Religious Leaders’ Statement to the presidents of ICGLR on SGBV

By Valerian Kkonde

PEARL NEWS SERVICE

From December 15-16 2011, presidents of the eleven member states of the International Conference of the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) gathered in Munyonyo- Kampala- Uganda for the 4^th ordinary Heads of States Summit special session on Sexual Gender-Based Violence. At this Summit, Religious leaders of the five religious bodies under the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda presented their position on SGBV to the heads of state. Below is the statement.

We the leaders of the five religious bodies under the Inter-religious Council of Uganda:

Aware of the several commitments by our governments at international, regional level e.g. the Goma Declaration on SGBV (2008), the Lusaka Declaration on Exploitation of resources and the ratification of the African Protocol to the Rights of Women in Africa (December 2010),

Acknowledging that SGBV in its various manifestations occurs in peacetimes, during conflicts and post conflicts settings and that although conflicts may increase its prevalence but does not cause it;

Deeply concerned about the escalating incidences of SGBV in homes and communities and at national level throughout the region as portrayed in the personal testimonies of survivors, perpetrators themselves and the media at large;

Gravely troubled by the fact that, because of the degeneration of family and moral values  our children- both boys and girls- are not safe anymore be it at home, with relatives or friends and, worse still, with their parents;

Deeply concerned about the State parties’ inaction to domesticate the commitments at international and regional levels, the lack of enforcement of some laws and provisions, and lack of adequate funding towards preventing, responding and mitigating the impact of SGBV, and the rampart corruption and siphoning of government funds;

Recognising the severe impact of SGBV on the individual, the family, the community and the state at large;

Conscious of the serious threat SGBV poses on Security and Development of states in the region and our role as religious leaders and that we are the salt of the earth and to be role models both in words and action in both private and public life;

Recalling the commitments made by the Heads of States under the Pact on Security, Stability and Development in the Great Lakes Region (2006) and the Protocol on Prevention and Suppression of SGBV against Women and Children (2006);

Mindful of other relevant international instruments including the International Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000), 1820 (2008), 1888 (2009), 1889 (2009) and 1960 (2010);

Aware of the forthcoming ICGLR Special Session on SGBV during the fourth ordinary Heads of State Summit scheduled for Kampala on 15^th December 2011;

DO Hereby recommend to the ICGLR Heads of States as follows:

1. Undertake intensive sensitization of communities about the impact of SGBV and eradicate existing armed groups in the Region in conformity with the ICGLR Protocol on Non-Aggression and Mutual Defence within an agreed time-frame.
2. Domesticate and totally implement the Protocol on Prevention and Suppression of sexual Violence against women and Children as well as the Protocol on Judicial Cooperation, in order to combat SGBV and cooperate in matters of extradition, judicial investigation and prosecution of the perpetrators.
3. ICGLR governments get the much needed incentive to act very fast in providing the moral and political will in dealing with SGBV in the region.
4. Create safe havens and commit funds for survivors of SGBV to enable holistic healing.
5. Cease the rhetoric and commit more funds towards preventing, responding and mitigating the impact of SGBV at all levels especially the probation offices, Family Support Units (FSU) / Victim Support Units (VSU) at Police Stations and create special courts for hearing cases of SGBV.
6. Expedite the enactment and implementation of relevant domestic laws that protect the rights of women and children within the family unit.
7. Member states put in place committees to oversee SGBV and make periodic progress reports to the ICGLR Secretariat.

            Civil Society Organisations:

a)      Undertake massive sensitization on SGBV in communities especially at the grass root and challenge gender stereotypes.

b)      Provide psycho-social support for survivors of SGBV.

c)      Design economic empowerment and survival skills programmes for the survivors of SGBV.

For our part, within the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda and our counter-parts within the ICGLR, we commit ourselves to the following:

a)      Using Religious Resources spearhead moral and ethical values revival in homes, communities and the nation at large.

b)      Provide the necessary counseling services along with training packages skills that will enable and empower the survivors of SGBV to move on in life with confidence.

c)      Continuing to be the prophetic voice to all in the region and to build stronger ties between the Church and the State for the common good of all God’s people.