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Civil Society Budget Advocacy Group

WHAT PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA

SHOULD CONSIDER ON FINANCING
GENDER BASED VIOLENCE INTERVENTIONS
IN FY2021/22 BUDGET

PRESENTED TO THE
PARLIAMENT COMMITTEES
ON GENDER AND SOCIAL
DEVELOPMENT, HEALTH,
EDUCATION & MEMBERS OF
UWOPA

DATE: 28TH APRIL 2021

WHAT PARLIAMENT SHOULD CONSIDER ON FINANCING GENDER BASED VIOLENCE
INTERVENTIONS IN FY2021/22 BUDGET was produced by Civil Society Budget Advocacy
Group (CSBAG) with support from Trocaire Uganda. The contents of this publication are
the responsibility of CSBAG and not for our development partners.

@March 2021

Civil Society Budget Advocacy Group (CSBAG)

P.O. Box 660, Ntinda
Plot 11 Vubya Close, Ntinda Nakawa Rd
Fixed Line: +256-755-202-154
E-mail: csbag@csbag.org ,
Web www.csbag.org

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or reprinted in

any form by any means without the prior permission of the copyright holder. CSBAG
encourages its use and will be happy if excerpts are copied and used. When doing so,
however please acknowledge CSBAG

Acknowledgement
This paper was developed by CSBAG together with the Forum for Women in Democracy
(FOWODE), Uganda Women’s Network (UWONET), and National Union for Disabled Persons
in Uganda (NUDIPU), Women and Girl Child Education (WEGCDA), Youth Equality Centre
(YEC), Initiative for Social and Economic Rights (ISER), World Vision, Social Protection
Platform Uganda (SPPU) and the Coalition of Girls Empowerment (COGE).
Table of Contents
About CSBAG 04

1.0 Introduction 05

2.0 Progress made on GBV prevention and response in FY 2019/20 07

3.0 CSO concerns on GBV 09

4.0 Conclusion 13

5.0 References 14
 About CSBAG
Civil Society Budget Advocacy Group (CSBAG) is
a coalition formed in 2004 to bring together civil
society actors at national and district Levels to
influence Government decisions on resources
mobilization and utilization for equitable, gender
responsive and sustainable development. This is a
position paper on the Ministerial Policy Statements
for FY 20201/22. This position paper has been
developed by a myriad of stakeholders from non-
state actors - civil society.

About
CSBAG
1 1.0
Introduction
Gender Based Violence (GBV) is a gross Figure 1: Number of GBV cases, 2019 and 2020
violation of fundamental human rights with

44,652
severe long-term negative impacts on the
physical and psychological wellbeing of the

40,913
survivors, their families, and the community.
GBV relates to acts that inflict physical,
mental or sexual harm or suffering, threats,
coercion and other deprivations of liberty.
It cuts across ethnicity, race, class, religion,
education level, and international borders,

Number of Cases
and undermines the health, dignity, security
and autonomy of its victims, yet it remains
hidden in a culture of silence.

17,664

14,134
2019
The Uganda Police Force (UPF) reported a rise

13,693

13,613

10,844
in GBV related cases from 40,913 in 2019 2020

11,582
to 44,652 in 2020. These cases include;
domestic violence (17,664), defilement
(14,134), rape (1,519), indecent assault,

1,519
incest and unnatural offences – see Figure 1.

1,528

491
497
From the cases above, the victims to violence
that were recorded by the Uganda Police
were more from domestic violence than
sexual related violence. Out of the 34,623
victims, 18,874 (54%) were from domestic
violence, 14,230 (41%) from defilement
and 1,521 (4%) from rape cases. The main
causes of violence included; disputes over
family property, drug and alcohol abuse, the Figure 2: Number of victims to GBV incidences
18,872

failure to provide for the family due to loss

of livelihood, infidelity.

Up to 9,954 girls were victims of defilement

due to cultural norms and practices that had
14,230

14,080

them married off, while some were taken

13,145

advantage of. More females were victims to

GBV than the male from the reported cases.

This position paper, prepared by the Civil

Society Budget Advocacy Group (CSBAG) and
Number of Victims

its members, focuses on issues of concern

that should be financed in the Financial Year Domestic violence
(FY) 2021/22 budget to manage and reduce
cases of GBV within Uganda. The issues in Defilement
this paper are an outcome of critical analysis Rape
of the Social Development, Education, Health
and Justice, Law and Order Sectors for the FY
3,408

2021/22 Ministerial Policy Statements.

1,521

1,521

1,186
1,133
140

10
0
0

Adults Juveniles Adults Juveniles

06 Financing GBV Interventions 2021/2022 Total Male Female
Source: Uganda Police Force, Annual Crime Report, 2020
victims
 2
2.0
Progress made on
GBV prevention
and response in
FY 2019/20
We commend government for recognizing and taking
action on GBV interventions in FY 2019/20 and
2020/21 through:
a) Reduced imbalances through promotion of equal
opportunities for all with 1,575 complaints
resolved by the Equal Opportunities Commission
(EOC) above a target of 1,000
b) Improved mainstreaming and enforcement of
gender and equity budgeting across government
c) Disseminating 4,000 copies of the National
Gender Based Violence Policy and Action Plan
08 Financing GBV Interventions 2021/2022
in 23 LGs of Amuria, Amuru, Lira, Gulu, Wakiso,
Mukono, Kampala, Rakia, Kyotera, Pallisa, Kumi,
Budaka, Luuka, Katakwi, Napak,Amudat, Moroto,
Nakapiripiti, Kaabongo, Nebbi, Yumbe, Arua,
Kiryadongo and MDAs of MOD&VA, MOFA, MOIA,
MOFPED, Parliament.
d) Support supervision on compliance to GBV Shelter
Management Guidelines provided to 10 GBV
shelters of Kamuli, Namutumba, Nyonga, and
Pallisa, Kalangala, Buikwe, Luwero, Nakasongola,
Kayunga and Mukono
3 3.0
CSO concerns
on GBV
3.1 Spike in Gender Based Violence
Prevalence:
The Annual Crime Report, 2020 reported an increase
in GBV related cases from 40,913 in 2019 to 44,652
in 2020. Of these 14,230 girls were defiled and
1,519 women raped, representing a 3.8% increase
from 2019 for defilement cases and 0.5% increase
for rape. These cases were majorly a result of
failure to provide for the family due to the loss of
livelihoods, disputes over family property, drug
and alcohol abuse, as well as cultural norms and
practices that promote child abuse especially child
marriages promoting defilement. These practices
have promoted GBV practices with increased cases
of teenage pregnancies, early marriage and school
dropout rates.
Recommendation
• The Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social
Development in partnership with Ministry of Health
and Ministry of Education should develop and
implement a comprehensive set of interventions
to reduce GBV especially for child abuse (child
marriages and teenage pregnancies), with a special
focus on hot spot districts. This should be in addition
to implementing a National Strategy against Child
Marriage and Teenage Pregnancy, improving
adolescent and youth health through; provision
of youth-friendly health services, establishment of
community adolescent and youth-friendly spaces
at sub county level, and including youth among the
Village Health Teams (VHTs) and increasing access
to Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR)
with special focus on family planning services and
harmonized information.
• Ministry of Education should fast track the
implementation of the pre - entry policy for
pregnant girls and sensitize them on the need
and ability to continue and complete school. In
addition, the gender budget line under the HCDP
should be intentional to support and ensure that
all school going children are back in school.
• Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education
should fast track the passing of the School Health
Policy and implementing the National Strategy
for Girls Education to promote sex education
and counseling. This is anticipated to reduce the
number of teenage pregnancies and drop outs as
pupils and students are aware of their rights and
ways to protect each other from sexual advances
10 Financing GBV Interventions 2021/2022
3.2 Inadequate funding for GBV/ SGBV
interventions:
The 2020 assessment on financing to Sexual and
Gender Based Violence (SGBV) supported by
UNWOMEN under the spotlight initiative revealed
that besides the Ministry of Gender, the proportion
of the budget allocated to VAWG for the analyzed
MDAs and Local Government is below 5% further to
this, most agencies with key mandates on GBV have
funding gaps, for example, ODPP has a funding gap of
UGX 1.35bn cumulatively for FY2018/19-FY2020/21.
3.3 Local Government Conditional Grants:
The conditional nature of grants to LGs from the central
Government minimizes the discretionary powers of
the district to allocate resources to interventions
on Violence against women and girls and harmful
practices. Most Local Governments rely on local
revenue which is never realized, making them highly
dependent on external financing to handle VAWG/HP
Most of the assessed sectors and LG budgets do not
have a direct budget line for VAWG/HP. Most agencies
plan for it under different codes, some under ‘Gender’,
while others agencies like Ministry of Lands, Uganda
National Roads Authority, Ministry of Works and
Transport, Uganda Prison Services, Ministry of Internal
Affairs, Ministry of Education and Sports planned for
VAWG/HP interventions under ‘Crosscutting Issues’.
Recommendation
• We request for Parliament to drive for introduction
of a specified budget code to tag all resources and
expenses for VAWG and HP in Government work
plans and budgets. This will improve on budgeting
and expenditure tracking to allow for consistent
reporting by all Government spending agencies.
Budget tagging code, if introduced can be used
to code national budget lines/votes pertaining to
VAWG and HP. The same system has been adopted
for other cross-cutting issues like climate change
financing.
• Parliament should task Government (MDAs
and LGs) to allocate a given proportion of their
resources to GBV prevention and response, to
reduce the increasing number of cases across the
country- This should be assessed in line with the
Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) Gender
and Equity Assessment annually.
3.4 Staffing gaps effectively implement GBV interventions:

MDA Staffing situation

MGLSD Staffing is at 48.7% (67.4% for Ministry and 29.9% for the institutions)

The LG based institutions have the biggest staffing gaps with only 172 posts
filled out of the 439 positions majorly in remand homes, rehabilitation
and training Centres. The Community Based Services Department at Local
Government level has a 49.5% staffing gap.

Abim district has only 2 of the 9 required subcounty Community

Development Officers. The district lacks a District Gender Officer and has
one Senior District Probation and Social Welfare Officer and one Senior
Community Development Officer.

Tororo has only 15 Community Development Officers to cover the 31

Sub counties and 10 town councils. The current Ag. District Community
Development Officers has been acting in this position for 15 years
Uganda Police Force The Family Protection Unit of the Uganda Police Force has only 645 Police
Officers to cover the entire country.
Office of the Director Only 41 percent of staffing positions are filled.
of Public Prosecution

Recommendation:
• Parliament should prioritize recruitment of critical staff within the MDAs as approved by the Government
staffing structure. They could design phased recruitments over the 5-year NDPIII period considering funding
could not be readily available in one financial year.

3.5 Limited facilitation to operations of the frontline GBV prevention offices:

While the Third National Development Plan (NDP III) recognizes the need for mindset change to combat
GBV for development, the structures mandated with this role are grossly underfunded. Facilitation to the
Community Based Services Department (CBSD), Police and Probation Office in most Local Governments is
inadequate. These offices lack facilitation for fuel, transport means such as motorcycles and vehicles to
help them transport suspects and complainants, the police lack facilities to support in witness protection,
storage and preservation of evidence as well as management of crime scene. For over four financial years,
the government has kept the allocation for Community Mobilization and Empowerment at a meagre UGX 7.64
billion shared across more than 176 Local Governments.

Recommendation
• Government should increase funding to support the CBSD in local governments and facilitate coordination of
GBV actors, sensitization of communities, and protection of GBV survivors and running of the GBV information
management system. A multi sectoral approach which promotes coordination of the different stakeholders
and players needs to be adopted in planning and budgeting because GBV manifests in different sectors.

Financing GBV Interventions 2021/2022 11

3.6 Lack of technical capacity of government MDAs and LGs to adequately mainstream
GBV related interventions in their plans and budgets:
A 2020, capacity assessment by Ministry of Gender supported by UNDP under the spotlight initiative revealed
capacity gaps as a key factor hindering effective integration of GBV interventions in plans and budgets. Further
to this, most staff confessed they needed additional skill in program-based budgeting, as well. In addition,
the newly elected leaders at National and Local Government need to have their capacity built to manage GBV
cases.

Recommendation
• Government specifically, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Gender, Ministry of Finance and EOC should design
and deliver innovative, less cost intensive but high impact capacity building and mentorship programs across
key government agencies. This could also be in a phased approach

3.6 Financing critical GBV programs within MGLSD:

The Social Development sub program in the Ministry of Gender Labour and Social Development is to receive
UGX 159.729bn in FY 2021/22 lower than UGX 177.513bn in FY 2020/21. The leaves with a funding gap of
UGX 1,192.254bn to address different gender related concerns, which have a bearing to GBV prevention and
response programs in Uganda. See Table 3 for details:

Table 3: Unfunded Social Development Interventions in FY 2021/22

No Description of activity Funding gaps
Financing interventions for elimination of Female Genital Mutilation UGX 1Billion
in the 7 practicing communities in Sebei and Karamoja regions
Children welfare UGX 1.7Billion
Community development activities in Local Governments UGX 32 Billion
Uganda Women’s Empowerment Programme (UWEP) 8 billion
Operation funds for the Youth Livelihoods Programme UGX 71 Billion
Access to labour justice UGX 32.9 Billion
Maintenance and operations for 17 gender-based violence shelters USD 8000
Source: MGLSD MPS, FY 2021/22

Recommendations:
• Government needs to avail the required resource to deliver on these programs, Without realizing these funding
requirements, it becomes challenging for the agencies to deliver on their mandate.

12 Financing GBV Interventions 2021/2022

4.0
Conclusion
As CSOs, we are highlighting these pertinent
issues for government intervention through
financing under the Justice, Law and Order, Social
Development, Education and Health sectors to fight
against and prevent GBV in Uganda.

4
 5.0
References
5
CSBAG, UN WOMEN- Spotlight initiative, December 2020, Financing Prevention and response
interventions for Violence against Women and Girls and Harmful Practices in Uganda: A Case
Study of 17 MDAs and 19 Local Governments

Equal Opportunities Commission, Ministerial Policy Statement FY 2021/22

Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Ministerial Policy Statement FY 2021/22

Uganda Police Force, 2020, Annual Crime Report 2020

14 Financing GBV Interventions 2021/2022

Financing GBV Interventions 2021/2022 15
CSBAG VISION

CSBAG MISSION
Working towards ensuring that budgets at local and national

to promote prudent and transparent allocation of national

S BAG
C

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Bu q
d g e ti n g f o r e

Civil Society Budget Advocacy Group (CSBAG)

Plot 11 Vubya Close, Ntinda Nakawa Rd
P.O. Box 660, Ntinda, Kampala, Uganda
Fixed Line: +256-755-202-154
E-mail: csbag@csbag.org
Web www.csbag.org