NAWJ-Uganda Commemorating International Women's Day
Hon. Lady Justice Dr. Esther Kisakye (front row C) with members of National Association of Women Uganda (NAWU) and Nabweru residents at Nabweru Magistrates Court
The Judiciary has embarked on a\r\nstudy to establish why the law against domestic violence (DVA) has not made any\r\nimpact five years after it was passed.
\r\nHon. Lady Justice Dr. Justice Esther Kisakye of the Supreme Court said they had\r\nwritten to the Chief Registrar’s office, directing magistrates to inquire why\r\nthe implementation of the Domestic Violence Act (DVA) has failed.
\r\n"We are calling on these courts to help us find out why the Domestic Violence\r\nAct is not being implemented. You find that police still prefer to charge\r\nsuspects of domestic violence with assault yet the act provides other\r\npreventive measures,” said Hon. Lady Justice Dr. Kisakye.
\r\nShe made the remarks at Nabweru Magistrates Court during celebrations to mark\r\nthe International Women’s.
\r\nThe DVA, passed in 2009, provides for the protection of victims of domestic violence\r\nand seeks to punish perpetrators.
\r\nHon. Lady Justice Dr. Kisakye said it is unfortunate that the Directorate of\r\nPublic Prosecutions (DPP) still sanctions such police files with cases of\r\nassault originating from domestic violence.
\r\n"We as members of National Association of Women Uganda, have come here to offer\r\nyou free legal services as we celebrate Women’s Day,” she noted.
\r\n"This is because women are to a greater extent the biggest victims of domestic\r\nviolence. You should know that there is the Domestic Violence Act that was\r\nenacted in 2010 aimed at protecting families from violence,” she added.
\r\nIn the law, every magistrate’s court should have a registrar to document\r\ndomestic violence cases which is not being implemented.
\r\n"This means even the Judiciary is also breaking the law,” Justice added.
\r\nHowever, the DPP spokesperson, Ms Jane Kajugo, blamed the mismatch on lack of\r\npublic awareness of the law.
\r\n"This is a good law but we need a study to understand why the public does not\r\nreport cases of domestic violence and those that are reported are settled out\r\nof court,” Ms Kajugo said.
This story was published by Daily Monitor on\r\nMarch 12, 2015
Posted 11th, March 2015
