The Speaker of Parliament Rt Hon. Rebecca A. Kadaga. PPU PHOTO.
“We continue, to implore the government of Uganda through the Parliament of Uganda to pass the Sexual Offences Bill and give Uganda a Christmas and New Year’s gift.”
The above remarks were made by the Archbishop Stanley Ntagali as Church of Uganda commenced 16 days of activism against gender-based violence last Thursday.
Archbishop Ntagali raised concern over the increasing trend of sexual and gender-based violence in the Country especially towards women and girls including the continued harmful practices such as Female Genital Mutilation and Child marriages.
“I am also concerned about the increasing cases of child molesting and defilement and its negative consequences,” he said.
The Sexual Offences Bill was introduced in the Ninth Parliament by Kumi District Woman Representative, Hon Monicah Amoding in 2015 and was before the Committee on Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, which presented a report four years later on Wednesday, 13 February 2019.
Last week, it was presented on the floor of Parliament despite not being issued the certificate on financial implication.
The bill seeks to consolidate laws relating to sexual offences and provide procedural and evidential requirements during trial of sexual offences and proposes several measures to check among others, sexual harassment in schools by guardians or teachers.
Earlier this year, Hon Amoding expressed concern over the slow progress of the bill since its inception in the Ninth Parliament and called on the House to consider the bill in its current state with the proposed amendments.
“Given the prevailing circumstance on the gender-based injustices in the Country, am deeply concerned by the delayed passing of the Sexual offences Bill. I strongly believe that this Law once passed will protect Men, Women and Children against sexual exploitation and abuse, reduce sexual harassment and end impunity and provide basis for punishment of perpetrators of Gender based injustices,” Archbishop Ntagali said.
“The Church pledges continuous support and corporation towards a balanced world and shall continue to speak against such intolerable behavior to amplify global voice towards gender justice baring in mind that we are one in Christ Jesus and created equal. (Galatian 3:28)” Archbishop Ntagali added.
