Population Size:
2019: 29,161,922 [1]
Number of People Experiencing Domestic Abuse Each Year:
There was limited data available, however, a report by the UK Aid Department for International Development found that 92% of women interviewed during the 2013 National Demographic Health Survey considered violence against women to be common in the home. [2]
No research on male victims or other gender identities.
Cost of Domestic Abuse to the Economy Each Year:
No research.
Estimated % Change due to COVID-19:
No research but it is likely to be a cause of an increase in cases. [3]
Current law and policy:
Uganda has demonstrated their commitment in combatting against Domestic Violence through the introduction of the Domestic Violence Act (2010).
New laws protecting women from gender-based violence have been introduced over the past ten years. The Domestic Violence Act (2010) provides a comprehensive definition of domestic violence that includes physical, sexual, emotional, verbal, psychological and economic violence as well as harassment. In addition, the bill provides protection orders for abused women, which had not previously existed in Ugandan law. Rape is a criminal offence in Uganda under the Penal Code, which also prescribes the death penalty for those convicted of rape. Spousal rape is not addressed in the Penal Code. [4]
Uganda has not submitted a report to the CEDAW Committee regarding the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, since 2010. Uganda has not Signed or Ratified the Optional Protocol to the CEDAW (2002)
Dealing with gender inequalities in the economy and family; improving the health of women and girls; and encouraging bills by private Members to tackle sexual offences and amend discriminatory legislation: these were some of the priorities identified during a seminar on Uganda’s implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). The focus of the seminar—organized by the Parliament of Uganda and the IPU and held from 14 to 15 June—was parliament’s role in the implementation of CEDAW.
Uganda has not submitted a report to the CEDAW Committee concerning the status of its implementation of the Convention since 2010. As a result of the seminar, the Ministry of Gender committed to sending the country’s report to the Committee by the end of 2017, after consulting with Parliament.
Participants discussed issues such as gender-based violence, equality in the law, girls’ right to education, the health of women and girls, and women’s economic empowerment. They highlighted priorities, including sexual and reproductive health education, policies on women’s ownership of land, and oversight of implementation of the country’s Domestic Violence Act. Ugandan MPs also called for ratification of the Optional Protocol to CEDAW, which would enable the CEDAW Committee to receive individual complaints on breaches to the Convention. [5]