Digital security is of serious concern, especially since people spend more time online than ever. COVID-19 pandemic led to isolation and social distancing measures which meant that everyday activities like work and schooling were shifted online. The presence in digital spaces increases exposure to digital threats, which in turn creates the need for greater awareness of how to safely navigate the online world. From 23^rd to 25^th March 2022, the Peace Centre organised a physical and digital protection training.

Read More “Enhancing the Capacity of Young Women Leaders on Physical and Digital Protection”

By implementing the project; Strengthening Capacities for Gender Based Violence Prevention and Peace Building in Humanitarian Context in Adjumani district, The Peace Centre conducted 4 monthly community meetings to influence people’s attitudes on Sexual Gender Based Violence (SGBV) and Women Peace Security concerns.

The four meetings were held in Ciforo Sub-County and Agojo Refugee settlement respectively between 1^st and 7^th March 2022 with a total of 444 people (325 females and 119 males) including area local council leaders in the host community and refugee welfare council in the refugee community.

Participants identified key contributing factors to VAW which they shared with culture highlighted as the root cause of VAW causing an imbalance of power between men and women. Other factors included; poor communication, poverty, alcoholism and drug abuse, ignorance, childlessness, and early marriage among other things.

The meetings facilitated in-depth discussion on VAW and enabled participants to identify with some scenarios in their community which helped them to develop recommendations for prevention and attitude change on key violence triggers such as sex in marriage, sex in pregnancy, cleared misconception on women’s emancipation and increased understanding that it’s about women’s participation in decision making, prevention of VAW and protection of women and girls from all forms of violence.

In addition, the meetings also enhanced participants’ understanding of responding to issues of VAW. This mainly addressed people’s perceptions and got them to appreciate that; all children are valuable regardless of their sex, women should be more involved in decision-making and victims of GBV should not be blamed for what has happened to them.

Participants were encouraged to intentionally and continuously challenge beliefs and community silence of VAW because Violence Against one woman is an injustice to all women and is a violation of Human Rights. Therefore, it is everyone’s responsibility to

Tensions between refugees and the host communities over natural resources, livelihoods and land have sparked a few violent incidents and if not properly addressed could escalate into a broader conflict. The Peace Centre held 2 peace mediation sessions on 28th February and 5th March in Agojo refugee settlement over resource conflicts between the refugee and host community and a land conflict between the community of Ciforo and the Local Government over compensation of landowners whose land has been encroached by the opening of roads in Ciforo Central. 

Read More “Mediation Dialogues in the Host and Refugee Communities in Adjumani District”

On 3^rd March 2022, the Peace Centre convened a Stakeholder’s Advocacy Dialogue in Adjumani for women leaders and duty bearers at the District level to interface on women, peace and security issues. The meeting brought together 40 participants including community activists, village councillors, cultural leaders, local council leaders and district leaders.

The dialogue discussed key advocacy issues such as high bride price alcoholism, drug abuse, teenage pregnancies, poor performance and low education of girls, Land and property rights, polygamy and its associated effects by stakeholders in the course of implementing action against GBV and creating peace within communities.

During the meeting, stakeholders resolved on;

• The need to emphasise family consent in handling land matters.
• Continuous sensitization among refugees
• Documentation of agreements regarding land utilization
• The need to advocate for mindset change since most people’s minds are dominated by cultural norms that perpetuate violence against women.
• Need to profile role model men for men to appreciate violent free relationships.
• Design activities that engage the entire household.
• Partners to consider incorporating gender action learning tools in the GBV prevention methodology.
• Local council 5 office to ensure implementation of the district ordinance on time for taking alcohol and make more copies available to the stakeholders at different levels.
• Emphasize the benefits and enhance awareness for the community to embrace change.
• Need to emphasize on rights-based approach with women and children being considered in all aspects of development

The meeting also clarified on Uganda’s constitution allowance for the free movement of refugees and peaceful coexistence. This implied that refugees cannot be denied access to animals because of limited grazing land considering that some are pastoralists. As a solution to the problem of stray animals, fines were imposed for both refugees and host communities whose animals are caught straying in people’s gardens.

By the end of the meeting, stakeholders resolved that every one of them had a role to play in ensuring peace in the community by taking action to drive the change they desire to see rather than waiting for others to cause the change for them.

“Conflicts start with us and it’s us to cause change because without peace all that we invest in is vanity. We should not wait for parliament to come and cause a change in our community” the Vice-chairperson LC5 emphasised.

On 24th February, The Peace Centre held a monitoring, mentorship and technical support workshop with 30 Community Activists from the host community of Ciforo Sub County and refugee communities ofAgojo settlement. The purpose of the workshop was to document the actions taken by community activists in preventing and responding to violence against women collectively or individually.

Read More “Monitoring, Mentorship and Technical Support for Community Activists”

The Gender Is My Agenda Campaign (GIMAC) Network virtually convened the 38 GIMAC, in line with the African Union (AU)’s decision to spotlight the critical role of nutrition in facilitating a healthy and prosperous continent. The meeting took place against the backdrop of various normative frameworks adopted by the African Union, in pursuit of a healthy continent, including the 2014 Malabo Declaration on Accelerated Agriculture Growth and Transformation, which committed to ending hunger and reducing child stunting to 10 per cent and the underweight to 5 per cent by the year 2025. The 38 GIMAC further recognized the adoption of several normative instruments and policies such as the Africa Health Strategy 2016 – 2030; the Africa Regional Nutrition Strategy 2015 – 2025 (ARNS); the Declaration on Nutrition Security for Inclusive Economic Growth and Sustainable Development in Africa; and the Resolution on the Establishment of an Organization of African Unity (OAU) Inter-African Centre for Food Science, Technology and Nutrition.

Read More “Recommendations from the 38th GIMAC on Advancing Women’s Access to Economic Resources to Build Our Continent’s Resilience in Nutrition.”