CSOs Ask MPs to Prioritize Gender Related Bills

Civil Society Organizations under the Domestic Violence Act Coalition have asked Parliament to give gender-related Bills special attention.

The CSOs include; Action Aid, Agency for Cooperation and Research in Development (ACORD), Uganda Network on Law Ethics and HIV/Aids (UGANET), Uganda Women Parliamentary Association (UWOPA) and Centre for Domestic Violence Prevention (CEDOVIP). 

Addressing a press conference on Friday at the UGANET offices in Ntinda, ahead of the International Women’s Day celebrations, the activists say that despite efforts world over to recognize girls and women’s rights, their potential and self-determination continues to be affected.

They urged Members of Parliament to prioritize bills that have been brought to them specifically on the vulnerable groups. They say that although it is a political season, and all efforts are towards Politics come 2021, it is important to prioritize these bills affecting the women.

The women and men who have been working to have bills such as the succession bill, the sexual offences bill, the marriage bill and Employment amendment bill say there is need to advance these bills looking at the fact that they have not only been in the shelve for long but because of their importance.

Of these bills only two, the Marriage Bill and the Sexual offences bill were reconsidered by parliament.

Harriet Mary Lamunu, the coordinator UWOPA, the gender-sensitive bills should be given enough attention looking and the gravity women and men are facing.

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Dora Kicongo Musinguzi, the UGANET Executive Director they have been urging Parliament over time about the bills. She says that women need protection more than ever especially on issues of sexual harassment.

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Upon concluding on electoral bills, Parliament is expected to deal with the motions of cities, and then delve into the four gender bills.