By Florence Alaro
Following the various attributed causes towards the increased rise in gender based violence occurrences, poor economic conditions stands out in a sobering revelation as the real cause associated with the rise of this societal problem.
Gender Based Violence (GBV) is an everyday threat for Ugandan women and girls. The National demographic data from 2020 reveal that 56% of married women aged between 15 – 49 years have reported having suffered physical and sexual violence by male counterparts.
The Ministry of Gender has highlighted a disturbing trend in the major causes of the rise of Gender Based Violence (GBV), shedding a light on the harsh economic conditions on families as the main cause. Startling statistics indicate that at least 56% of women in Uganda have once encountered some form of violence a very distressing situation, attributed to the prevailing tough economic climate. Economic violence on the other hand, takes the form of for example, property damage, and restricting access to financial resources, education or labor market or not complying with economic responsibilities and many others.
According to a Gender report, there is evidence that shows that the leading causes of gender based violence are economic related including; poverty, alcoholism for both men and women, cultural practices like; early marriages mostly for economic gain, bride price, limited counseling and drug abuse among others. Poverty has also strongly been linked to violence in a number of ways. Most scholars as well as lay persons believe that those who live in poverty more frequently engage in acts of violence as a consequence of conditions that they are subjected to.
Peace Mutuzo the State Minister for Gender linked the surge in gender based violence to the turbulent economic times, where men find themselves unable to provide for their families, leading to the heightened tension within households. Despite initiatives like the 16 days of activism aimed at raising awareness about the dangers of GBV, the prevalence of such cases remains distressingly high.
This in turn she says, contributes to a cycle of violence that affects both men and women and for that matter the Ministry of Gender stresses that combating this societal menace requires a concerted effort.
Meanwhile Mifumi a Women’s Rights Organization believes, the violence against women is a result of historically unequal power relations between men and women that are reflected in existing gender relationships in society today. This unequal power often places women in a position of societal disadvantage.
Mifumi too further believes that poor economic factors create patterns of violence and poverty that become self-perpetuating, making it extremely difficult for the victims to extricate themselves. When unemployment and poverty affect men, this can cause them to assert their masculinity through violent means against women.
By the end of March 2023, members of the Gender Based Violence sector working group (SWG) managed to identify 1,526 incidents reported in all the thirteen refugee hosting districts in Uganda. The main types of GBV disclosed by survivors included; psychosocial / emotional abuse (32%), physical assault (24%) and denial of resources (24%).
Therefore, as Uganda grapples with complex interplay between economic challenges and domestic violence, there is a pressing need for a multi-faceted approach to address both the root causes and the immediate consequences of Gender Based Violence (GBV).
