Members of Parliament under their umbrella body Uganda Women Parliamentary Association (UWOPA) and Civil Society -Youth and Adolescent Health Forum-Uganda have launched a campaign aimed at bringing justice to victims of sexual abuse.
The campaign code-named “My Body, My Consent” will torch more light on the role of the justice system in Uganda in fighting the ever-increasing vice of sexual violence.
The National Youth MP, Ann Adeke Ebaju who is also the Chairperson of the Youth Parliamentary Affairs Association told journalists at parliament on Wednesday that the campaign will center mostly around exhausting justice against doers of sex crimes who include among others largely rapists and defilers.
The MPS also want to table a motion on the floor asking Parliament that will see the passing of the Sexual Offences Bill before the end of January as it is the only adequate law that can curb the vices and give justice to the survivors.
According to Adeke, all forms of sexual assault that has been committed against the women and girls in the country and there have been overwhelming numbers of such cases being witnessed by Ugandans and leaders who have failed to get justice as a result of the botched justice system.
She added that UWOPA and the Uganda Youth and Adolescent Health Forum-Uganda will not look on as perpetrators of these crimes don’t get what they deserve especially after seeing the bravery of survivors who are willing to share their experiences with the world.
According to the team, the two bodies will provide legal and psychosocial support to victims of rape and sexual assault and publicly condemning sexual violence in all its forms by encouraging the victims to speak up, naming and shaming the perpetrators of sexual assault and rape.
She also revealed plans by MPs Jovah Kamateeka (Mitoma Woman MP), said that it is so absurd that rape has been normalized in the country and victims are always further victimized.
According to the 2018 Uganda Police Crime report, out of 14,985 defilement cases reported, only 4,651 were taken to court, of which 609 led to convictions, and 3,704 cases were left pending.
The report also registered 1,335 rape cases with 396 cases being taken to court, of these only six ended in conviction,375 are still pending while 600 are still being investigated.
