Women in the Karamoja sub-region have called upon the government and development partners to address the recurring violence against women, girls, and children if the peace currently being enjoyed in the region is to be sustained.
The call was made during a women’s dialogue at the Karamoja cultural event organized by International Justice Mission -IJM- and other development partners in the region. The dialogue brought together women from the nine districts of Karamoja to reflect on previous commitments, achievements, existing gaps, and recommendations for action.
Betty Moru, the chairperson of Karenga Women Peace Forum, said they had organized several community dialogues in each sub-county to popularize previous commitments. She said the platform allowed them to talk to parents about indecent dressing commonly known as “show biker,” where girls wear short skirts that expose their thighs, something she said lures men into rape.
On peace, Moru said they managed to convince 15 Karimojong youth -Karachunas- who were still hiding in the bush to surrender and were granted amnesty, bringing calm to the community.
Consolata Aleper from Amudat district said they are still battling rape, child labour, violence and lack of safety gear, especially at Nawuot and Chepkararat mining sites. She said challenges are worsened by child neglect as parents spend much time at mining sites, forcing children into petty theft of chickens and goats to survive.
“For girls it’s worse as they have to engage in sexual activity in exchange for money to provide for their families, especially during this period of hunger,” Consolata said.
Rosemary Igira, the LC3 Chairperson Kotido Central Division, called for a long-term solution to Karamoja’s hunger, as it causes more suffering to women who have to look for food for their families. She said failure to find food gives rise to domestic violence, which affects children’s wellbeing.
On peace, Igira urged the government to look beyond giving iron sheets and substitute them with income-generating interventions that will directly replace raiding.
Another woman from Kotido who identified herself as a voice for the disabled said women living with disabilities are deliberately left out of government programs, yet they are the most vulnerable.
Grace Atidi, a GROW Project focal person from Abim, said the government has done enough to uplift women from poverty but decried the implementation of the GROW project in the region. She said conditions required for women to access the money do not favour the most vulnerable.
She argued that the land tenure system in Karamoja does not favour women to own land and should be redesigned, or another project designed for the less privileged.
Florence Kinei, a youth advocate from Moroto, said that due to growth in mining activities, young people, especially girls, are most affected by child labour, alcoholism and commercialized sex.
She added that harmful practices like Female Genital Mutilation, still practiced among the Tepeth community, are affecting the health of young girls and forcing them into early marriages.
She urged parents and leaders to take responsibility and enact prohibitive by-laws. Zachary Chokon, an elderly woman from Turkana, said women play a big role in society and should be supported to maintain peace and security, including along borders. She said when violence is stopped at household level, it will not escalate to wider insecurities such as raids.
She called upon government and stakeholders to support women through cross-border dialogues to bring about peace, unity and socio-economic transformation.
Catherine Sagal, a Community Engagement Associate at IJM, said that one of the objectives of the dialogue was to review the commitments made during the previous cultural festival dialogue. Sagal said that many of the commitments for Moroto District were achieved, including the fight against FGM and women venturing into entrepreneurship.
She said women were equipped with entrepreneurial skills, including making crafts, which helped them earn some income. Sagal said that the women, with support from partners and the district local government, also had parental training sessions to help them understand how to care for their families to avoid violence against children.
In this year’s dialogue, the women raised issues concerning violence in the mining sector, violence against women and children, and early marriages. Sagal challenged local leaders and partners to join hands to end violence against women and children for sustainable peace.
Stella Atiang, the Moroto Woman Member of Parliament, reminded women that children’s behaviour reflects what mothers instill in them, suggesting that if mothers want to avoid teenage marriages, they must deliberately educate both boys and girls on the dangers.
Karamoja Affairs State Minister, Esther Davinia Anyakun, said the cultural event is giving women a platform to raise their voices beyond their homes, applauding partners for supporting the initiative.
She said instead of just dancing and eating, women can now engage in productive discussions that will change how communities live. She tasked women with agreeing on a quarterly engagement plan, where she can meet them in their various districts to handle resolutions and bring responsible ministries to address concerns so that women do not wait a whole year for responses-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
