GENDER BASED VIOLENCE SITUATION
In the course of NOWSUD’s work in peace and security it was noted violence against women and girls compromised the ability of families to bring up mentally stable children. Children growing in abusive environment are likely to engage in anti-social behaviors since they mostly develop a sense of revenge for their abused parent or guardian or grows thinking its right to abuse others as inferior. Most of the cases go silently due to the culture and stigma. VAWG is recognized as health issue by NOWSUD.The following conditions are favorable to GBV in most parts of these region.
- Drug abuse is key cause for most men abusing their wives.
- Lack of employment among men lead to contempt by their wives leading to either the man abusing her or in some cases the woman abusing the man for failure to provide.
- Lack of reliable community level reporting mechanism leaves many cases of gender violence unreported meaning it goes on undeterred.
- There is no deliberate attempt to integrate GBV issues with other peace and security interventions which means it has not been treated as a safety issue that can effectively be addressed by Community Policing leaders at the household level.
- Lack of commitment by the police to take required action against culprits has led to victims especially women opt not to report. Cases of culprits especially men paying for cases to be weakened means most men police officers have not appreciated the depth of abuses and its impact.
- Increased number of women without source of livelihood means over-reliance on violent men for the sake of children.
- Polygamy – hidden burden suffering in silence . Hence high rate of divorce.
- Violence is present in the life’s of women due to cultural barriers.
- Wife Inheritance and women inheriting properties.
- FGM - Female Genital Mutilation