Gender-based violence and the rights of women; case study: Katakwi Sub-county, Katakwi district

Abstract

This study concentrated on examining the effects of gender-based violence on the rights of women and girls in Katakwi sub-county, Katakwi district. The study has three specific objectives which were used as the study core guidelines and they include; to find out causes of gender-based violence, to ascertain the role played by gender-based violence in violation of rights of women and girls and to examine the existing strategies to fight against gender based violence in Katakwi sub-county, Katakwi district. It was applicable for this study to use a case study design that aided the researcher to collect qualitative data and obtain responses in-depths through sharing of ideas, perspectives, theories and experiences from the respondents. Both primary and secondary sources of data were used in data collection by the researcher. The researcher used interviews and focus group discussions as methods of data collection and data was analyzed using thematic method of data analysis. With the case study design, this study incorporated the qualitative research approach for better understanding the variables in-depths using the present and past experiences of the respondents. The study interviewed 83 respondents including 40 women and girls from the respective parishes in Katakwi sub-county, 15 Key study Informants as sub-county and district officials, 05 religious’ leaders, 05 cultural leaders, 05 LC1s, 05 Civil Society Organization, 05 male champions, 02 Start Awareness Support Action activists (SASA!), 01 In charge of health centre and 01 sub-county police officer. These were the target population because of their credibility to represent the rest of the population, provide adequate and relevant qualitative and quantitative data for the given study. The study findings revealed that women and girls in Katakwi sub-county have undergone several forms of gender-based violence ranging from physical, cultural and sexual spheres. GBV cases arise due to a number of causes; poverty leading to forced marriage in young girls by their parents seeking for dowry payments hence deprivation of education rights, unemployment that leads to alcoholism and other malpractices that drives men into forced sex with women and girls, cultural beliefs that does not support women to make decisions and participate in public activities, dominance of men over women also keeps them (women) down with no right to express their views. Much progress has been made in addressing gender-based violence in Katakwi sub-county through the interventions by national and international organizations to promote awareness in women and girls to fight for their rights by making use of police or existing organizations such as SAGE, UNICEF, AAIU, TIP, ,FCR, TERELEPAR Although, these were found out to be limited and unsatisfying by the study respondents. To achieve the objectives of the study, it was recommended that local council leaders should be helpful to GBV victims by putting in places facilities that will help women and girls fight for their rights, more so police should follow up GBV cases, emphasis on education and awareness promotion must be made because some women lack knowledge about fighting for their rights regarding gender-based violence by men, girls should be facilitated and motivated by Non- governmental Organizations and the gender department for example, through sensitization campaigns on the importance of the girl child and her education.