As the world over celebrates the 16 Days of Activism against Gender- Based Violence, parents and primary school pupils of three different schools in Luzira, Butabika and Mutungo sub counties of Nakawa division gathered on a Saturday and matched through their communities, campaigning to end violence against women and girls.
The three-hour match processed from St James Primary School Biina, through Luzira, Kirombe Zone to Mutungo. Both parents and pupils shouted slogans against domestic violence on the way, while carrying plasters that called for gender equality, promotion of girl-child education, human rights among others and declaration of feminism.
Maureen Luwaga, a single mother of two, who are attending St Kizito Primary School, says she marched because she wanted to voice her grievances regarding the inequalities in provision of child education.
“I came from a home where only boys were granted a chance at education. My two younger sisters and I were not allowed an education beyond primary school and were married off at a tender age,” she says. “I’m here to let people know that it’s wrong. Education should be granted to both boys and girls.”
Viola Namubiru, a Primary Five Pupil at Murchison Bay Primary School, Luzira, says she was participating in the march because she wanted to express herself about child pregnancies.
“I want the community to know that it is bad for a girl such as myself to get pregnant while at school and that those men who lie to children and get them pregnant should stop,” she says.
Educating the girl-child
The march was organised by Girl Up, a local NGO that engages in empowering girls from less privileged families to stay in school by providing them with life skills, and education on child rights.
According to Monica Nyiraguhabwa, the executive director of Girl Up, the march was to draw the attention of the Luzira community to the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence campaign.
“This is a unique period during which the whole world is putting emphasis on what it means for each individual, male and female, as far as ending violence against girls and women, is concerned,’ says Nyiraguhabwa.
The National Strategy for Girls’ Education (2015-2019) highlights that sexual abuse is one of the biggest barriers to girls’ accessing and staying in school. Girls are more vulnerable to experiencing violence in school and in homes than boys (22.8 per cent girls compared to 8.8 per cent boys face sexual abuse) and these are even more serious for girls living with disabilities.