Hoima communities have been empowered to identify and report cases of sexual and gender violence (SGBV), courtesy of Reproductive health Uganda (RHU) and the Danish Family Planning Association (DFPA).

Nancy Apiyo, RHU Gender Coordinator says that the Sexual Reproductive Health Rights and gender equality (SRHRGE) project trained 1,100 persons 80% women on issues of gender-based violence (GBV) and SGBV in Hoima District. The SRHRGE project changed and relaxed acts of dislike of, contempt for, and ingrained prejudice against women.

Apiyo, says that these acts devalue women, normalize their abuse, and perpetrators claim GBV is accidental, ignores sexism, promote aggressive masculinity, and use men’s achievements to exonerate, excuse, and deny the impact of their behavior. Therefore, women have also been empowered to stand up for their rights and report GBV and SGBV issues, penetrate leadership positions and also fend for their families.

In the past year, the direct economic cost of violence against women in Uganda approximates at sh77.5b the World Health Organization reports.

GBV and SGBV trainees in Hoima district