Within the second of a two-part collection from Uganda, Timothy Mbene Masereka spoke to the UN Inhabitants Fund (UNFPA) forward of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, marked yearly from 25 November to 10 December, Human Rights Day.

As a village well being employee, Mr. Masereka goes from home to accommodate in a few of the remotest areas in Kasese district in western Uganda.

He enjoys serving to individuals and is adept at managing diseases equivalent to malaria and pneumonia. Nevertheless, there was one well being emergency that he didn’t know tips on how to tackle: violence in opposition to ladies and women.

“Throughout my periods [in people’s homes], I noticed that gender-based violence was an issue, and I attempted to deal with it at a decrease degree, utilizing my very own reasoning, however I lacked the talents to essentially clear up the problem,” he mentioned.

What Mr. Masereka noticed wasn’t uncommon – violence in opposition to ladies and women is the world’s most pervasive human rights violation, affecting one in three ladies globally. In Uganda, virtually 30 per cent of women and girls reported experiencing intimate associate violence up to now 12 months.

Regardless of its prevalence, Mr. Masereka mentioned violence in opposition to ladies and women was handled as a non-public challenge.

“In my group, males dominated, and gender-based violence wasn’t mentioned brazenly,” he defined.

Change begins at dwelling

When Mr. Masereka was approached to finish gender-based violence coaching supported by the Spotlight Initiative via the UN sexual and reproductive well being company, UNFPA, he jumped on the alternative.

“The group improvement officer talked to me concerning the Highlight Initiative and its work on stopping violence in opposition to ladies and women,” he mentioned. “She mentioned males have a giant function to play in stopping violence and requested whether or not I wished to work as male motion group mentor.”

He then attended a coaching run by ACORD, a nationwide non-governmental group that promotes social justice. Throughout the course, he realized tips on how to speak to males and boys about gender-based violence, tips on how to counsel {couples} to resolve disputes via dialogue and tips on how to establish and refer ladies and women experiencing violence to the suitable authorities and providers.

The coaching additionally opened his eyes to subtler types of violence, equivalent to financial violence and unequal gender energy dynamics.

“For instance, the ladies plant [crops], however they got no say in what occurs to the crops; the boys made [all] the selections,” he defined.

Enhancing energy dynamics

The course compelled him to look at the distribution of energy and labour in his personal family.

“I realized that chores within the dwelling may be carried out by each women and men,” he mentioned. “The pounding and cooking of meals and bathing the youngsters are all duties that may be finished by each the mom and the daddy.”

When he first started to tackle home chores, he mentioned individuals laughed at him: “They’d say ‘He has been put down by his spouse,’ issues like that.” However after they noticed how way more productive his home grew to become, their attitudes modified.

“You get issues finished quicker,” he mentioned. “For instance, if my spouse is making ready meals, I can wash the dishes. If my spouse is amassing firewood, I can get water. [This way,] all of us eat earlier.”

Mr. Masereka mentioned this shift has improved his relationship along with his spouse and kids.

“I really feel glad as a result of now the youngsters can inform me something, my spouse doesn’t cover something – she could be very clear and clear, as I’m along with her,” he mentioned.

SDG 5: EMPOWER ALL WOMEN AND GIRLS

• Finish all types of discrimination and violence in opposition to ladies and women
• Eradicate such dangerous practices as early and compelled marriages and feminine genital mutilation
• Adapt and strengthen laws to advertise gender equality and empower ladies and women
• Guarantee ladies’s full and efficient participation and equal alternatives for management in political, financial and public life
• Guarantee common entry to sexual and reproductive well being care

Globally, virtually half of all married ladies at the moment lack decision-making energy over their sexual and reproductive well being and rights.

Shifting attitudes and supporting survivors

The Highlight Initiative goals to get rid of violence in opposition to ladies and women via complete programming that addresses all key drivers of violence. It promotes legal guidelines and insurance policies that forestall violence, strengthens establishments, promotes gender-equitable social norms, strengthens ladies’s actions and gives important providers to survivors of violence.

Since 2019, greater than 1,500 males in Uganda have educated as constructive male function fashions with the assist of Highlight Initiative via UNFPA. Every of them performs a vital function in altering the norms and attitudes that result in violence and supporting survivors to entry the providers they want.

Mr. Masereka raises consciousness of the problem by distributing info at church and group capabilities, conducts dwelling visits to assist {couples} resolve points and leads discussions about violence amongst males and boys on the male motion teams he visits.

He additionally follows up on women who drop out of college and baby marriage circumstances. He additionally helps survivors of violence to entry well being and justice providers. This contains escorting ladies and women to the police and native council places of work to report violence.

To him, participating males and boys is a vital step in eliminating violence.

“Most perpetrators of gender-based violence are males,” he mentioned bluntly. “Males and boys may be a part of the answer. They’ll use their energy to alter the group for the higher.”