CSOs Demand Evidence Reform in FGM Cases

Soroti, Uganda | THE BLACK EXAMINER | Advocates for social justice from Civil Society Organizations are urging for adjustments in the proof-gathering requirements for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) cases to enhance the country’s efforts in combating this harmful practice.

During a two-day Youth Consortium Roundtable in Soroti, Samuel Ononge, the project officer of the UNFPA-funded program by ActionAid International Uganda (AAIU) to end FGM in Sebei Sub-region, highlighted the difficulty in obtaining evidence like the clitoris, as courts often demand. Ononge emphasized that FGM is now conducted clandestinely to evade legal consequences, leading to the release of perpetrators back into the community.

Ben Sakajja, the District Community Development Officer for Bukwo Local Government, pointed out alleged corruption in the justice system as a hindrance to the fight against harmful practices targeting children, including FGM, teenage pregnancy, and child marriages. Despite reporting cases to the police, Sakajja noted a lack of resolutions, with offenders consistently being released.

Chebet Irene, the Secretary for Gender LC5 Bukwo District, underscored the negative impact of harmful practices on girls’ productivity in society. She called for public collaboration with the government to collectively halt these practices and emphasized the need for positive and responsible parenting to facilitate the fight.

Harriet Aseko, the District Community Development Officer for Kapchorwa Local Government, assured the government’s commitment to ending harmful practices against children through various measures, including raising awareness about the associated dangers.

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