Domestic Violence Prevention Demonstration Project
Overall Objective: To mobilize the community in Kampala District to change the attitudes and behaviours that perpetuate domestic violence.

Specific Objectives

To support and inspire women, men and youth in the communities to take action to prevent domestic violence.
To strengthen capacity of police officers and health care providers to create changes in policy and practice in their places of work that uphold women and children’s rights.
To advocate for change within the local councils (LC1), parish chiefs, local government (LC3) and with other key opinion leaders in communities to create an environment supportive of women’s rights and priorities.

The Community

Kawempe Division is located in the northern part of Kampala District in central Uganda. It has an area of 32.45 square kilometres and is sub-divided into 22 parishes with an estimated population of more than 350,000. Females constitute 52 percent and males 48 percent of the population. Kawempe is a low-income or 'slum' area where most residents live on under $1.00 (US) per day in densely populated areas of single room homes. The water, sanitation and housing infrastructure are extremely limited in the community.

Key activities:

i). Local Activism Department works with 66 trained volunteers (equal numbers of women and men) to engage community members and local leaders to prevent violence against women at the grassroots level. Activities within Local Activism include: booklet clubs, Community Action Groups, street theatre, building supportive environments in beauty salons and barber shops, Domestic Violence Watch Groups, traditional marriage counsellors called ssengas groups, and public events. There is also a Community Action Fund to help (women) survivors of domestic violence who are in dire need to pursue for justice or escape to safety. In addition, activities include community volunteers/counsellors trainings and citizen of the year awards to those community members who have been very exemplary in their behaviour towards women’s rights.

Men’s Program

Under the Men’s Program, the Local Activism department seeks fuller and more meaningful engagement with men and thus works with 20 trained volunteers called Male Activists, to specifically engage men to prevent violence against women. Activities within this program include: Peer-to-peer discussions, leisure places out reach, carpentry out reach, sporting events, working with local music (male) artists and couple seminars.

ii). Building Capacity Department works with key staff of institutions (police, social workers, religious leaders, health care workers, staff of NGOs) within Kampala District to influence policy and practice within the workplace around women's rights and domestic violence. Activities include a comprehensive Community Activism Course workshop series, seminars, extensive one-on-one support to resource persons, and steering committee meetings with leaders of the police and health care workers. This department also works towards the development and publication of working tools i.e., the police violence against women hand book and designing and writing the health workers violence against women handbook.

iii). Media and Advocacy Department is in the midst of a multimedia campaign (radio, TV, newspaper) to influence public dialogue regarding women's status and rights within their families and the community. This department also works with other NGOs, local leaders and organized bodies (i.e. journalists, editors etc.) to influence practice within the civil society around women’s rights and domestic violence. The department, through lobbying local councils, policy makers and parish chiefs, recently passed and is spearheading the implementation of the domestic violence by-law with in Kawempe division.

iv). Learning Materials Department creates dynamic materials in popular format that are used in public activities to emphasize women's rights and the importance of public dialogue and action to prevent domestic violence. Materials include: Community murals, info sheets, posters, and booklets that discuss gender, violence and rights.