CSOs ask government to get tough on sexual harassment

TEDDY JANET KABASAMBU

Plan International, a child rights organisation yesterday launched a report on girls and young women's experiences of reporting sexual harassment.

The report was part of the commemoration of the 16 days of activism against gender based violence.

The event was presided over by the High court's Justice David Batema Ndikabona one of the most renowned gender activists and champions of women's rights in Uganda.

The report revealed that an overwhelmingly number of girls and young women thought they would not be believed by authorities if they reported a case of street harassment.

They said such cases would be belittled as unimportant and nothing to worry about.

One of the victims of harassment said women would be further harassed by the authorities.

Speaking at the event, Greg Lavender, the interim country director at Plan International Uganda, noted that street harassment is one of the various forms of violence that negatively impacts on the lives of many women and girls in the country.

"This vice cannot be treated lightly anymore. All human beings have a right to be treated equally without any form of discrimination," Lavender said.

He said Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is clear and states that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.

Justice Batema said government should pass the Sexual Harassment Bill to address all these issues.

"It is our duty to breath life into the constitutional provision of gender equality," said Justice Batema.