President Yoweri Museveni has urged religious leaders to address domestic violence in their communities and support women who come forward with stories of abuse.
He was presiding over the International Women’s Day celebrations at Busubizi Primary Teachers College Grounds in Mityana District on Thursday.
Mr Museveni said, “Men who beat women are foolish and cowardly.”
His remarks come at a time numerous activists have spoken out about how women of all faiths, races, cultures and backgrounds are bravely breaking their silence on being battered by their husbands.
“There is no institution with greater capacity to create protected spaces for healing and restoration for survivors, as well as confession, repentance and rehabilitation for perpetrators than the church,” evangelical Christian women under a campaign #SilenceIsNotSpiritual said in a statement recently.
According to President Museveni, men should follow Ephesians 5:25 which says; Husbands love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her.
“Women are the base of society, however, for some unknown reasons, old societies decided to marginalise women. The NRM does not believe in marginalising women. That is why we recruited them in the army at a time when this was unheard of and discouraged,” he said.
He appealed to the members of parliament to allocate more money to the youth, women and micro finance funds noting this will enable women create their own wealth.
Museveni also asked parents and all leaders to end the practice of early marriages.
“Girls and boys should only get married after attaining the age of 18,” he said.
“There is a practice of discrimination by parents regarding inheritance, on basis of gender. I urge parents to allow girls and widows to inherit property. If they cannot inherit, help them create their own wealth. Government has enacted a law that does not allow sale of a matrimonial home without the consent of the wife/woman,” he added.
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