POEM: INNOVATION. INNOVATION. INNOVATION
Supporting Advocacy for Women with
Disabilities through strong public relations
and communication: A Best Practice
Approach from GIZ Uganda and IDIWA
Women and girls with disabilities in Uganda face heightened discrimination on account of gender anddisability and are among the poorest and most left behind in their communities. Compared to their peerswithout disabilities, they are at higher risk of being subject to violence, especially sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). To combat violence against women and girls with disabilities, their perspectives, experiences and knowledge must be heard in politics and society. Attention is best achieved through strong self-advocacy organisations.
Learn of how the Sign language skill by IDIWA has accelerated SRHR Services accessibility at Nakandulo HC IV
Sharon Mugero (Not real name) who is a learner at Mulago school of the deaf (she can’t talk or speak) left Kampala when the president closed schools, churches and bars and went to control the spread of Covid-19 and she went to Kamuli (Kakira parish) which is their home village. Before she (Sharon) left she had been initiated on ART and had developed TB and she was by then done with first line drugs for TB. She went to Nankandulo HC IV more than once but she was unable to access services and Abbey (sign language interpretation trained health service provider at Nankandulo HC IV) was on leave. When Abbey reported back for duty his colleagues shared with him about a deaf client whom they had failed to give services due to difficult in sign language interpretation and they opened up to him as they had not offered her (Sharon) any medical support. He was positive and he urged them to engage him in case she came again while he was in some other section delivering services and indeed this worked. One day Sharon came back and Abbey attended to her well with aid of the skills he had learnt from the sign language interpretation training which was conducted by IDIWA that even informed their (health workers) attitude and overwhelmingly Abbey supported her when he received her and ably successfully handled the case. When he read from her medical records, he continued her on the second line of Anti TB drugs and Refills for HIV that reinstalled hope in Sharon. Abbey inspires us all as advocates and this should be the way to go for all services providers to prioritize on WGDs and enabling them access services.
Living with albinism in Uganda
Disability is without doubt defined differently in different contexts. In the international context, disability is regarded on the one hand as a long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairment in which interaction with various barriers may hinder a person’s full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others (United Nation Convention, 61/106 2006). On the other, it relates to the end result of the interaction between an individual’s health and the context in which that individual lives (World Health Organization (WHO), in Uganda albinism is considered to be a disability. Albinism remains socially under-researched and under-theorized. This absence of academic interest is surprising, especially when one considers that such oppressive factors have not only been widely reported but that they can also constrain people with albinism’s various social and economic opportunities. Disability in the Ugandan context is analyzed as a social construct. It is viewed as a loss or limitation of opportunities to take part in the normal life of the community at an equal level with others due to physical, mental and social factors. In Uganda, the conditions now recognized as disabilities are hearing, visual, intellectual, speech, and mobility impairment as well as albinism. People with albinism in Uganda have similar experiences to other disabled that they all face discrimination, prejudice and harassment. However, there is a major difference between the experiences of people with albinism and that of other disadvantaged groups, namely, that superstitious beliefs encourage some people to hunt people with albinism for their body parts. Information about the oppression, killings and amputation of body parts of people with albinism in Uganda has been widely increasing. Positive and negative albinism discourses have also circulated in international and local media. While delivering her speech in January 2020, after a 4KM walk to raise funds for construction of rehabilitation for persons living with albinism, Rt. Hon. Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga (Speaker of the parliament of Uganda) expressed that National census data has no statistics on albinism and She appealed for a national census on the people living with albinism so that proper planning is carried especially for school-going children. She equally observed a need to increase awareness about albinism saying that many people are still not aware of the condition while in other areas people living with albinism continue to receive negativity from communities. Meanwhile, Kadaga expressed disappointment about the continued taxes on sunburn protective gear, including sun creams, glasses and hats yet parliament resolved to scrap the taxes. This was after Namutebi (the Executive Director of African Albino Foundation) noted that they still found a problem accessing sun creams (The cream protects persons with albinism from direct exposure to sunshine.) due to taxes imposed by the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA). We call upon everyone to end violence against People living with Albinism as we join Rest of the World to celebrate the International Albinism Awareness Day under the international theme “Made to shine.”
Sexual and Gender based violence during the lockdown and how WGDs are at risk of violence
ON 31st March 2020, media reports in Uganda indicated that “five people had died due to domestic violence since government imposed ‘stay at home ‘measures in mid-March”. In addition, Uganda’s Police spokesman Fred Enanga reported that police noticed a raise in domestic violence cases including murder adding that police would before register one or two cases over same period of time. As expected, while domestic violence increased, other cases significantly reduced, he said. In Uganda, 46% of women have – before these measures were introduced – experienced physical violence and live in fear of their current or most recent partner. These figures have increased during lockdown and confinement, as security, health, and income worries, heighten tensions in homes. Credible reports indicate that there has been a surge in sexual gender-based violence, including mortalities since the lock-down was introduced. What haunts is, the reports of security personnel beating up women in their homes and on their way to health facilities, which have led to grievous bodily and psychological harm. Several women’s rights organizations and child rights advocates, including the Uganda Association of Women Lawyers, have recorded a rise in incidents of domestic violence and violence against children as a result of the lockdown. At IDIWA, we are trying our best with our partners on how best we can support the Sexual reproductive health, wellbeing, and safety of Women and Girls with disabilities, their care takers, families where they belong and communities during this challenging period. For women and girls already at-risk due to vulnerability, COVID-19 presented an increased risk for violence, abuse, and neglect while their parents and caretakers struggle to purchase enough food and sanitation products. The majority of the Women and Girls with Disabilities and their parents and caretakers have informal employment, for example operating public transport such as taxis and boda-bodas, and running small businesses such as market stalls, tailoring shops, and salons (informal and low paid jobs) and therefore, their specific needs must be taken into account in gender-responsive crisis and recovery planning. However, Nathan Mwesigye Byamukama (Director Regional Training Facility which is a regional center of excellence for Training and sensitization of judicial officers, police units, social workers, medical officers and other categories of persons who handle sexual violence in the great lakes region on how to efficiently and effectively to perform r on suggests Four Ways Out of a Double Pandemic) suggested the a few suggestions for individuals/ families and government(s) so as to cope from such situation. First, have a positive attitude that we shall overcome this COVID-19. It must be clear to all members of the family that the pandemic is not anybody’s fault. We need to fight the pandemic and not each other. This realization comes from smooth, honest and transparent communication with all family members. If the big challenge is dwindling financial resources, discuss how best you can mobilize more and also adjust the budget together. The family will understand and provide options. If the problem is negative masculinity where the man still wants to show his power over women and children, it is time to adjust your attitude and realize that if you combine your power as a man with that of your wife and children you easily overcome the challenge together. You don’t need to pretend that you have the resources when you don’t. And the wife does not have to still expect the man to provide everything when it is clear he is unable even if he is willing. This is the opportunity to demonstrate that you can support each other for the good of the family. Second, it might be inevitable as people who stay together, to disagree and quarrel but never allow the disagreements to go beyond words. Never allow disagreements to degenerate into violence. Just walk in the compound, meditate, do press-ups, clean and walk around the compound to cool off. It works. Don’t resort to drinking alcohol as a way of cooling off. In addition, move to your computer or smart phone, if you have one, and learn a new skill or read newspapers or other messages on your phone. Call friends to hear some good stories. Just do what you love most- it is a useful therapy. Thirdly, to government, our front line security forces and health care systems must be skilled and sensitive enough to receive any disclosure of gender based violence with respect, sympathy and confidentiality. This restores confidence, hope and sense of justice to the victim/survivor while assuring effective punishment of the perpetrator. Fourthly, as part of the Standard Operating Procedures, keep referral pathways open for abused women, girls, boys or children so that they can freely access care services like hospitals and police stations even during the awkward hours of the curfew. Ensure that that referral pathways remain fully equipped, open and effective enough to even meet sexual and reproductive needs and rights of women and girls during the lockdown. Together, we can simultaneously fight COVID-19 and Sexual and Gender Based Violence.