Source: The Monitor
Kampala — With nearly two months left to usher in the 2016/2017 fiscal year, women activists have urged government to increase funding to the Gender ministry.

Speaking at a workshop in Kampala on Thursday, the activists claimed the funds will help the ministry have enough staff to handle cases of domestic violence and sensitise the community on how on seek justice.

In 2012, it was estimated that domestic violence incidents cost Uganda about Shs77 billion, a figure much higher than the annual budget of the Ministry of Gender.

"We want government to increase budget for the Gender ministry so that it can have enough funds to fight domestic violence. There is need to conduct sensitisation programmes to communities and leaders as far as domestic violence concerns," said Ms Regina Bafaki the chief executive officer of Action for Development (Acfode).

Religious leaders castigated

She castigated religious, cultural and community leaders who prefer negotiations and reconciliation between the offender and the victim rather than helping the latter seek justice, adding that that is why domestic violence is still high.

A study conducted by Acfode in Apac District last year shows that out of 1,152 cases of domestic violence, 955 were reported by women accounting for 83 per cent compared to 197 reported by men.

The president of the National Association of Women Judges-Uganda, Ms Stella Arach Amoko, attributed this partly to the law, which is not well known by the legal professionals, law enforcement officials and victims.

• Uganda