW for survivor safety and perpetrator accountability. As coordinator of the VAWG referral network of institutions and practitioners working to prevent and respond to violence against women, CEDOVIP conducted physical trainings, physical joint meetings, and virtual meetings with the respective referral network members. This strengthened collaboration among the members, smoothened the process of cross referrals and enabled follow-up on the cases referred to ensure conclusion. Subsequently, members of the referral network supported a total of 10,568 women to access services such as legal justice, psychosocial support, shelter, and medical support.

Key achievements 

  1. Referral point’s network members deepened their knowledge and skills on the good practices in providing survivor centered services; and committed to share lessons and skills learnt with other organizations / institutions.
  2. There is strong working relationship among the members of the referral points and commitment to further strengthen coordination within the network by:
  • Regularly checking in with referral centers to strengthen relationships and update physical locations and actual services provided at the respective centers.
  • Reviving the use of joint referral forms to enable feedback and clarity on next steps/actions and ensure that the survivor is fully supported.
  • Being open to giving and receiving feedback as this ensures continuous improvement and sustainability of provision of survivor centered services.

LOCAL ACTIVISM

Through local activism in Kampala, CEDOVIP completed the 3rd cycle of SASA! Together in Katwe II and Kabowa. We reached two million community members from the 10 zones of Sembule A, Sembule B, Sssuuna, Kironde, Central, Taawo, Byuma, West, Kiganda, and Central baawo, Sembule.

Local activism using SASA! Together reduced the tolerance towards all forms of violence against women. It also inspired community members to lead all efforts for prevention of violence against women in their respective communities. As we transitioned from these communities, we confidently left an environment that sustainably supports the prevention of VAWG because we left at a time when almost all community members and leaders are committed to individually and collectively take-on small and big actions to prevent VAW, support those trying to change; provide safe options to the survivors of violence.

CEDOVIP conducted an endline assessment in the SASA! Together communities and the results confirmed that we had contributed to changes in the communities. For example, 

CEDOVIP mobilized, influenced, and skilled 500.000 VAW prevention activists; This reduced the acceptance of VAW and 95% of the community members regard it as a human rights violation, which they are committed to prevent jointly and individually. 

Influenced change in beliefs and perceptions on VAW and contributed to change in the norms that sustain violence, and hamper VAWG support services. For example:

  • There is 87% approval for disclosure of violence both to seek support, and to enhance support provision. 
  • Currently, community members joint efforts with others to support couples to collectively prevent VAW in their neighborhood 

In 2021, CEDOVIP mobilised communities to create an enabling environment to prevent violence against women and girls (VAWG) in Katwe II and Kabowa in Kampala and directly reached 100,000 community members and inspired them to join power with others prevent VAW, in their everyday lives individually and collectively. CEDOVIP focused on intensifying the implementation of the VAWG prevention Support phase activities. 

Despite the COVID 19 upsurge/lock down, CEDOVIP worked with communities, civil society organizations, local and national government institutions, and the media, and directly reached over 100,000 community members in the communities of Katwe II and Kabowa and over 4,990,860 million people through the media/social media platforms. 

CEDOVIP achieved the above through its thematic areas of: Mobilizing Communities to Prevent VAW and HIV; Strengthening Prevention and Response to by Institutions; and National Advocacy for Law Reform and Implementation

According to the results of the rapid assessment, CEDOVIP realised the following achievements. 

  1. Reduced acceptability to domestic violence: for example, 80 % of the community members in Katwe II and Kabowa do not justify domestic violence of any form, and any reasons, 82 % approve women to refuse sex, 75% approve joint decision making between men and women in intimate relationships, and 68% approve flexibility with gender roles. 
  1. Strengthened skills for community members to practice nonviolence in their intimate relationships. For example, some community members that were using violence in Byuma, Kiganda, west and Tawo zones in Katwe ii now take a break to calm down when they are angry, reach out to CAs to seek support on how to raise concerns with their partners in a nonviolent manner, some take a walk, and encourage dialogue with their partners. This supported them not to use violence even during lock-down, yet they spent a lot of time with their partners. 8 families that stopped using violence proudly take lead in talking to their neighbors about the benefits of not using violence.

Increased respect for women/girls, women’ bodies and reduced sexual harassment on some (6) boda-boda stages in Tawo and Kiganda zones in Katwe II and Suna and central zones in Kabowa. For example, the boda-boda riders have reduced touching girls/women that pass their stages, condemn, and caution their stage members to desist from throwing comments to girls and women especially youth/teenagers, and invite activists to talk to them about alternatives to violence.

Community members often reach out to the men who use violence to hold them accountable by assuring them domestic violence is a crime, no action justifies the use of violence and perpetrators must be penalized. Some neighborhoods in Central Zone Kabowa, Tawo, Byuama and West zone in Katwe II make alarm, call LCs to intervene and task landlords to act by publicly speaking to all tenants that domestic violence is unacceptable and that those that use violence cease to be tenants. Activists also take lead in holding their own family members accountable. For example, one Ssenga of Suuna and one of SSembule B supported their daughters in law to report their son’s that were using violence to Wankuluku Police, the sons were arrested and detained for a week and on release they were tasked to commit in writing that they will not use violence and will provide for their families. This worked as a turning point to the neighbors and community members because they recognized that domestic violence is a crime and punishable. In these neighborhoods, men have reduced using physical violence, not providing for their families, and seek support from the activists and local leaders on how to address conflicts instead of using violence.

  1. The work influenced positive changes at individual and community level activism to prevent VAW:

For example, in Central zone, Kiganda, Kironde, Ssembule A and B zone community members encourage women experiencing violence to speak out and seek for help by not blaming them, community members report to police and LCs on behalf of the women that experience violence and are silent, talk to landlords to caution their tenants that use violence, and make referrals to activists and duty bearers. As a result, 25 women were rescued by landlords and police from violence. In Kironde zone, an expectant woman that had been locked in the house by the partner was rescued and she delivered safely in hospital, and the husband was later arrested and remanded. This has inspired more community members to seek support.

Additionally, there was increased efforts by community members to prevent and respond to VAW because they have learned that there are options to nonviolence. They are not ashamed to seek support from activists because they know that activists keep their information confidential/safe. This has helped approximately 328 families to be supported by LCs and led to a reduction of physical violence.

COVID 19 relief Fund

The second wave of COVID 19 directly affected many activists and members of their families. Many were very ill, lost loved ones and lost jobs due to lockdown hence unable to meet their basic needs such as food for proper nutrition and medical care amidst rising costs of food and exorbitant health care services. 

CEDOVIP stood in solidarity with 96 activists of Katwe II (Makindye division) and Kabowa (Rubaga division) to support them to face the COVID challenge with hope for the better, knowing that CEDOVIP values and cares for them; and enable them to remain strong and keep activism against VAW/prevention of COVID 19 going while adhering to the MOH SOPs

When the COVID relief fund came, it was a sigh of relief because it helped them to address these urgent pressing needs. For example, 33 activists were able to pay their rent arrears, 48, activists paid their hospital bills and got treatment and are now better/steadily recovering from COVID 19, 4 used the money to start up small income generating activities and most of them bought food for their families. Activists added that they felt loved, cared for, and motivated to work with CEDOVIP and most of all to intensify VAW prevention activities. Below are some comments:

“I was bedridden and was short of money to the extent that I asked the hospital to discharge me such that I can be treated from home to cut on the expenses, but CEDOVIP relief money came to my rescue…Am forever grateful” Semambo Tawo zone Katwe II

“I don’t take the COVID relief fund for granted. It may seem like little money but to me it was such a great thing. Beyond money I saw love, kindness, care, and true value of what CEDOVIP/SASA! Stands for. When one helps you in need it shows that that person really values you…” Beatrice Central zone Katwe II

“I was completely down on funds and had no idea of how I was going to cater my family. I had spent all the money treating my parents who had contracted the COVID 19 virus. I was so relieved and humbled when I received the COVID relief fund. I used the money to buy a sack of posho, beans and some charcoal…This helped me to hustle during eased lockdown to find money for my ailing parent’s medical costs and rent for my family. Am grateful l to CEDOVIP”. Male CA, Ssembule A, Kabowa parish

Disbursement of Emergency Fund for survivors of VAWG

Through the Emergency Fund, CEDOVIP directly supported 180 survivors of VAW who were in dire need. The funds enabled survivors to cater for their urgent needs such as transport costs during exit to safer places, emergency medical treatment, and to follow up cases in courts of law. 69 girls and 111 women benefitted from the fund and CEDOVIP provided necessities including sanitary wear, clothes, pampers, soap, and medical cotton wool to 41 children and 23 women. These enabled restoring the dignity and confidence of women to move to the next referral center for further support. Approximately 163 women were referred to other agencies within the referral network for legal, medical, and psychosocial support. During the period, approximately 1,022 referral cards were distributed to enable activists and duty bearers to make appropriate cross-referrals.

Work with Opinion Leaders

Opinion leaders are often the first point of reference at community level they include clan/cultural/opinion/religious leaders, Local Council leaders, and Ssengas. Opinion leaders are influential allies in prevention and response to VAWG. CEDOVIP works with a team of 40 opinion leaders (20 Ssengas and 20 local leaders) in Katwe II – in Makindye division and Kabowa in Rubaga division Kampala district.

Many Ssengas and local leaders strengthened skills to give options, assess risk and make safety plans while addressing domestic violence cases. For example:

  • They do not rush victims to make decisions. 
  • Most Ssengas and community leaders offer information to the victims/survivors,
  • Explain the pros and cons of some of the options, are mindful about the choice of words to avoid using words that demean women or insult perpetrators and do not judge women with disability.

As a result, community members, couples that are trying to balance power and youth that are experiencing violence seek support from opinion leaders.  Below are some cases that opinion leaders supported:

  • 5 women that were considering returning to the village because their partners had abandoned them in rented houses were supported to start small income generating activities and can now pay their utility bills and rent.  This helped them to gain their dignity and autonomy.
  • A woman was dissuaded from poisoning herself in Tawo zone after the partner run away with her saving box and police failed to trace him. The Ssenga negotiated and the landlord did not evict her and reduced her rent arrears from 7 to 5 months. Ssengas helped to mobilise some startup capital for her from community members.  The woman now cleared her rent arrears and is continuing to run a chapatti selling business.
  • Supported 68 families to talk to their children about the benefits of not engaging in early, sex, drugs abuse and treating both boys and girls fairly during lock down and eased lock down. As result 50 boys that were loitering in villages, taking drugs and sexually harassing girls in Ssembule B, Ssuna,Byuma and Kiganda zones stopped and they participate in doing house hold chores and read their books. Now parents in these families ensure that their daughters and sons are given responsibilities to do household chores, have reduced harsh treatment to their daughters (forcing them to do all household chores/caning them to stay at home) and talk/invite Ssengas every Saturday to talk to their children. 20 girls that were experiencing sexual harassment at home and in the community sought support from the Ssengas. 15 Perpetrators were held accountable, and the girls reported to the Ssengas that the men/boys are not harassing them. In total opinion leaders reached out to 618 community members (302 women,128 men and 174 youth)

CEDOVIP provided layered technical assistance to civil society partners to strengthen their skills to prevent and respond to VAWG. 

Technical Support to CDFU and UGANET to implement SASA!

CEDOVIP in partnership with Raising Voices provided technical support to CDFU and UGANET to implement SASA! and achieved the following: 

  1. Communication for Development Foundation Uganda (CDFU) and Uganda Network on Law, Ethics and HIV/AIDS (UGANET) strengthened skills to intensify the SASA! Together Awareness phase VAW prevention activities. The teams strengthened their knowledge and skills to articulate the consequences of VAW to women, men, families and communities and the need for community members to break the silence on VAWG for effective to prevention of violence against women in Amudat, Tororo, and Bundibugyo. Subsequently, they engaged over 35,000 community members. 
  1. CDFU and UGANET deepened their understanding of the SASA! Together Community Leadership Strategy and provided technical assistance to the community leaders and inspired them to spear head VAW prevention in their communities.
  1. RV/CEDOVIP supported CDFU/UGANET to strengthen skills to the SASA! Together Learning and Assessment tools and database to inform effective implementation of the SASA! Together Awareness phase activities/VAW prevention programming. Partners now use the SASA! Together L and A tools and are using the data to strengthen implementation of Awareness phase VAW prevention activities and prepare to transit to SASA! Together, Support phase

Institutional Strengthening with Police:

  • 30 Police officers from 17 police stations under the 5 Police Divisions in the Kampala Metropolitan region strengthened their skills to provide survivor centered services to the survivors / victims of VAW. Subsequently, they put mechanisms in place to ensure that the child and family department, criminal investigation department and the sexual offences department effectively provide services.
  • The CID Officers committed to ensure privacy and confidentiality by engaging with one person at a time and only with officers handling the case; ensure no case / form of domestic violence is undermined; ensure that statements from the victims/survivors are recorded by the skilled CIID officers that understand the dynamics of domestic violence; and effect immediate arrests of the suspects. 
  • They also committed to escort victims for medical attention (e.g. filling of the PF3/PF3A forms, PEP and 17A swabs); ensure that prosecution of the suspects happens (have the case files with all the required evidence in place, testify in court and summons in place); follow up with the victims after the PF18 files after prosecution to ensure the victims safety and record any other form of violence that the victim could be experiencing a result of reporting to police; and refer victims for extra support to other duty bearers.
  • The CFPU Officers committed to raise awareness about domestic violence and police mandate during Monday parade, barazas and management meetings; arrest and prosecute the suspects; listen to the victims/survivors without blaming them or judging them to be able to make a better assessment of further risk of violence; and believe the survivors and not take sides. They also committed to use the domestic violence act to prosecute the suspects; collaborate with CIID to investigate domestic violence cases; and pin the police dos and don’ts poster in their offices and counter to help officers and clients to know what to do in cases of domestic violence.
  • Health Workers; 25 health workers from the KCC health centares of Kitebi, Kiswa, Kisugu, Kawaala, Kisenyi , KCC clinic city hall, Komamboga and Bukoto workers in the Kampala Metropolitan Region strengthened skills to provide survivor centered services to the survivors/victims of VAW. They recognize that they have a mandate to address VAW and are using the VAW interview guide to screen for patients experiencing violence to ensure professionalism; ensuring privacy and confidentiality by talking to one person at a time and handling their cases in the separate GBV rooms; and ensuring that police form 3 are appropriately filled and victims/survivors guided on how to keep credible evidence.
  • The health workers are also using the referral directory to make appropriate referrals for further support of women and girls experiencing violence; following up on victims after referral to ensure they are not experiencing further violence; using the 8-9am health chats to talk about domestic violence; and using church and community radios to reach out to communities. Additionally, they are encouraging women/girls to feel comfortable to talk about their genitalia and demystifying myths regarding sex and pregnancy; and reaching out to young mothers and girls and referring them to the counsellors in the GBV rooms to talk to them and guide them to open and seek services. 
  • This inspired women and girls to seek survivors from the health Centers. Health workers were able to treat 600 women and 150 girls that had health compilations because of domestic violence and sexual abuse.

Work in Bushenyi and Pallisa District Local Governments

CEDOVIP successfully completed implementation of the pilot project to integrate GBV prevention in wetlands restoration program in partnership with MWE, MAAIF, UNMA with support from UNDP and the Green Climate Fund (GCF) in Bushenyi and Pallisa districts. 

CEDOVIP conducted transformative training with 54 national level and district level staff. These included 18 national (PMU staff) and 36(18 from Bushenyi and 18 from Pallisa) district level MAAIF, UNMA, and MWE officials.  The training enabled personal transformation of the wetlands restoration project partners including ability to understand GBV and motivate them to integrate GBV prevention and response in their programming. 

CEDOVIP strengthened knowledge and skills for 50 staff of different institutions/CSOs that provide GBV response services on ethical response to survivors of GBV and referral of survivors of GBV for further services; strengthened knowledge and skills to implement the full GBV risk mitigation strategy in all the GCF work including an inward change in institutional practices; and strengthened skills to rigorously monitor and measure GBV risks. Below were the achievements:

  • Buy in and commitment of the national and district technical teams to integrate GBV prevention and response in their broader GCF programs. The Project Management Unit (PMU); MWE, MAAIF, UNMA committed to use the GBV risk mitigation strategy developed by CEDOVIP to address GBV in their broader programs and supervise district natural resource coordinators to ensure that GBV prevention and response is prioritized in the GCF livelihood activities in Bushenyi and Pallisa districts
  • Formalized the working relationship with the District Leadership of Bushenyi and Pallisa who assigned the district GCF coordinators, the community development departments/probation offices and extension workers to take lead in ensuring GBV integration across departments and funds for GBV activities are planned/allocated in the district programs for sustainability.  
  • GBV Referral networks were established in Bushenyi and Pallisa districts. The District Community Development Officers are taking lead to ensure that the established referral networks stay functional and consistently updated. CEDOVIP also developed referral directories and disseminated them to PMU, district technical teams and to the trained referral network members to enable them to make cross-referrals to the survivors of GBV to access justice.

Work in Obongi, Lamwo, And Adjumani districts

CEDOVIP is worked in partnership with UNDP and KOICA to strengthen integration of GBV prevention and response in their programming through the Uganda Host and Refugee Community Empowerment Project. This strengthened the capacity of the District Local Governments to undertake gender responsive budgeting, and the Livelihood Partners to integrate GBV prevention in the alternative livelihoods programming in Obongi, Lamwo, and Adjumani districts. 

Key achievements:

  • 60 GBV Actors of Lamwo (21 Female 9 Male) and Obongi (18 Female 12 Male) strengthened their knowledge about Gender, and GBV which supported them to recognize that GBV survivors present with multiple needs, and it is important for GBV actors to collaborate to ensure GBV survivor safety needs and wishes are met.
  • Strengthened work relations with District Local Governments of Adjumani, Obongi and Lamwo. Subsequently, the district leaders committed to formalize the working relationship through signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU), defining the nature and mode of the partnership; and to participate in CEDOVIP/ARB Gender, Gender-Based Violence (GBV), and Gender Responsive Budgeting capacity building programs. 
  • 117 district and technical staff of Adjumani, Obongi, and Lamwo District Local Government deepened knowledge on what GBV is, it’s root cause, how it affects government programs, and the need for Gender Responsive District Budgets and Plans. They committed to integrate GBV response activities in their district budgets to ensure that government programs address GBV at different district levels including the Parish model.

Referral Points Network in Kampala

CEDOVIP continued to coordinate the referral points network of 30 members that prevent and respond to GBV. In 2021, CEDOVIP strengthened the skills and knowledge of the referral points network members to provide survivor-centered services to survivors of GBV; and coordinate their services. 

  • Subsequently, the members successfully handled 105 domestic violence cases. There is also increased sensitivity and promptness in handling sexual violence cases. For example, a man kidnapped and defiled his 7-year-old daughter and she suffered severe complications. CEDOVIP jointly worked with Action Aid Uganda, Rahab, Mulago hospital and Central police station. Action Aid sheltered her, Rahab provided psychosocial support, Mulago hospital provided medical treatment and corrective surgery, Action Aid and Central Police Station Kampala, provided legal support. The child recovered. 
  • Survivors of violence got appropriate support arising from the collaboration and cross referrals of different cases, and feedback among the referral network members about progress and actions taken for the different cases. Subsequently, approximately 2,642 survivors of VAWG were supported to access services such as legal justice, psychosocial support, shelter, and medical support

National Advocacy for law reform and implementation

CEDOVIP advocates for better implementation of existing laws and policies specific to issues of violence against women and girls. The strategies are two-fold: National Law Reform and Implementation through which advocacy is done for effective laws to protect women and girls and sufficient resources for their implementation; and Local Advocacy with the justice, Law and Order Sector (JLOS) through coordination with the influencing of the criminal and civil justice system to ensure victim safety, access to justice, and perpetrator accountability. 

  • The Constitutional Court annulled provisions of the Anti-pornography Act that were infringing on human rights e.g., right to privacy and discrimination against women (controlling women’s dressing and bodies), following a case in which CEDOVIP and 8 other petitioners petitioned the Constitutional Court in 2014 challenging the provisions of the Anti-pornography Act. After 7 years of hearing the case, the court agreed with the petitioners in a ruling issued in August 2021. This was a landmark court decision in as far as advocacy for gender-responsive laws and policies is concerned as it sets a precedent against other laws/policies that discriminate against women and deny their right to bodily autonomy.
  • Strengthened recognition of the gaps in the implementation of the Domestic Violence Act (DVA) amongst key duty bearers including Police, ODPP, Judiciary and development partners because of the recommendations form the DVA assessment report that CEDOVIP conducted.  Subsequently, CEDOVIP is partnering with Uganda Law Reform Commission (ULRC) to develop a Step-by-step User Guide for the Key duty bearers to strengthen the DVA Implementation.  
  • CEDOVIP also printed 1500 copies of the translated DVA into Alur, Luganda, Luo, Ngakarimojong, Runyoro/Rutoro, Runyankore, Rukhonzo and Ateso. These will be disseminated in 2022 with the step-by-step guide from ULRC to support the implementation of the DVA.
  • Strengthened voice and agency of the DVA Coalition (over 30 WROs) and other CSOs including UWOPA to advocate for the passing of the pending EVAW Bills and implementation of gender responsive laws and policies, including calling for a gender sensitive COVID 19 response and recovery plan. This was seen through the joint strategy meeting convened by CEDOVIP and UWOPA following the President’s refusal to assent to the sexual offences bill. The deliberations and joint positions taken in this meeting supported the mover of the bill in defending it before the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee and the bill was reintroduced before for 11th  parliament. Pending passing.
    • Some of the recommendations suggested by the Coalition were adopted by Ministry of Gender. For example, the ministry launched the Revised Guidelines for the Prevention and Management of Teenage Pregnancy in School Settings. 
  • CEDOVIP formalized a working relationship with Girls First Fund (GFF) in 2021 to advocate at national level for law reform and implementation to end child marriage in Uganda. CEDOVIP subsequently held an inception meeting and introduced its role to 36 GFF partners.  Secondly, CEDOVIP derived learnings and recommendations from the partners and these will guide CEDOVIP’s subsequent activities; and enable aligning with the advocacy activities that the partners are undertaking to end child marriages in Uganda.