By Sarah Seltz | Development and Sponsorship Coordinator
Nyaka and the community are standing up against sexual assault! A core group of individuals completed a workshop that discussed legal issues regarding child sexual abuse. The group consisted of 19 people who were selected for their interests in stopping sexual assaults, their ability to speak out about the topic and for their respected positions in the community. They were Nyaka staff members, religious leaders, local politicians, prominent community members, police officers, and the Kanungu State Attorney. This is the second training that this core group has completed. We told you about the first training in August that was co-hosted by Nyaka and the EDJA Foundation. That training had addressed sexual abuse and gender roles.
The purpose of this training was to equip the core group members with legal knowledge and skills regarding sexual abuse in Uganda. The training was done by Katherine, a Nyaka Board member and retired lawyer. First she discussed the history of human rights, emphasizing United Nations treaties and protocols like the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. She then went over Uganda’s laws and regulations regarding child safety and sexual violence. Police officers in the group were able to explain their roles and the proper police procedure for prosecuting alleged perpetrators of sexual abuse offenses. The final activity of the training was to break the participants into three groups that covered:
1- The education/social work/community sector
2- The legal sector
3- The medical sector
Each group came up with what the ideal protocol would be for a guardian or grandmother to report a case of child abuse, and what their role would be in such a situation. The groups will facilitate community meetings with Nyaka guardians, grandmothers, and others about the problems of child abuse and gender-based violence; will attend future trainings; spread information to the community; and guide the development of community-based solutions. Members of the core group will be the ones that others turn to about sexual assault issues.
THANK YOU for fighting with us to stop sexual assault!
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By Sarah Seltz | Development and Sponsorship Coordinator
By Sarah Seltz | Development and Sponsorship Coordinator
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