Areas of Implementation: Pader and Gulu
Funded by: The Global Fund For Human Rights
The COVID-19 pandemic and the associated movement and contact restrictions instituted to mitigate the spread of the virus have invariably created the conditions which have led to the escalation of violence against children, women and girls in most communities in Uganda.
Moreso, the closure of schools due to the pandemic has interrupted the education of millions of children and youth. And now confined to their homes, these children are more predisposed to the risk of experiencing hunger, violence and sexual abuse both at household and community levels.
The increasing COVID-19 infection cases in the community and the growing poverty levels create unparalleled pressure on both parents and children to find alternative sources of livelihood and some parents have resorted to forcing their teenage girls into marriage in exchange of material benefits. Worse still, the pressure to fend for their families during the pandemic is creating physical and mental toll on most households resulting in an escalation into Gender Based Violence.
Joy for Children Uganda (JFCU) is conducting a survey in the communities around Achwa 1&2 Hydro Power Stations in Gulu and Pader districts to collect sex-disaggregated data. The survey will inform data-driven response, prevention advocacy and policies focused on ending violence against children, girls and women from the local to the national level amidst this COVID-19 period.
Impact of the project.
The availability of VAC, GBV and SEA statistics in this pandemic is still irregular and or it almost does not exist in all regions of Uganda.
There is a need for more and better data to inform evidence-based programming in order to address human rights violations which has been further escalated during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Advocates and defenders of children, women and girls’ safety and rights, as well as international agencies, national policymakers and donors, need to understand the nature and magnitude of the violence.
Project objective.
Ensure sex-disaggregated data is collected to understand the impact of COVID-19 on violence against children, girls and women and inform the response.
Strengthen evidence based advocacy and engagement of different actors to address violence against children, girls and women during COVID-19.
Current Achievements & limitations
Despite the challenges of COVID19 restrictions, JFCU team has been working remotely and within the Standard Operating Procedures to ensure our much needed work is progressive.
On 7th September, 2020, our team visited the ASP Child Protection and Family Affairs & Probation Officer in Gulu to gather data on the impact of COVID19 on Gulu and Pader.
We were able to gather information on GBV, VAC and SEA from 100 respondents in Pader and Gulu communities. This information will inform our subsequent interventions for the issues faced during COVID-19.
Findings show that there is a surge in the number of girls who have been victims of teenage pregnancies and child marriages.
