The campaign for this year’s 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence is ongoing. 

This year’s national theme, ‘Speak Out! End Gender-Based Violence’ calls for continued efforts to increase awareness as well as inspire advocacy efforts in the continued fight against Gender Based Violence (GBV).

Due to various reasons, GBV remains a challenge even with the present efforts from various activists and organisations. Women are still faced with challenges such as rape, harassment, domestic abuse among others.

Come Ndemezo, director in charge of programs at Haguruka, a local non-government organisation that stands up for the rights of women and children, says gender inequality remains the biggest cause of GBV.

He says this social portent in which men and women are not treated equally, where power is imbalanced between men and women is the major cause of GBV. 

There are also other factors such as male attitudes of disrespect towards women, lack of respect for the human rights of women and girls, unquestioned assumptions about appropriate male and female behaviour, desire for power and control on behalf of traditions; he says, adding that these provoke GBV.

He observes that the legal or justice system and laws silently condone violence against women and girls, "Insufficient knowledge of laws against GBV and impunity for perpetrators can also be a cause. The collapse of traditional society and family and community support systems is an issue on the other hand. Cultural and traditional practices, religious beliefs, alcohol or drug abuse, boredom and being redundant, loss of male power or role in family and community; seeking to regain and or assert power, all influence violence against women.”

Forms of Gender Based Violence

Whereas men too are victims of violence, Ndemezo notes that the majority of GBV victims are women and girls.

Victims tend to suffer physical violence such as; sexual violence which includes rape, defilement, marital rape assault, psychological violence which is mostly verbal and emotional abuse. There is also economic violence where one is deprived of their access to resources, mismanagement of family property, not providing alimony (a legal obligation for a person to provide financial support to his or her spouse before or after marital separation or divorce).

Need to speak up

Violence against women and girls is a human rights violation that’s been perpetuated for decades. It’s pervasive, but it’s not inevitable, unless we stay silent, an article on the UN Women website indicates.

Show your solidarity with survivors, where you stand in the fight for women’s rights. Stand against rape culture- rape culture is the social environment that allows sexual violence to be normalised and justified, fuelled by the persistent gender inequalities and attitudes about gender and sexuality. Naming it is the first step to dismantling rape culture.

Every day we have the opportunity to examine our behaviours and beliefs for biases that permit rape culture to continue. Think about how you define masculinity and femininity, and how your own biases and stereotypes influence you.

From the attitudes we have about gender identities to the policies we support in our communities, we can all take action to stand against rape culture, the article shows.

Ndemezo advises victims to always seek assistance immediately, the moment they feel threatened, are abused, and harassed so that they are saved from enduring so much torture. 

However, if they’re not comfortable talking about it, they can report whenever they are ready. Also, talking about it with their friends and family members is not enough; they have to seek assistance from service providers responsible so that the perpetrators are held accountable, he emphasises.

"When we receive cases, we provide legal aid assistance to victims, whereby we draft legal briefs and submit or file their cases to court. Haguruka also provides psychosocial counselling to complement legal aid services given to them so that in the process of claiming their rights, they also restore their mental and emotional health.”

As gender-based violence has spiked during COVID-19, the gaps in gender sensitive data collection have become more glaring than ever. More efforts are hence needed to strengthen the fight.