Women and violence during COVID 19

As many countries went into lockdown, violence against women and children became rampant because most people lost their livelihoods and stayed home with their families. Women were left with a heavy burden of looking after children and the elderly. In most communities in Uganda there was increased violence because of poverty levels that increased, as people were not able to fend for their families their anger increased towards their spouses. This was catalysed by selling off family property such as land and household items in order to meet up the daily family demands. Most of our culture's are so rigid to the extent that it condones violence against women, some societies in Uganda still believe that beating up a woman is a way of showing love to her.

We therefore need to come out and encourage men and girls to champion the fight against Gender based violence.