Govt, civil society strengthen capacity to curb GBV

The Government, in collaboration with the Ghana-based Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, is conducting a training to strengthen Uganda's capacity to prevent and respond to cases of gender-based violence (GBV). 

The five-day training, through the gender ministry, is being attended by officials from the ministry, the Police, media, health ministry, Judiciary, office of the Directorate of Public Prosecution and the army (UPDF), among other representatives from the Government charged with addressing the GBV issues.

Silvia Horname Nutsukpui, the acting director for the Women, Youth Peace and Security Institute under the Kofi Annan International Peace-keeping Training Centre, said the Kofi Annan Training Centre rolled out a survey in 2020 whose findings revealed a need for capacity-building for various local actors, including security forces, relevant actors and stakeholders engaged in preventing and responding to GBV.

"We wish to equip key local actors with an understanding of the technicalities to effectively investigate cases of GBV to ensure that adequate evidence-based information is made available for victims and survivors to receive deserved justice," Nutsukpui said, adding that such trainings aim at creating awareness and sensitising traditional leaders to support the fight against GBV.

Hadijah Namuddu, a programmes officer for women, peace and security working with UN-Women in Uganda acknowledged that GBV remains one of the most perversely human rights violations, affecting especially women and girls across all regions, age groups and socio-economic backgrounds.

"It undermines not only the dignity and safety of those affected but also impedes our collective progress towards gender equality and sustainable development," she remarked.

Aware that Uganda has made a lot of meaningful efforts through police reforms, advocacy and survivor-centred interventions such as the shelters, Namuddu, however, observed that GBV remains a challenge which has been fuelled by the harmful social norms, impunity and unequal power structures in our societies and the country at large.

"The training thus comes in handy, because prevention begins with knowledge," she stated.

The training, which started on Monday, June 16, 2025, at K-Hotels in Entebbe municipality, is being sponsored by the Government of Sweden. 

Silvia Horname Nutsukpui, the acting director for the Women, Youth Peace and Security Institute under the Kofi Annan International Peace-keeping Training Centre. (Credit: Julius Luwemba)

Most vulnerable group

It was established during the Monday session that whereas males are also victims of GBV, women and girls are the most vulnerable, who suffer all forms of sexual and GBV in conflict and post-conflict situations.

Statistics from the United Nations (UN) estimate that between one-third and one-fifth of the world's population of women and girls are victims and survivors of rape, sexual assault, murder, slavery, mutilation, physical and emotional torture.

Angela Nakafeero, the commissioner women and gender affairs in Uganda, pointed out cybercrime as being another form of GBV. She cited several scenarios where women's nude photos are posted on the Internet, online fraud and social media bullying.

Nakafeero noted that the five-day training will also address such issues and how women can protect themselves against the same.

She pointed out several interventions that the Ugandan government has put in place to address GBV matters, including establishment of 25 shelters across the country where GBV victims can temporarily take refuge pending solutions to their predicaments.

"We have also generated several economic programmes geared towards empowering women as one sure way for their self-sustenance," Nakafeero stated.

According to the 2024 crime report released by Uganda police, 14,073 cases of domestic violence were registered, plus 14,425 sex-related cases were reported. All these point to gender-based violence.

The  Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training centre in collaboration with several stakeholders and government institutions have delivered the training on GBV in 10 African countries.

These include, Nigeria, Niger, Cameron, Ghana, Central African Republic, Liberia, South Sudan, Togo, Benin and Uganda being the latest.