GWEFODE’s position on Violence against Women and girls including domestic violence and abuse is guided by our theory of change and key pathways which addresses VAWG from a global perspective while addressing the local context and applying local solutions. We recognise that for a sustainable impact to occur, action against violence is required simultaneously at all levels of key pathways to change including individual support, supporting and protecting women through women-centred services, lobbying district leaders and bringing about legislative change. Through this process women and girls have to remain at the centre of all action. At GWEFODE we believe that these local efforts have to be linked to national, regional and international action to address the global problem of violence against women.                                                 

The Theory of Change recognises the broader societal context in Uganda within which efforts to tackle violence against women take place. This includes high poverty levels; strong adherence to traditional cultural practices; dependence; negative and positive attitudes to women and girls; and an acknowledgement that disrupting gender power has both intended and unintended consequences and can create a backlash from those resistant to change.

In Uganda, as in other contexts, gendered norms and values about women and men uphold Violence against Women which is commonly viewed as a normal aspect of relations between women and men. Whilst physical forms of violence can often remain hidden, economic abuse is especially prevalent and men have authority over women’s income. Cultural customs and traditional practices, such as bride price, polygamy and female genital cutting, are strongly embedded in society and within rural communities and hinder equality. Such cultural practices also underpin entrenched myths/beliefs about the role and behaviour of women whereby women are expected to be submissive and unquestioning of male authority. Sayings such as ‘women cannot own property as they are themselves property’ and ‘children do not belong to the woman’ are common and serve to keep women oppressed. Women in power often reinforce male authority and the negation of women’s rights as well as religious and cultural beliefs about the ‘ideal woman’ and ideals of womanhood.

GWEFODE has worked for over 14 years to support women and children experiencing domestic violence. Over the years we have learnt to comprehend the depth and complexity in the needs of both women and their children, and so our team have built in-depth knowledge regarding the dynamics of domestic violence and women’s broader experiences of gender based violence.

As a women’s organisation, we are committed to taking the needs of Women and children at the centre of our programs, and it is from these needs that we base our every decision. At GWEFODE, we:

1. Believe in Women and Children’s experience of Abuse, Prioritise Women and Children’s Safety and Confidentiality, Support empowerment and self-help so women can regain control of their lives, Challenge Discrimination and Promote Equal Opportunities, Encourage and Promote Staff Team Spirit and Personal Growth in order to meet the needs of women.
2. Adopt a woman centred approach which makes it essential that staff understand women’s rights and also ensures the activities are well targeted with primary accountability to women and girls. It also means that the best interest of women and girls are safeguarded, their participation assured, and their confidence built throughout the process of accessing justice. In line with this, GWEFODE works to create community “champions” or “Role Models” from among the women supported together with supportive individuals in the community to build “safety nets” around survivors.
3. Apply the community based approach which involves community wide engagement to make the work “home grown”, thereby building local ownership and making the community members the “best friends” and “critiques” of the initiative.

4. Build strategic partnerships and alliances to increase access to services and counter impunity. This involves working more closely with individuals and duty bearers with a good conscience and with key protection agencies which include justice delivery agencies such as the police and courts, as well as the local government agencies both technical and political, as well as Civil Society groups. Strategic partnerships will be strengthened through joint meetings, cross referrals, and joint monitoring, case reviews and protection committee meetings, sharing information and budgets and also through conducting joint outreaches.

5. Believe that justice to one person is as important as justice to the general community and that’s why GWEFODE has adopted the holding of survivors going through support services, as the best way to build confidence and empower the individual woman, and the best way to spot and promote talented community volunteers turning them into “champions”.
6. Bring about Innovative changes by scaling the multimedia communication and advocacy on bride price and polygamy to effect change of attitude on a wider scale. To this end, information stored in the electronic M&E system will be channelled to influence public opinion through a multimedia approach. Stakeholders for this innovation will include the media houses that will air VAWG including Domestic Violence programs and messages for public education and IT companies who will support the integration of the electronic system.

GWEFODE believes that there is a link between violence against women and financial dependence since violence results from the interaction of related social and contextual factors such as inequitable gender norms, economic conditions, and weak implementation of legislation; as well as personal factors such as power issues and behavioural norms. Poverty and dependence are factors that aggravate violence by limiting both access to help, and choices for survivors who may not afford to pay for required services or will have to return to and depend on the abuser after receiving assistance.