Prime
‘Women in big offices beating up husbands’
Ms Peace Mutuzo
KAMPALA- The state minister for Gender, Labour and Social Development, Ms Peace Mutuzo, has lashed out at the civil society for only concentrating on gender-based violence against women and ignoring men.
Speaking during the 16 days of activism to end violence against women in Kampala on Friday, Ms Mutuuzo said there is a growing concern about men being battered, especially by working women.
She said between 2001 and 2016, the percentage of men being violated was at 15 per cent and of late, it has grown to 22 per cent.
“The struggle to end gender-based violence should not only be limited to women but also men who of late have reported being violated by women who are empowered and working in big offices,” Ms Mutuzo said.
“Many women have ignored their roles of attending to their husbands and children pretending to be busy and disrespecting their husbands as well. So we should encourage and actively involve everybody to ensure that each one’s rights are respected,” the minister added.
More than 20 men from police and civil society organisations wearing high heels – normally worn by women - marched in solidarity with women under the theme: “Walk a mile in her shoes” to end violence against women.
A police officer from Child and Family Protection Department, Mr Francis Ogweng, said he had participated in the exercise in solidarity with the many women facing domestic violence.
“I walked in the shoes of a woman today but my feet became so hot and I almost fell before being whisked away on a boda boda,” Mr Ogweng said.
According to the senior advocacy officer at the Uganda Association of Women Lawyer (FIDA) Uganda, Ms Mary Munduru, violence againstwomen is still a big challenge in the country.
She said they received more than 5,000 gender-based violene cases this year stretching from physical torture, sexual abuse and economic, human trafficking and genital mutilation.
