Police intensify fight against gender based violence

Police and International Development Law Organisation ( IDLO) have held discussions on how to work together in partnership to deal with Gender Based Violence (GBV) and violence against children.

The meeting was chaired by the Chief Political Commissar, AIGP Asan Kasingye, at Police headquarters, Naguru.

Kasingye said a total of only 390 police officers have been trained in 13 districts and called for training of more police officers across the country.

He said this will help to appreciate and appropriately apply the guidelines of handling children in conflict with the law.

Kasingye said the training equips police officers with knowledge and skills on the existing legal framework on the rights and protection of children.

He further explained that the training will enable police officers appreciate the diversion guidelines and appropriately apply them in their routine duties.

He said by doing this,it will enhance coordination among police officers and other stakeholders in the justice system when dealing with children who commit minor offences in order to strengthen the child protection system.

Uganda has been witnessing an upsurge in the number of domestic violence cases amid the financial squeeze caused by Covid-19.

However, activists said that all the existing legal frame work has not been able to bring about the much needed justice due to implementation issues.

Uganda has a number of laws that punish offenders including the Penal Code Act cap 120 (as amended) that provide for prosecution of major offences like rape and defilement among others.

However, Parliament in 2010 enacted the Domestic Violence Act which has made it much easier to punish perpetrators of domestic violence and issue respective orders to guard against the vice.

The Prevention and Prohibition of Torture Act of 2012 also complements the aforementioned laws.

By April 17, 2020 police had registered 328 domestic violence related cases during this period of one month of the nationwide lockdown aimed at preventing the spread of coronavirus.

According to the 2018 Violence Against Children Nationwide Survey, three out of four Ugandans experienced violence in their childhood, .

The report further indicated that among 18-24-year-olds, one in three girls and one in six boys reported experiencing sexual violence during their childhood.