Evaluating Beijing +25: The Case of Joint Programming in Prevention and Response to Violence against Women in Uganda

Abstract

abstract This article is a response to the global Beijing +25 call to take stock of the status of women and the assessment of current challenges to gender equality and women’s empowerment. It presents a case study of the coordination capacity of government and civil society organisations in meeting the Beijing Platform for Action’s strategic objectives in tackling gender-based violence (GBV) against women in Uganda through a multi-level coordinated and implemented programme. Drawing on established sectoral and district gender-mainstreaming policy and practices led by the women’s ministry, the programme demonstrated what is possible in a collaborative partnership involving several stakeholders in prevention and response to GBV. The joint GBV programme created alliances that resulted in established services such as community guidelines for GBV prevention, legal services to support survivors, shelters for the temporary protection of women and children, and counselling services. Community groups that were created facilitated dialogues and initiated action on discussing power, inequality and behaviour change. In sum, the programme’s high-level political commitment, technical and cultural leadership partially guaranteed the continuation of the GBV interventions and sustainability of the impacts. The major challenge was the enforcement of gender-sensitive public resources allocation that would engender planning and budgeting cultures. The renewed Beijing +25 bid for bold actions and commitments to end violence against women, needs to bolster support that beefs-up State-level concerns of inadequate technical skills, capabilities, and financial support to investigate cases of GBV against women. It needs to multiply actions to finance State-level measures that seek fundamental gender norms change. The article draws on qualitative and quantitative data collection techniques. A survey of 620 households was combined with key informant interviews and focus group discussions.