Fort Portal City stakeholders rally to fight sexual gender-based violence and HIV/AIDS crisis among key populations.

BY.  BETTY MUJUNGU.

Fort Portal City leaders, alongside various stakeholders and development partners, convened on Tuesday for a key engagement to address the escalating concerns of Sexual Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) among a section of key populations, specifically sex workers in Fort Portal.

Sex workers raised alarming complaints, highlighting the persistent sexual abuse of their rights, where they are exploited without consent. Particular concern was the non-consensual engagement without the use of condoms, by some men in uniform,  contributing to the rise of HIV/AIDS transmission within Fort Portal.

Ms Moreen Kyobutungi, a sex worker and the Executive Director of the Kabarole Women Health Initiative, an organization advocating for the rights of sex workers, expressed frustration over the delayed justice for reported cases of sexual abuse by security officials.

She pointed out that fear of stigma and discrimination has prevented some sex workers from reporting abuses fueling the spread of HIV/AIDS among this vulnerable population.

“Many sex workers have been raped when they refuse to consent to unprotected sex, even after disclosing their HIV/AIDS status. We have reported such cases to security, but justice delays and only a few cases have been addressed.”

She said the reasons that lead women to sell themselves on the streets include domestic and gender-based violence which needs to be addressed to reduce the number of sex workers on the streets.

” If men become more responsible with their families and cease abandoning their responsibilities to us, the number of women resorting to the streets to support their families will decrease. We need financial empowerment to address the underlying issues that force us onto the streets,” Kyobutungi stated.

The Army speaks.

Major Ceaser Oyiiki from Mountain Division Fort Portal urged them to report any instances of sexual abuse by soldiers to the relevant military offices for thorough investigations and to ensure that offenders face appropriate consequences.

Major Oyiiki said various offices within the UPDF, such as the political commissar and civil-military relationship offices, where victims can file complaints regarding the abuse of their sexual rights.

“We tell our recruited soldiers to avoid HIV/AIDS because we want a safe army. If all of them get infected, who will defend the nation? We recently held a court-martial, and one soldier was sentenced over a similar case,” He said.

Increase in New HIV/AIDS infections

The meeting also disclosed the alarming increase in new HIV/AIDS infections in Fort Portal City, with the current prevalence rate reaching 17 percent.

Ms Evan Amara, the HIV/AIDS focal person for Fort Portal City, revealed that from October to December 2023, 237 new cases of HIV/AIDS were diagnosed across 13 health facilities in the city, with 100 in males and 137 in females. Disturbingly, 27 of these cases were recent infections acquired within the past 12 months, and 15 of them were among individuals aged 20 to 34, indicating a worrying trend of rising infections among the youth.

Ms Amara emphasized the importance of designated health facilities in Fort Portal City that provide HIV/AIDS services encouraged individuals on treatment to visit these facilities for refills and urged the public to undergo testing to know their HIV status.

Need to debunk stereotypes

The Voice Of Toro gender desk Officer , Mr  Kato Hussen, emphasized the urgency of behavior change and the need to dispel stereotypes prevalent in the Tooro sub-region.

he said there are gender stereotypes that suggest that early sexual activity is culturally embedded among Batooro girls which is not true.

“People have a misguided notion that Batooro girls are inclined to have sex at an early age, which is incorrect, and we condemn it. It’s not in the culture. There are numerous stereotypes and public messages that need debunking because such misconceptions lead to the spread of HIV/AIDS.

Dr Benjamin Mwanika, a public health specialist with Baylor Uganda, highlighted the ongoing programs aimed at supporting girls that dropped out of school. These initiatives focus on providing skills development and educational opportunities at subsidized costs to ensure the beneficiaries can stay in school.

Rev Sarah Kakyo from Ruwenzori Diocese emphasized the need for a mindset change to challenge the stereotypes on women constantly depend on men.

“Some people say Batooro are lazy and don’t want to work, I suggest we debunk that myth. It is also a misconception that all Batooro women are extra ordinarily sexually active and good in bed. We encourage our women to work hard and be economically empowered.”