Evelyn Lirri
10 February 2008
Kampala — THE Alliance of Mayors and Municipal Leaders in Africa, Uganda Chapter, has called for more action to eliminate violence against women and girls.
AMICAALL Uganda Chapter Executive Director John Mugisa said in a statement that because violence against women continues to be widespread, Uganda has adopted a declaration on "no violence" against women and HIV/Aids.
The declaration, Mr Mugisa said, was made by African mayors and municipal leaders at their annual general assembly in Pretoria, South Africa, recently.
"In pursuance of the above declaration, AMICAALL Uganda Programme in collaboration with its partners will undertake a number of activities during the year 2008 to address issues of violence against women and girls that increase their vulnerability to HIV/Aids and continue to deepen the global crisis of the epidemic," Mr Mugisa said.
He said that violence against women is not only a gross violation of human rights but also a global health crisis of epidemic proportions and often times accelerates the spread of HIV/Aids.
According the United Nations Joint Programme on HIV, more than 50 percent of new HIV infections occur among women.
The leaders promised action "recognising that all forms of violence against women increase their vulnerability to HIV/Aids".
The declaration says that violence often prevents women from accessing vital HIV prevention care and treatment or disclosing their status.
As part of its commitment to address evils of domestic violence against women, AMICAALL says it will support community based training and information campaigns to change harmful norms and behaviours that perpetuate violence against women and reinforce its social acceptability.
Uganda ratified the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in 1985.
To this day, however, there is no specific law prohibiting domestic violence.
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