Child Protection Teams in Uganda - Preventing domestic violence and its affects on children

As part of the overall aim of creating a safe environment for children in Loco, Masese I and Masese II slum communities, the Child Protection Teams in each area have facilitated a second round of community sensitisation workshops, these ones focussing on addressing and preventing domestic violence.

Over 260 men and women across the communities attended after requests for training on this subject had been sent by their community representatives. They were speaking on behalf of many caregivers who had been suffering domestic abuse, and were also recognising how badly it was affecting their children.

Each workshop aimed to develop a common understanding about the definition of domestic violence in all its forms and to promote discussion about what it is, how to prevent it and how to protect children from its affects.

In each area, discussion was held about the objectifying of women in Uganda, and the limitations of several bills that have been drafted to address issues of domestic violence. The communities worked together to identify warning signs that a child could be witnessing violence in their home environment and what the consequences can be for children both in the short and longer term.

​Each community then mapped out ideas about how to tackle the problem in the future, identifying how they need better support from government services, continuing training in awareness, the addressing of corruption in courts and support in improving relationships at home.The workshop leaders also gave information about the channels to go through to report domestic abuse. 

The chairman of Loco Community, Mr. Wandega thanked Children on the Edge Africa saying “Ever since COTE Africa started conducting sensitization workshops in my community, I feel they have brought impact because the number of reported cases at central police station have started dropping”.  He described how this was a sign that the community were putting into practice what they explore in the workshops.

Workshops on different issues are being run in each community every month and this week COTE Africa are running it’s first playscheme for children in Loco community.

​Find out more about the communities in Uganda
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Signing up for the workshop in Loco.