BY JOACKIM KULE
The Inter-Religious Council of Uganda is concerned about the increased cases of Gender Based Violence among communities in Kasese district.
This has forced the council to convene an interactive dialogue aimed at increasing public knowledge, influence, attitude and opinions on none-violence against women and girls in the district.
A report from the Kasese District Community Development office indicates that cases of violence including defilement, rape, incest, teenage and early marriages among women and girls are high in most communities across the district.
According to the report, the rate of early pregnancies within the district stands at 30.6% resulting from peer pressure and poverty among the population where at least 7,319 were impregnated during the lockdown with Nyamwamba Division taking lead with over 1,500 cases.
While speaking to the different stakeholders during their meeting at the Catholic Bishop’s hall in Kasese town on Wednesday, Dr. Rebecca Kivumba Mayanja, the Manager of Reproductive Health and HIV at the Inter-religious Council of Uganda, encouraged the people to fight against the vice of early and teenage marriages as a way of enabling young people realize a bright future. She argued that early sex among the children could lead to death in addition to becoming a health hazard to the girl children.
Rev. Daniel Token Wajuli, the Programs Specialist for Spiritual and Mindset Change at the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda revealed that their initiative was to see a God fearing, caring, healthy, prosperous, harmonious, secure and stable nation.
Rev. Fr. Joseph Mbusa, the Education Secretary for the Diocese of Kasese urged the people to know the essence for which God created them over other creatures.
Ms. Queen Asiimwe Masika, the Kasese District Senior Development Officer revealed after realizing the cases related to domestic violence were on an increase, the District formulated an ordinance that stipulates out some penalties to the perpetrators of Gender Based Violence.
Ms. Olivia Ninsiima, the Nyamwamba Division Vice Chairperson whose area was cited to be the leading lower local government on registering cases of Violence Against Children pledged to sensitize the residents to enroll the affected children back to school and complete their education.