Ugandan Women Pushing For Marriage Bill

Civil Society Organisations have tasked  Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga, to present the Marriage Bill for consideration in the 11th Parliament.

They argued that its long over due and women’s rights are being violated despite their contribution in the development of the families.

This proposal was presented at Cross Cultural Foundation Uganda dissemination of research findings on the nexus between culture and 2017 Marriage Bill.

CCFU director Barbra Babweteera. CCFU is a non-governmental organisation established in 2005 exists to promote the recognition of culture as vital for human development  and harnesses cultural resources to end violence against women and girls in Alur,Karamoja,Buganda, Busoga and Tororo.

Veronica Bichetero Kaberomaido County Member of Parliament urged women activists to lobby Parliament saying the Bill is at legal and parliamentary affairs Committee of Parliament.

“Marriage Bill is entirely property of Parliament. As member of legal and public affairs committee I ask civil society organisations to revive the bill and raise the debate about the bill to be tabled,”Veronica said.

She noted that government had abdicated its responsibility to present necessary legislation, a gap that Parliament has to fill.

“If you look at the Constitution, there are many areas where Government was supposed to bring proposals [bills], but since 1995 they haven’t come,” Veronica noted.

Gender Minister Peace Mutuzo pledged to push and lobby speaker of Parliament and legal and public affairs Committee of Parliament to pass the bill this 11th Parliament saying its long over due.

“ My last intervention on the Marriage Bill 2017, is that  Minister for Justice  Sent the Bill to Parliament after amendments. I am ready to bring the Bill to Parliament as long as the mover is present,” Mutuzo said.

The UN officials recommend that the Bill be renamed the Marriage Bill and that cohabitation needed to be provided for.

“Cohabitation is not covered in the Bill. This leaves partners and their property unprotected yet the majority of Ugandans are in the regime of cohabitation,” said Justice David Batema, a consultant at UN Women.

Mutuzo said the Bill would help deal with the high rate of domestic violence considering that no region in Uganda records a domestic violence prevalence rate under 40 percent.

The Bill will protect women rights and culture which are critical for our corexistance and promote peace in families.

Check also;

• Bitter Lady Sues Boyfriend For Dating Her For 8 Years Without Marriage
• Can We Normalise Weddings And Marriage
• Why I Walked Out Of My Marriage Without Asking For A Cent

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