By KT Reporter
Women and victims of gender based violence have stormed the Nebbi district headquarters in protest against the closure of the Nebbi gender based violence(GBV) shelter in Nebbi town.
The women demanded explanations from their leaders on why their only gender based violence shelter, which handles GBV cases, was closed.
According to the women, the shelter was created by Action Aid-Uganda in 2007 under the project, Women Won’t Wait, with the core objective to protect and mediate women and men facing gender based violence across the district.
Angela Anyolith, the Chairperson Women’s Council, Nebbi, says closing the shelter would be a big blow to the women because the shelter was providing an environment for women and their children escaping domestic violence abuse by offering crucial support through mediations.
Anyolitho, who has been chairperson women’s council for over 10 years, anticipates that there would be an increase in gender based violence in the district if the district closes the shelter.
“The shelter is being used as a power house in handling gender based violence cases and mediating the victims before the issue is taken to court or police, and if the shelter is closed, where will the mediations be taking place?”, Anyolitho asked.
But Emmanuel Urombi, the LCV Chairperson of Nebbi, says the shelter was shifted to the Community Development Department within the district headquarters as per the resolution by the council because the place occupied by the shelter is underutilised.
“Gender based violence is for all men and women, and why women are owning the shelter alone, the district is renovating the place and handing it over to the medical institution and setting up a science institution to generate more revenue for the council”, Urombi said.
He adds that, according to the chief government valuer, Nebbi Community Social Center (NECOSOC) where the gender based shelter is operating, is losing 5 million Shillings monthly, and what is being generated as local revenue out of the premises is only 600,000 Shillings monthly, prompting the council to evict all the occupants.
Grace Madit-kwo, working with Action Aid as Psycho-social support officer at the shelter, says, Nebbi was among the three piloting districts of Mubende and Paliisa to start the GBV shelter in 2007 following many cases of gender based violence that were reported.
She adds that the threats to evict the gender based violence shelter office at the NECOSOC started in February when one of the district’s staff stormed their offices demanding their existence without any formal written documents.
Madit-kwo added that, on average, in a month, the shelter handles 10-20 cases of GBV, which are mostly associated with child neglect, witchcraft allegations linked to land disputes and mediations of the victims.
In the letter written on the 16th May, 2025 to the Management of Action Aid –Nebbi by Chief Administrative Officer ( CAO) Nebbi district Dorothy Ajwang indicates that the district has signed agreement with Nebbi School of Health Sciences to take over the whole NECOSOC facility effective 1st July 2025, notifying Action Aid –Nebbi to vacate the premises by close of business on 30th June, 2025.
Jacklyn Opar, the LCIII Chairperson, Thatha division, Nebbi Municipality, urged the duty bearers to be out of social protection over greed and consider the plights of the women because women are so vulnerable and need social protection.
Opar said that closing the Nebbi gender based violence shelter wouldn’t hold any meaning to women because it’s the only place where the privacy of women on GBVs is managed compared to other places.
“By closing the gender based violence shelter in the district, it would be a violation of women’s rights because the GBV shelter is the only safe place for women and girls to handle their GBV cases”, Opar said-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
