CA C 1 - Raising Voices

DVPP case study
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DVPP case study
■ Christian religious leaders (3) have delivered sermons on the importance of violence-free homes
and even held seminars for other priests. They have also held video shows for their parishioners and
initiated booklet clubs within their youth and mothers groups. Muslim leaders (2) hold special classes
after Friday prayers for men and women and revived a court system, staffed by the resource
persons, that aims to increase justice for women.
■ Health care providers (3) within Kampala City Council system hold regular meetings with other
service providers to improve quality of care, present talks at immunization clinics and regular
discussions within the waiting rooms on domestic violence, and are currently developing screening
procedures to integrate domestic violence in their client protocols.
Staff capacity building is also an integral part of the department’s work. All staff meet weekly to
‘check-in’ with others about the successes and challenges of their departments, to collectively problemsolve,
and to discuss lessons learned. This has helped build cohesion within the program and
solidarity among staff. All staff members also participate in the Community Activism Course and in a
three-hour training every fortnight, which is often facilitated by themselves.
Media and Events
This department works with the print and electronic media to promote discussion and public debate
about domestic violence. Much of the media work reaches a nation-wide audience, yet there are other
activities reaching out specifically to the Kawempe community. Almost 90 talk and drama radio
programs have been aired on several radio stations within greater Kampala on topics including
consequences of domestic violence, bride price, gender, women and human rights, etc. Furthermore,
a weekly column, “Thinking Aloud”, and colorful ‘advertisements’ are published every Sunday about
related topics, such as masculinity, intimacy in relationships, emotional violence, and solidarity among
women, in nationally distributed newspapers in both English and Luganda.
The Media and Events department is also working to create a forum for prominent journalists and
editors to discuss the portrayal of women and violence in the media. Key journalists, the media
establishment, and other NGOs have been engaged in an analysis of how women are portrayed in
the media, and efforts have been made to increase ethical reporting and more balanced analysis of
women’s issues and to decrease sensationalized reporting on domestic violence. This is done through
seminars for journalists and one-to-one work with senior journalists.
Advocacy
In June 2002, as a result of an internal review, the activities of the Advocacy department were
integrated into other program areas, since there was some overlap between the departments in the
groups being reached. For example, the Local Council leaders are also reached through the Building
Capacity and Local Activism departments. Furthermore, the very active groups of community
volunteers have now taken many of the local advocacy activities.
The aim of the department was to influence local leaders, professionals, and community members to
reflect on and act to prevent the domestic violence they see within their communities. In Uganda, local
Mobilising Communities to Prevent Domestic Violence