Supporting Human Rights Activists in fighting for a violence free community

As Activists Go, So goes the human rights movement. The advance of human rights worldwide is dependent on the ability of activists to operate freely from fear and intimidation. It is not lost on repressive governments, which try to protect their power by cracking down on activists, making their work difficult-and more dangerous.

KALI supports activists in the targeted sub counties around the district and outside within the region not by imposing KALI ideals on them, but by listening, discerning their needs and working alongside them. KALI amplifies their voices and seek to protect them by spotlighting their struggle.

 The 15-year-old girl, looking even younger than her years, sleeping in the garden shelter  in western part of Kasese district , "I was just coming back from the garden late evening where we had gone with only my Dad up mountains," Loice told her step mother who later narrated to  Anatos Nyama, human rights activist for KALI. "My Dad came up to me and told me that if I refuse to sleep with him, he will kill me and dump me in the forest since it was already late in the evening. He pulled me inside our garden shelter house beat me and ripped my clothes. He then raped me and warned me not to tell anyone of what has happened mostly my step mother."

Loice with fear reported to her step mother  who later asked her in front of her dad who refuted it and said she is alleging, Loice’s step mother reported the matter to  Anatos Nyama  KALI human rights activist in this sub county who reported the incident to the nearby police post. Police intervened, took the girl for checkup who was found pregnant and the Dad was mentioned to be responsible.

Loice still faces tough choices. Her Dad is on run with her in the democratic Republic of Congo after escaping from the police sells where he was detained on the first day, her step mother also divorced after the disappearance of her husband. Anatos the KALI human rights activist is on the look to get this man when he comes back from exile. If all of us finally begin to take rape prosecutions seriously, other girls might not have to live through such horror.

Sadly, Loice, whose name has been changed in this article to protect her identity, is one of thousands of women and girls who are being raped by their biological relatives in Kasese district where their just few cases of such nature being reported since the majority are intimidated by the rapist not to tell anyone. KALI with support from local stakeholders in communities estimates that 20,000 women and girls have been victims of sexual violence and are just being affected silently. 

 Above are KALI and human right activists following up a case of a neglected child at  a police post

For the past three years, KALI and her human rights activist arm of investigation in Kasese have helped raise awareness of sexual violence in all the targeted sub counties by conducting community gatherings and talk about sexual violations, working with women's rights activists to organize advocacy efforts, lobbying judicial officials on cases, and urging journalists to cover the issue. We encourage government and organizations to improve support for victims and start addressing sexual violence on the political level.

After one year of working on related issues, I am encouraged by the new developments but also cautious. Prosecutions should continue and government should be more concerned on its laws and policies. It needs continued advocacy to keep the Ugandan government and focused donors on ending sexual violence. "For justice to prevail," "Suspects must continue to be investigated and prosecuted for sexual crimes."

Virtually all of KALI’s work draws on its Alliances-friendship-with front line activists. 

By Kule Obed