JUDICIARY Latest Features

(2nd from Left) Hon. Justice Dr. Flavian Zeija at the Women Uganda 2025+ National Dialogue held at Four Points by Sheraton

The Deputy Chief Justice, Hon. Justice Dr. Flavian Zeija, has called for urgent national action to dismantle harmful social and cultural norms that fuel gender-based violence (GBV).

Speaking this afternoon at the Women Uganda 2025+ National Dialogue held at Four Points by Sheraton, Kampala, Justice Zeija warned that GBV has become a national crisis deeply rooted in traditions such as early marriage, bride price, and widow inheritance.

Citing the 2024 Police Crime Report, he noted that women and girls remain the overwhelming majority of domestic violence survivors, often suffering long-lasting physical, psychological, and economic harm. "Violence against women is not a distant problem, it starts in our homes, neighborhoods, and communities yet it continues to undermine the safety and dignity of Ugandan women and girls," he said.

Justice Zeija, who was recognized by the Austrian Embassy as a male champion of gender equality, emphasized that dismantling these practices requires challenging discriminatory power relations, scaling up prevention campaigns, addressing cultural barriers, and engaging men and boys in solutions. "We must recognize that GBV is embedded in historical roots but also largely perpetuated by a culture of impunity," he stressed.

The National Dialogue was convened under the theme "Commemorating 30 years of the Beijing Declaration" and brought together government officials, civil society leaders, development partners, and the private sector to assess progress and chart new pathways for gender equality in Uganda.

In her opening remarks, Dr. Katja Yvonne Kerschhaumer underscored the urgency of collective action. "Uganda has made progress, more women in parliament, stronger legal protections, and better access to education and health, but numbers do not tell the full story. Behind the statistics are girls forced into marriage and women denied land or silenced after violence," she said. She added that dismantling harmful norms requires sustained collaboration between government, development partners, community leaders, and the media.

Delivering the keynote address, Hon. Peace Mutuuzo, Minister of State for Gender and Cultural Affairs, revealed that government is preparing a cabinet paper to ratify an international convention advancing women's rights. She noted that under the Fourth National Development Plan, resources have been earmarked to take gender equality conversations down to parish level, with over 1,000 community halls designated for community dialogues on ending harmful practices. "This is not going to remain a policy issue. It will be imprinted in the minds of people at village level," she affirmed.

The Dialogue also hosted round table sessions, including "Redefining Masculinity: Why Men Must Be Part of the Gender Equality Conversation" in which Justice Zeija participated. Other discussions explored strategies for leveraging women's leadership experiences for policy change and strengthening media commitment to prioritize the voices and rights of girls in the fight against teenage pregnancy and child marriage.

Earlier, Mr. Emmanuel Wabwire, Executive Director of Faraja Africa Foundation, welcomed participants and encouraged them to engage meaningfully in the discussions, describing the Dialogue as an important step in shaping Uganda's gender equality agenda.

The event attracted ministers, ambassadors, heads of missions, representatives of UN Women, UNFPA, media practitioners, and civil society leaders. It was organized by the Austrian Embassy Development Cooperation, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA),and Faraja Africa Foundation, and moderated by Nation Media Group’s Head of Broadcast, Ms. Flavia Tumusiime, who highlighted the role of the media in driving social change.