Preventing gender-based violence door-to-door with help of Ugandan males

Within the second of a two-part sequence from Uganda, Timothy Mbene Masereka spoke to the UN Inhabitants Fund (UNFPA) forward of the 16 Days of Activism in opposition to Gender-Primarily based Violence, marked yearly from 25 November to 10 December, Human Rights Day.

As a village well being employee, Mr. Masereka goes from home to accommodate in a number of the remotest places in Kasese district in western Uganda.

He enjoys serving to individuals and is adept at managing diseases corresponding to malaria and pneumonia. Nevertheless, there was one well being emergency that he didn’t know learn how to handle: violence in opposition to ladies and ladies.

“Throughout my classes [in people’s homes], I noticed that gender-based violence was an issue, and I attempted to deal with it at a decrease stage, utilizing my very own reasoning, however I lacked the abilities to actually clear up the problem,” he stated.

What Mr. Masereka noticed wasn’t uncommon – violence in opposition to ladies and ladies is the world’s most pervasive human rights violation, affecting one in three ladies globally. In Uganda, nearly 30 per cent of girls and ladies reported experiencing intimate accomplice violence up to now 12 months.

Regardless of its prevalence, Mr. Masereka stated violence in opposition to ladies and ladies was handled as a personal situation.

“In my neighborhood, males dominated, and gender-based violence wasn’t mentioned brazenly,” he defined.

Males and boys have a vital position to play in lowering violence in opposition to ladies.

Change begins at dwelling

When Mr. Masereka was approached to finish gender-based violence coaching supported by the Highlight Initiative by way of the UN sexual and reproductive well being company, UNFPA, he jumped on the alternative.

“The neighborhood improvement officer talked to me in regards to the Highlight Initiative and its work on stopping violence in opposition to ladies and ladies,” he stated. “She stated males have a giant position to play in stopping violence and requested whether or not I needed to work as male motion group mentor.”

He then attended a coaching run by ACORD, a nationwide non-governmental group that promotes social justice. Throughout the course, he discovered learn how to speak to males and boys about gender-based violence, learn how to counsel {couples} to resolve disputes by way of dialogue and learn how to establish and refer ladies and ladies experiencing violence to the suitable authorities and companies.

The coaching additionally opened his eyes to subtler types of violence, corresponding to financial violence and unequal gender energy dynamics.

“For instance, the ladies plant [crops], however they got no say in what occurs to the crops; the boys made [all] the selections,” he defined.

Enhancing energy dynamics

The course pressured him to look at the distribution of energy and labour in his personal family.

“I discovered that chores within the dwelling may be carried out by each women and men,” he stated. “The pounding and cooking of meals and bathing the kids are all duties that may be completed by each the mom and the daddy.”

When he first started to tackle home chores, he stated individuals laughed at him: “They’d say ‘He has been put down by his spouse,’ issues like that.” However once they noticed how way more productive his home turned, their attitudes modified.

“You get issues completed sooner,” he stated. “For instance, if my spouse is getting ready meals, I can wash the dishes. If my spouse is gathering firewood, I can get water. [This way,] all of us eat earlier.”

Mr. Masereka stated this shift has improved his relationship together with his spouse and youngsters.

“I really feel completely satisfied as a result of now the kids can inform me something, my spouse doesn’t conceal something – she could be very clear and clear, as I’m along with her,” he stated.

SDG 5

SDG 5: EMPOWER ALL WOMEN AND GIRLS

 

• Finish all types of discrimination and violence in opposition to ladies and ladies
• Eradicate such dangerous practices as early and compelled marriages and feminine genital mutilation
• Adapt and strengthen laws to advertise gender equality and empower ladies and ladies
• Guarantee ladies’s full and efficient participation and equal alternatives for management in political, financial and public life
• Guarantee common entry to sexual and reproductive well being care

 

Globally, nearly half of all married ladies presently lack decision-making energy over their sexual and reproductive well being and rights.

 

Shifting attitudes and supporting survivors

The Highlight Initiative goals to remove violence in opposition to ladies and ladies by way of complete programming that addresses all key drivers of violence. It promotes legal guidelines and insurance policies that forestall violence, strengthens establishments, promotes gender-equitable social norms, strengthens ladies’s actions and gives important companies to survivors of violence.

Since 2019, greater than 1,500 males in Uganda have skilled as optimistic male position fashions with the help of Highlight Initiative by way of UNFPA. Every of them performs a vital position in altering the norms and attitudes that result in violence and supporting survivors to entry the companies they want.

Mr. Masereka raises consciousness of the problem by distributing data at church and neighborhood features, conducts dwelling visits to assist {couples} resolve points and leads discussions about violence amongst males and boys on the male motion teams he visits.

He additionally follows up on ladies who drop out of college and baby marriage circumstances. He additionally helps survivors of violence to entry well being and justice companies. This consists of escorting ladies and ladies to the police and native council places of work to report violence.

To him, participating males and boys is a vital step in eliminating violence.

“Most perpetrators of gender-based violence are males,” he stated bluntly. “Males and boys may be a part of the answer. They will use their energy to alter the neighborhood for the higher.”