Ugandan Women Pushing For Marriage Bill

Posted by: lukwago J in Uganda news February 4, 2021

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;

This is not a Paywall, but Newslex Point's journalism consumes a lot of time, hard-work and money. That's why we're kindly requesting you to support us in anyway they can, for as little as $1 or more, you can support us .

Please use the button below to contribute to Newslex Point, Inc. using a credit card or via PayPal.