Buhuhira Sub-county in Busongora County North, Kasese district is grappling with increased cases of Gender Based Violence (GBV).
Enid Muhindo, the Sub-county Community Development Officer says the most common cases include defilement, child and family neglect and domestic violence among others.
To her disappointment it has come to her knowledge that some parents have developed the tendency of secretly negotiating the cases of defilement with the perpetrators, appealing to all stakeholders including police, religious , political and cultural leaders to join hands and gang up against the vice she says if not addressed, might end up ruining the future generation.
She made the revelation yesterday during a community engagement dialogue on Gender Based Violence that was organized by the Ministry of Gender, Rehabilitation and Disability Affairs of Obusinga Bwa Rwenzururu with funding from the Ugandan Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development.
It was held at the Sub-county headquarters with an objective of mobilizing clan leaders, chiefs and religious leaders among other stakeholders to discuss the negative social norms that affect the uptake of Social Reproductive Health and Preventing violence against women and girls in communities.
Mr. John Francis Okach, the Officer in-charge of Buhuhira Police Post told the gathering that they were mostly receiving common cases ranging from defilement, theft and domestic violence with women being the victims.
He wondered why some parents in the area had involved themselves in the practice of settling defilement cases privately even when they know that the act leads to early marriages that deprive their girl children the right to education.
He also lashed at a section of husbands in the area for allegedly abandoning their roles to their wives but only concentrate on drinking alcohol from the morning to evening.
Justine Muhindo Mutabazi, the Kasese Assistant RDC who officiated at the meeting, encouraged all the stakeholders to sensitize the community members about the dangers of poor parenting that promotes single motherhood.
About security, the Assistant RDC asked the community members to revive what she called “neighborhood watch.”
Earlier, Hon. Juliet Best Bakoko, the Obusinga Bwa Rwenzururu Minister of Gender, Rehabilitation and Disability Affairs, had observed that parents were no longer doing their roles as expected.
According to her, if the parents embraced good parenting, cases of early marriages and private negotiations with the alleged defilers would reduce.
She appealed to the Rwenzururu Youth to embrace education for the development and sustainability of the cultural institution.
ENDS