Monday 28 August 2017

The power of school debates in conflict prevention and Human Rights Violetion in Kamwenge





Picture below shows Participation of in-school youth with disability at Rwamwanja SS during a school debate in Nkoma S/C


As Kali Continues to implements Community actions to prevent and manage conflicts and human rights violations project in Kamwenge District, it’s aimed ensuring an increased and coordinated involvement of well-informed citizens to prevent and manage conflicts, monitor and take action to improve the human rights situations in Uganda. 


In respect to this, Kali Conducted School debates in 03 Secondary schools of; Kamwenge Voc. &Sec. in Kahunge S/C, Rwamwanja S.S in Nkoma S/C & Nyabbani SS in Nyabbani S/C. Sub county Leaders were mobilized & attended. LC.III Nkoma, Speaker Kahunge S/C and S/C Chief Nyabbani. The in-school youth were engaged and sensitized on peaceful co-existence, encouraged to become conflict sensitive and timely report human rights violation issues within their communities. The in school youth focused debates was conducted between 19th -22nd June-017. 

Picture below shows S/c speaker Kahunge sharing how important it is for them to timely report violation cases with students of Kamwenge Voc.
& Secondary after the debate.
 
Motion of discussion was;Conflicts are as a result of absence of peaceful Co-existence coupled with low completion of secondary and tertiary levels”.
Qn: To what extend is the statement true? What can you do to promote peaceful co-existence in our Communities?
The motion aimed at probing causes of conflicts, role of school dropout in conflicts and how it can be prevented in communities.

Attendance:
School Name
Participants
M
F
Total
Kamwenge Voc. &Sec
130
125
255
Rwamwanja SS
107
121
228
Nyabbani SS
119
117
236
Total
356
363
719

Objectives of the activity was;

  • To Increase the number of peace promoters among school youth of age 12-24
  • To come up with more view on causes of conflicts, proposed solutions.
Challenges met and mitigation measures
Some students could not properly articulate issues in English. Mitigation; we encouraged students to use local language where possible so that issues are not left out.

Recommendations and immediate follow up actions
These schools have Patriotism & Peace clubs which can be engaged further on timely reporting issues of Human rights and Conflict prevention.

Lessons learned
Students are aware of causes of conflicts & low enforcement of existing laws which can help in preventing & managing conflicts & HR abuses in their communities.

Issues Raised during the focused debates.
Students were guided right from school mobilization on keeping their views on conflict triggers within their communities. They raised issues of; Ignorance of the laws Uganda, High Poverty levels in homes, Land wrangles, -Cultural Differences, Drug Abuse, -Early marriages, Insecurity, -Opening bars early hours of day, Insufficient services eg; H20,Medicare,Witch crafts, Permissiveness in society & un employment. Settlement of refugees ignoring the indigenous.

 
Solutions suggested by students.
-We can be voice of the voiceless – Student from Nyabbani SS.
-Enforce existing laws with strictness, Sensitization on Equity & Rights, Regulate hours of Opening bars, Start farming & business in homes, go back to school campaign.
C/Man LC.III Nkoma highlighted ignorance, High poverty levels & early marriages as key in causing conflicts in societies. He challenged students to get focused and Value Skills training. Speaker Kahunge challenged students to report Human Rights violations issues to Leaders at all levels.

C/Person LCIII Nkoma S/C handing black books to students who participated in the debate after sharing with in-school youth. as Kali staff looks on.
 
Conclusion: The 719 (M=356, F=363) students reached agreed to be Peace ambassadors in their Families. These schools have Patriotism & Peace clubs which can be engaged further on issues of Human rights and Conflict prevention.


Compiled by 

Jeff. 

Monday 21 August 2017

The ethnic minority, the Batwa in Bundibugyo sensitized on Conflict prevention & Human Rights.



Picture below is RWECO coordinator receiving men hair cutting assorted saloon materials & equipment support & mobilized by KALI to support & skill the Batwa ethnic minority to enhance their economic rights


KALI in partnership with RWECO are implementing a project on community actions to prevent and manage conflicts and human rights Violations in Rwenzori region funded by Hivos. Target groups are women, youth, Ethnic minority groups, Frontline communities along National Parks, PWDs, elderly and PLHAs with in project areas. However, it was agreed after a round of field support Visit across the project area that in all the four districts, ethnic minority groups are in Kasese and Bundibugyo.  Thus, KALI & Ride Africa from Kamwenge & Ntoroko jointly conducted community sensitization meetings on conflict prevention and rights in Bundibugyo where a highly marginalized Batwa Family (Internationally known ethnic minority) exists. This activity was about sensitizing the Batwa ethnic minority on their economic rights as equal citizens of Uganda. This activity was coordinated by RIC-NET the IP in Bundibugyo.

During the sensitization, Coordinator RWECO reminded participants how the Batwa used to be invited for functions at district, regional and national level to perform MDD but this had ended. The Batwa were sensitized on their rights are; Right to food, right to life and medical care among others. The Batwa were also reminded of their responsibilities, when a child is denied food, that’s abuse of right to food which is a responsibility of the parent.  
The organizations sensitized Batwa on their right to participate in activities around them and government programs like youth livelihood and operation wealth creation to enhance their economic rights like other Ugandans. KALI through her lobbying managed to mobilize for assorted hair shaving set (consumable & none consumable) including the shaving machine to support the Batwa boys’ school dropouts in self-help skills. Ride Africa mobilized for hair dressing skills to Batwa girls & identified a service provider to train both boys and girls. RWECO-CU mobilized for sewing/tailoring machine. Progress monitoring will be done by RIC-NET.

Present was the C/Man LC.III, Ntandi T/C. He appreciated KALI/RWECO for the support mobilized during the sensitization meeting. C/man accepted the challenge KALI gave him & other partners working with the Batwa Community by thinking of skilling the youth in self-help initiatives like; tailoring hair dressing & cutting for both Batwa boys and girls. He acknowledged that he had never known Batwa can be given something & it’s not sold the next day as it has been in the past.

The C/man pledged to support & lobby for more machines to strengthen the economic empowerment initiative kick started by KALI/RWECO. He added that he was going to ensure the Batwa are given priority in every government program now that they have shown signs of picking up. He requested RWECO to lobby for government support to the BATWA COMMUNITY because when government evicted them from the forest, they were not officially settled thus, no land and nothing at all for sustainable livelihoods like any other Ugandan.

Below, The C/man LC.III Ntandi T/C making his commitment at the Batwa Community sensitization meeting.
                       


Attendance:
58 (19 females and 39 males) attended the sensitization meeting. 80 were expected to turn up but there was a burial in the neighborhood which affected attendance.

Objectives of the activity was;

  • To sensitize the Batwa ethnic minority of their rights and responsibilities like other Ugandans
  • To organize the Batwa community come up with CSO, use it to mobilize for their economic rights.
  • To lobby other partners both CSOs and local leadership for economic rights support to the Batwa minority group of Bundibugyo.  

Challenges met and mitigation measures
High expectation from the Batwa Community. They have been used to handouts by other NGOs. We supported them to come up with draft of their CBO constitution which is going to help them get re-organized, participate in income generating activities to enhance their economic rights.

Recommendations and immediate follow up actions
  • The Batwa need more economic rights support. The youth enrolled for tailoring, salon hair dressing and cutting should be followed up for further support & capacity building.
  • Follow up on the District and town council authorities on their position towards supporting the economic rights of Batwa Ethnic minority community 
  •  
  • Pic. below,KALI staff during the sensitizing the Batwa on their rights to participate in government programs like  other ugandans
 
 Above pic is Ihunde of ride africa in vail as coordinator RWECO hands over sewing machine to the king of the Batwa Community.


Lessons learned
The Batwa community of Bundibugyo are able to transform and cop up with normal life style if properly managed. The girls who were enrolled for hair dressing had finished a week attending lessons regularly. Those of Kisoro District have been able to change due to focused and participatory involvement in programs like education and skills training.


 Compiled by 

Jeff

KALI Programs.

Thursday 17 August 2017

Grassroots sensitization a tool to promote peacful co-existence

Compiled by

Jeff. KALI


Below is an elderly who asked why women have continued going to police for domestic Violence issue, “who told you police can build homes / families’’? She asked. Use peaceful means of elders and LCs she advised as we used to do during our early years.

On 17th May 2017, KALI together with the two CBO of Busiriba S/C conducted a community sensitization meeting in Busiriba T/C. At the meeting, high security threat stilling of property with intention to kill dating back from 2015 was realized. One big action of community leaders coming up with a petition for the district security engagement was drown. The petition basically indicated names of citizens with items stolen sampled members & signed by their LC.I C/Person of 07 Villages of Busiriba Parish.
  items stolen in Busiriba Parish only
Cow
Goats
Pigs
Chicken
01
93
66
335
This was in addition to Land wrangles, high domestic Violence, breaking into shops, stilling bicycles, food produce among others.
The above justified KALI’s need to facilitate a high level sensitization meeting with District security leaders. The RDC & DPC appreciated community led mobilization strategy KALI is embracing in conflict prevention. The dual Delegated OC Polic-Operations Kamwenge district.
S/C chief Busiriba sharing during sensitization session as leaders including DPC looks on.

Attendance; The sensitization meeting was attended by all sub county leaders; technical, political & citizens. OC. Operations was the guest speaker. He was accompanied with the media team from TV. West & VOK FM. Total: 379 (M=162,F=187)

Below is Busiriba Modern performers using  MDD during  grassroots sensitization

The LC.III emphasized on the theft threat & thanked KALI for the great mobilization. The S/C Chief thanked police for the timely response and called on citizens who have planted trees in wetlands to uproot them or else awaits an operation in line with presidential directive.

ASP. Okongo Francis Operations Commander Kamwenge, Thanked KALI for helping police to reach out to community at a time it’s highly needed. He emphasized neighborhood watch & timely reporting of cases for help. He expressed resource challenges to effectively reach out as expected but added that police is currently people centered and everyone should be free with police for effective & timely help. The main objective of this activity was;

ASP. O.Francis carrying out community policing at a sensitization meeting.
To increase level of activism among women and other persons vulnerable to violence to prevent and manage conflicts and defend human rights in Busiriba & Kamwenge communities

Pic below is Peace ambassador taking part in question session on grassroots sensitization in Busiriba S/C.
 
Actions Reached.
  • Step up of night operations in Busiriba to help reduce increasing conflicts.
  • All bars in Busiriba close by 10:00 pm to help security officers monitor movements.
  • Directed S/C Chief & LC.III to come up with security committees at LC.I and II in the whole sub county.
  • Emphasis on neighborhood watch for close monitoring & timely reporting of cases to police and or Leaders for those who fear police
  • Continued community sensitization on land policies and the succession act which are the key causes of conflicts in Kamwenge.
  •  
  • Picture below is Kali staff in Ash gray Tishirt with EU/Hivos logos Carrying out Sensitization on Peaceful Co-existence among Youth out of school. Kali has used all opportunities of youth gathering including football matches to promote conflict prevention,management and human rights violations in Kamwenge.