Kampala Declaration: Prevent Gender-based Violence in Africa

We are representatives of NGOs, women's groups, cities, municipalities and United Nations agencies from 10 countries in the Horn, Eastern and Southern Africa.

We gathered in Kampala, Uganda from September 4th to 6th, 2003 to conduct a Regional Dialogue: Preventing Gender-based Violence: Sharing Experiences, Breaking New Ground, organized by Raising Voices and UN-HABITAT's Safer Cities Programme. We call for action to prevent and eradicate gender-based violence in Africa.

GIVEN THAT:

Gender-based violence is a violation of basic human rights.

Gender-based violence results from an imbalance of power between women and men and is deeply entrenched in some cultural practices and intimate relationships.

Gender-based violence is not a private issue but one that involves society as a whole and therefore calls for a holistic approach promoting preventive solutions.

WE RECOGNISE THAT:

Efforts must focus on preventing rather than merely responding to gender-based violence since prevention addresses the root causes of violence, has farther-reaching effects and is ultimately more cost effective.

Prevention efforts must be holistic in conception and comprehensive in design. They need to engage a broad cross section of the community through a range of methodologies.

Programmatic tools need to be developed in order to implement effective programs, to document practical experiences, to monitor and evaluate progress, and support practitioners and local authorities.

The civil society has a catalytic role to play in mobilizing communities, promoting women's rights, building the bridge between policy and practice and facilitating change at the grassroots.

Local authorities have a crucial role to play in mainstreaming gender in safety policies, supporting and allocating appropriate resources to gender-based violence initiatives, and promoting women's access to strategic positions within local government.

WE RECOMMEND:

Community Mobilization: Strive to engage the whole community from women, men, youth and children at the grassroots to community leaders and professionals within local institutions. Address gender-based violence as a community's responsibility instead of making it a 'women's issue' and use multiple strategies to reach out to all sectors in society.

Awareness Raising: Harness community creativity, expertise and resources and tailor initiatives to different cultural contexts in order to make them more successful in changing attitudes. Develop sustained follow-up activities to take advantage of momentum generated and link awareness with action.

Media: Forge positive relationships with the media establishment. Proactively and constructively involve them in the process of planning communication strategies. Pay close attention to the intended audience and use traditional, mainstream and new media to reach out to diverse groups.

Working with Men: Work with rather than against men to develop more inclusive, relevant and cost effective responses to violence prevention that will benefit entire communities. Use benefits-based approaches and identify male allies in communities, local government and non-government organizations to improve impact and institutionalization.

Strengthening Existing Community Structures: Harness communities' social capital by involving all community stakeholders such as citizens, traditional and religious leaders, lawyers, police, and other professionals. Work with these structures to integrate the work of violence prevention in their policies and practice.

Encourage Partnership between NGOs and Local Governments: Develop stronger relationships with local governments who are well positioned to effect sustainable change by facilitating city-level action and mobilizing resources to this effect.

Local Government Capacity Building: Strengthen local governments' role and ability in social crime prevention, fighting violence against women, and increasing women's involvement through training and sensitization activities.

WE THEREFORE, CALL UPON:

The United Nations, through its mechanisms and agencies, to promote such initiatives and to document the progress made in gender-based violence prevention.

All members of the African Union to ratify and take concrete measures in their respective countries to operationalize the Women's Rights Protocol, with specific attention to Article Four on the Rights to Life, Integrity and Security of the Person which calls for the prevention and elimination of gender-based violence.

Governments, at the central and local level, to commit to actualize policy and legal provisions on gender-based violence at the grassroots level.

Funding agencies to support prevention efforts of NGOs recognizing that changing attitudes and behavior is a long-term process.

Practitioners and activists to continue building partnerships between stakeholders working on gender-based violence through dialogues, exchanges and networks.
Such efforts would allow us to monitor our progress, reaffirm our commitment and lead the way in preventing and eradicating gender-based violence throughout Africa.

Download the Kampala Declaration here.

Signed By:

Addy Nyambo Lyamuya, Fellow, International Women's Human Rights Center, Georgetown University, USA
ABM Kamrul Ahsan, Initiative for Management Development, Bangladesh
Angela Dwamena-Aboagye, Executive Director, The Ark Foundation, Ghana
Anna Mtani, Coordinator, Safer Cities - Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Anne Gathumbi, Coordinator, Coalition Against Violence Against Women, Kenya
Bathesba Mayomi, PhD Candidate, University of Toronto, Canada
Betty Akullo, Coordinator, Center for Domestic Violence Prevention, Uganda
Boitshepo Lesetedi, National Coordinator, Men as Partners - Planned Parenthood Association, South Africa
Bronwyn Morris, New Zealand
Cecilia Andersson, Urban Safety Expert, Safer Cities, UN-Habitat, Kenya
Connie Geerhart, Victim Services Counselor, Austin Police Department, USA
Cookie Edwards, Provincial Coordinator, Kwa Zulu Natal Network on Violence Against Women, South Africa
Deborah Efroymson, Regional Director, PATH-Canada, Bangladesh
Del Hendrixson, Founder/CEO, BajitoOnda.org, Global Peace Ministry, USA
Delphine Serumaga, Executive Director, People Opposing Women Abuse, South Africa
Dipak Naker, Co-Director, Raising Voices, Uganda
Dr. Harriet Kivumbi Knalubo, East and Central Africa, Regional HIV/AIDS Policy Coordinator, Oxfam International, Uganda
Dr. Kazi Faisal Mahmud, Coordinator HIV/AIDS, Concern Worldwide, Bangladesh
Emma Kaliya, Project Officer, Malawi Human Rights Resource Center, Malawi
Enid Kakaire-Wagidoso, Coordinator, Great Lakes Africa Women's Network, UK
Enziel Mtei, Project Coordinator, Safer Cities - Temeke, Tanzania
Gift Muponisi, GBV Program Manager, International Medical Corps, Uganda
Ginbowgsh Kebede, Gender Policy Program Officer, ActionAid, Ethiopia
Hope Turyisingura, Local Activism Officer, Center for Domestic Violence Prevention, Uganda
International Women's Health Coalition, USA
Irene Khumalo, Director, Agisanang Domestic Abuse Prevention and Training (ADAPT), South Africa
Irene Kraegel, USA
Jane Wathome, Program Officer - Africa, International Women's Health Coalition, USA
Jennifer Wagman, Research Associate, Rakai Project, Uganda
Johnny Roberts, St. Catharines, Ontario Canada
Joy Watson, Researcher, Parliament of South Africa
Jyoti Trivedi, V.C., Central Asia
Kim Burns, Behavior Change Communication Coordinator, Uganda Family Planning Association, Uganda
Kurt Mueller, UNESCO, Manfesto 2000 - Peace is in our Hands, USA
Leah Ngunyi, Social Services Coordinator, Nairobi City Council, Kenya
Lori Michau, Raising Voices, Uganda
Lucy Ole Kina, Council Member, FIDA, Kenya
Luzindana Adam, Director, OWN, Uganda
Maimuna Kanyamala, Coordinator, Kivulini Women's Rights Organization, Tanzania
Margaret Sankoh, GBV Program Coordinator, Guinea Program, International Rescue Committee, Guinea
Marwa Stephen Shirati, President, Bajitoonda Foundation, Tanzania
Natsnet Ghebrebrhan, Project Officer, CARE International, Eritrea
Nerusha Naidoo, Ombudsman, eThekwini Municipality, South Africa
Nicholas Danforth, Resident Scholar, Women's Studies Center, Brandeis University, USA
Nonhlanhla Dlamini, Director, Swaziland Action Group Against Abuse (SWAGAA), Swaziland
Nyaradzai Gumbonzvanda, Regional Director, UNIFEM, Kenya
Omondi Ocholla Rampell, Executive Director, Center for Peace and Democracy, Kenya
Pamela Tuiyott, Programme Manager, Education Center for Women in Democracy, Kenya
Phoebe Guyba, District Environment Officer, Kampala City Council, Uganda
Pontsho Segwai, Outreach Manager, Nisaa Institute for Women's Development, South Africa
Princess Tabata, Research Assistant to the Director, CEPD, South Africa
Rada Gungaloo, President, SOS Femmes, Mauritius
Rev. Jane Rose M. Adaka, Destined Women's Fellowship, Nigeria
S. Vanessa van Struensee, Grants Administrator / Senior Legal Researcher, International Women's Human Rights Clinic, Georgetown University, USA
Sebastian Wanzama-Piro, Executive Director, The Canadian African Centre, Canada
Seblewongel Deneke, Coordinator, PANOS, Ethiopia
Siya Akwillina Mlay, TGPSH, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Simonne Ruff, Senior Manager, Neighborhood Link, Toronto, Canada
Soraya Smaoun, Urban Safety Expert, UN-HABITAT, Kenya
Tembi Tyuku, Training and Development Coordinator, Soul City Institute for Health and Development Communication, South Africa
Tirell Modie Moroka, Social Work Department, University of Botswana
Tshipinare Marumo, Information and Resources Manager, POWA, South Africa
Yav Katshung Joseph, Executive Director, Centre for Human Rights Studies and Research, DRCongo
Zainab Vullu, Councilor, Kinondoni Municipality, Tanzania
Zohra Docrat, President, Federation of Medical Women of Canada
Zonke Mhlongo, Non-Discrimination and Complaints Officer, eThekwini Municipality, South Africa

Join us!
Sign the Declaration as an Organization or an individual by emailing the name and location to us at info@raisingvoices.org