Gender Eye -Issue 2

Ministry of Education and Sports

THE GENDER EYE

                          

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Republic of uganda                                                                                                                      Gender unit

Issue 2
The theme for the second issue is:

“ZERO TOLERANCE TO GENDER BASED VIOLENCE IN SCHOOLS”

 

Editorial

Violence against children in all forms, and especially sexual violence, is a growing concern in sub Saharan Africa. The unprecedented number of orphans and vulnerable children resulting from the Aids pandemic and armed conflicts combined with the weakening of family and community care structures has greatly increased the risks of violence and exploitation faced by children. Violence against children is profound violation of human rights and has devastating short and long term mental and physical health consequences on child development.

Despite a relatively strong legal framework, violence against children in Uganda is wide spread, occurring almost in all settings. A study conducted in 2005 found that 98% of the children interviewed had experienced physical or emotional violence; 76% had experienced sexual violence and 74% had experienced economic violence with 24.3% of the children indicating that it occurred both at home and in school.

60.4% of in-school children particularly reported being routinely beaten and humiliated.

Preventing and responding to violence remains a daunting challenge. In order to tackle Violence Against Children in schools, the key line ministries including Ministry of Education and Sports and Ministry of Gender Labour and Social Development will establish an inter-sectoral committee to address violence in schools.

This second issue of the Gender Eye is dedicated to addressing issues of Violence against Children in schools, and gives experiences of the children and progress by the government of Uganda and partners towards zero tolerance to Gender Based violence in schools.

Welcome and please contribute to the debate and be part of the processes to end Violence in schools!!

Margaret Kasiko

Gender Technical Adviser/MoES

So what is GBV? GBV is often defined as any act, omission, or conduct that is perpetuated against a person’s will and that is based on socially ascribed differences (gender) between males and females. In this context, GBV includes but is not limited to sexual violence, physical violence and harmful traditional practices, and economic and social violence. Examples of GBV include trafficking in women and girls, rape, domestic violence, sexual abuse of children, and harmful cultural practices and traditions that irreparably damage girls’ and women’s reproductive and sexual health such as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). The primary driver of GBV is the power imbalance between women and men and the practice is deeply entrenched in some cultural practices and intimate relationships. As a result, while GBV affect both gender, women and girls suffer predominantly from it. Here in Uganda, many women and girls are also affected by GBV. The recent Uganda Demographic Health Survey (UDHS 2011) indicates twenty-eight percent of women and 9 percent of men age 15-49 report having experienced sexual violence at least once in their lifetime.

GOVERNMENT & UNICEF LAUNCH ‘NATIONAL ZERO VIOLENCE’ CAMPAIGN IN SCHOOLS

The Government of Uganda in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and other child rights stakeholders on 17th September launched the ‘National Zero violence’campaign in schools on the National Prayer day for Children and Action for Children at Hotel Africana.

Members of the Uganda Parliamentary Fellowship, High level representatives from the Government Executive, Legislature and Judiciary, Representatives of faith-based organizations including Uganda Catholic Secretariat, Church of Uganda and Uganda Muslim Supreme Council all attended the function

Some of the forms of violence include beating, Verbal, sexual and emotional abuse or any other violence that children may face.

The launch of the National Zero Violence Campaign in Schools kick started the advocacy for a culture of Zero tolerance to violence against children in schools. The campaign addresses various forms of violence perpetrated against children in schools, and encourage positive alternatives to punishment – such as mentoring, guidance and counseling. The alternatives will help encourage pupils to learn and be disciplined rather than when subjected to pain.

The campaign aims at creating a safe environment in which children in Uganda will learn, play, thrive and develop into productive, self-driven adults, and to ensure that their right to a peaceful, secure and enabling environment is not trampled upon by teachers, fellow students or other people they trust.The campaign also aims at changing attitudes and break the cycle of violence, since abused children often become perpetrators of violence themselves. With the campaign, the cycle of violence will be put to an end.

During the launch participants were tasked to look for a way forward to a future where children in Uganda enjoy a childhood of playing, learning and growing up safe, loved and cherished, this year’s National Day of Prayer and Action for Children was dedicated to launching the ‘National Zero violence’ campaign in schools.

“Together we can build a world where children’s safety and well-being are assured and where they can grow to adulthood in health, peace and dignity,”

THE 16 DAYS OF ACTIVISM ON GENDER BASED VIOLENCE (GBV)

The 16 Days of Activism on Gender Based Violence (GBV) is coming up soon and we would like to encourage all schools to take part in this important activity.

The 16 Days Campaign is an annual event to be held from November 25^th to December 10^th every year. It was launched by Center Women’s Global Leadership (CWGL) in 1991 as an annual campaign that demands the elimination of all forms of violence against women. It is aimed at raising awareness about GBV and to encourage others to help eliminate GBV.

Because the first day, November 25, is International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and the last day, December 10, is International Human Rights Day and the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the 16 days highlights that GBV violates human rights.

In order to symbolically link violence against women and human rights and to emphasize that such violence is a violation of human rights, this 16-day period also highlights other significant dates as follows:

November 29 – International Women Human Rights Defenders Day

December 1 – World AIDS Day

December 5 – International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development

December 6 – Marks the anniversary of the Montreal Massacre, observed in Canada as the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.

This year’s Theme: “From peace in the Home to peace in the Nation. End Violence Against Women”

The sub-themes of the Campaign are:
- Sexual and gender based violence committed by state agents, particularly the police or military
- Proliferation of small arms and their role in domestic violence
- Sexual violence in and after conflict

The public can participate in this activism by

* Raising awareness about gender based violence as a human rights issue at the local, national, regional and international levels
* Strengthening local work around violence against women
* Establishing a clear link between local and international work to end violence against women
* Providing a forum in which organizers can develop and share new and effective strategies
* demonstrating the solidarity of women around the world organizing against violence against women
* Creating tools to pressure governments to implement promises made to eliminate violence against women

Look out for radio discussions, television and radio talk shows and newspaper pull outs during the commemoration of the 16 days of activism.

 
Upcoming events/activities:

v   Gender awareness training for center coordinating tutors in Karamoja-13^th -15^th /11/2012

v   Gender Task Force Meeting 20^th/11/2012

v   Planning meeting with gender and budget focal points 23^rd/11/2012

v   Review of Girls’ Strategy starts- November 2012:

v   CEDAW reporting workshop- 4^th/12/2012

 

New Year 2013

v   Gender Audit

v   Developing Gender in Education Strategy.

v   Completion of National Girls’ Strategy.

v   Review of Gender in Education Policy

 

Contact us!!!

Gender unit

UDC Building Rm 3.23

E-mail:  gendermoes@gmail.com

Blog: gendermoes.blogspot.com

Tel: +256-312517407

 

The Gender Unit- Ministry of Education and Sports wishes you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LAUNCH OF THE GENDER IN EDUCATION PROFILE AT THE 19TH ESSR HELD AT HOTEL AFRICANA ON 24TH OCTOBER 2012 BY THE MINISTER FOR EDUCATION AND SPORTS.

Minister of Education and Sports Launches/ unveils the Gender in Education Profile while the Gender Technical Advisor looks on..
The launch of the Gender in Education Profile was at the 19^th Education and Sports Sector Review. The ministersaid during the lauch that the Ministry has been working with many partners in the area of gender mainstreaming but it had never taken stock of the various initiatives that are undertaken by the different actors however the Gender in Education Profile is the first of its kind in the Ministry to take note of these initiatives by the different actors.

 She said that mainstreaming Gender in Education activities is key in attaining both the EFA and MDG goals and will support the sector in attaining its key outputs.  she applauded the  partners profiled in this publication since they have supported and enhanced the mainstreaming of gender in various regions. 

 

The publication will guide on identifying key actors and gaps and will give all of us a platform for networking and advocacy for gender equity and equality in the sector. 

 

 

 

 

The Gender in Education Profile

 

 

Special thanks go out to Gender Unit staff, the Gender Task Force and Irish Aid who have worked tirelessly and supported the production of this profile.

 

  Proposed Gender Actions for mainstreaming Gender in Education that had been done with the gender and budget focal point officers of the education sector were also circulated on that day to enrich  discussions throughout the review.

 Special thanks go out to Plan Uganda who supported the unit to have these two documents printed and produced.

 

Proposed gender actions for mainstreaming Gender in educaton

 

 

 

Some of the guests of  the day "Education Development Partners"

CHILDREN’S MEMORANDUM

1.   Preamble

On 10^th October 2012, we the 120 children from east, central, northern and western parts of Uganda gathered at Arch Apartments, Ntinda in Kampala Uganda to discuss issues that concern us on child marriages and teenage pregnancy. We desire to present these issues to leaders on the occasion of the commemoration of the day of the Girl Child 2012.

Our theme was “Too young to marry: End Child marriage and teenage Pregnancy”

In line with the theme, we had extensive discussion on the causes, effects and recommendations for ending child marriage and teenage pregnancy. We also shared our real life testimonies on our experiences on child marriage and teenage pregnancy.

This symposium was intended to achieve the following objectives:

1.    To promote meaningful participation of children who have been affected by teenage pregnancies and early marriages and the respect of their views by all.

2.    To advocate for more action on prevention and support to children at risk and affected by teenage pregnancies and early marriages.

 

2.   ISSUES AND CONCERNS RELATED TO CHILD MARRIAGES AND TEENAGE PREGNANCY

·         Lack information and guidance: during adolescence on how to manage peer pressure/influence to avoid sex.

·         Lack of parental care; we lack adequate parental care because some parents are too busy to talk to us, some do not care, others sell their children to traffickers and others are drunkards that they do not take care of basic need at home.

·         Poverty: many children lack basic needs because parents do not care, are poor or drink their money away. This makes children admire what others have, hence ending up in transactional sex and early marriages.

·         Child abuse: many children are tortured at home leading to running away to streets and into early marriages. We are defiled at school, on our way to school, at home and on the way from wells, leading to early pregnancy.

·         Lack of life skills; children lack self-esteem and confidence to make informed choices about early sex. For instance a boy can tell a girl that “I love you” and instead of being bold a girl replies in soft voices.

·         Pornography: we are exposed to pornography on the internet, films brought at home by parents and red pepper which makes children to try to do what they see.

·         School drop outs: we drop out of school early due to lack of school fees and end up in marriage.

·         Discrimination of the disabled: We are concerned that children with disabilities are neglected.

·         Indiscipline: some of us children are indisciplined, we refuse to go to school, tease others, join bad groups, visit boyfriends, dress scantily and allow bad touches which lead to early sex and early pregnancy.

·         Pregnancy: when girls get pregnant, we face problems during delivery. When the boy makes a girl pregnant, he starts doing bad things such as theft and child labour to get money to care for the girl friend.

·         Other risks; because of early marriage and teenage pregnancy, we drop out of school, we are exposed to HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases and abortion which many times end up in death. We are concerned about the teasing and being laughed at that pregnant girls go through because they are too short and young to carry pregnancy or get married.

·         What about the future; we are concerned about the children of the future that girls who get pregnant early give birth too. They may for instance not value children’s rights because their parents were not protected in their childhood. After getting pregnant and married, girls live a miserable life; the world becomes small especially when the man does not take care.

 

3.   RECOMMENDATIONS ON ENDING CHILD MARRIAGE AND TEENAGE PREGNANCY

We recommend the following

To government

1.    Strengthen enforcement of laws: on child abuse issue, particularly defilement. So that people who defile and impregnate children are arrested and punished. Fight corruption so that defilers do not: “buy “police to win cases of child sexual abuse.

2.    Care for children with disabilities: we appeal to government to build schools and provide learning / communication aides for special need children. We ask government to teach people sign language such as doctors, police and drivers among others so that children can be helped when they go to their offices for help.

3.    Provide equal opportunity: for education of girls and boys. Allow and support children who got pregnant to go back to school.

4.    Educate the public about protecting children to eliminate child marriage and teenage pregnancy.

5.    Abolish that business of prostitution and promote poverty alleviation programmes.

6.    Support poor children with scholastic materials so that they do not engage in sex to get their basic needs.

To parents

1.    Protect children: avoid sending off children into early marriage, do not send children alone at night.

2.    Provide for children: their basic needs, avoid bad and abusive language.

3.    Counsel and guide children about sex, peer pressure and dangers of early marriage and pregnancy. Parents should mean what they say, do not deceive children to go in early marriages yet you know that there are problems.

4.    Visit children with disabilities; don’t abandon children with disabilities to schools.

To non-governmental Organisations

1.    Educate the public to protect children from child marriages and teenage pregnancy.

2.    Support children who get pregnant to have safe delivery and go back to school.

To children

1.    Behave well by being obedient to your parent’s advice and stop walking at night

2.    Abstain from sex till you are an adult. There is time for everything including sex and getting married.

3.    Be patient: stay in school, be contented with the little you have and avoid gifts from strangers/ lifts, bad peer groups and desiring other people’s things.

4.    Respect yourself: avoid prostitution, short skirts and other bad dressing codes

5.    Speak out: be bold when men disturb you for sex. Share the challenges you go through with your leaders and adults so that other children are protected.

Our appeal goes to the government to ensure that issues concerning children especially those highlighted in the presentation are implemented. We also appeal to members of parliament, NGOS, church leaders, community leaders, school administration, teachers, parents, guardians, fellow children and every one that children’s rights are human rights too. Everyone should do something every day to protect children from child marriage and teenage pregnancy.

 

May god bless you as you take the children’s plea forward in the next 50 years.

 

Gender unit-MoES