New DPP Demands Accountability as Uganda's GBV Rates Stay Elevated

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• DPP Alerts That GBV Threatens National Development Objectives.

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Uganda’s Newly named Director of Public Prosecutions, Lino Anguzu, has called for stronger collaborations, enhanced transparency, and shared accountability in addressing violence against women and girls.

Mentioning on Thursday during the launch of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (GBV), which took place under the global themeUnite to Stop All Types of Violence Against Women and Children, Anguzu stated that the campaign provided a chance for the public to gain a better understanding of the prosecution service's role in justice.

"We, as an Office, appreciate the opportunity to collaborate with you so that the public can gain insight into our work," he stated, thanking the Irish Embassy and International Justice Mission (IJM) for their support of the initiative.

Anguzu stated that tackling GBV is not something the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) can accomplish by itself.

"We recognize that when dealing with cases of GBV, we cannot do it by ourselves... therefore, we appreciate all our partners who are present today to demonstrate support," he stated.

Emphasizing the ODPP's constitutional authority as outlined in Article 120, he pointed out that the organization handles all criminal cases not under the Court Martial and holds a key position in delivering justice, upholding law and order, and advancing human rights according to Vision 2040 and the Justice, Law and Order Sector (JLOS) framework.

Although there has been legal advancement, Anguzu stated that sexual and gender-based violence is still prevalent. "Sexual and Gender Based Violence is continuing to rise, as shown by the high number of cases dealt with by the Office of the DPP and those that ultimately reach the court," he mentioned.

He mentioned that rape and serious sexual offenses are prevalent in High Court proceedings, while numerous cases of spousal murder often start as unreported instances of domestic abuse.

"Many of the severe cases of spousal murder we have dealt with... began as incidents of domestic violence that were not properly addressed," he stated, cautioning that ODPP data indicates up to 70 percent of criminal cases reported to the police and subsequently prosecuted are related to GBV.

Anguzu warned that stigma, fear of reprisal, and negative attitudes from justice officials frequently deter victims from filing reports.

"Since GBV crimes are linked with shame, trauma, and social stigma, we aim to reassure the public of our support... Don't remain silent," he urged.

This year's initiative focuses on digital and online harassment, with data indicating that 68 percent of children who have disabilities and 59 percent of those without have faced online bullying.

Some of these crimes involve cyber bullying, cyber harassment, and child pornography... offenses such as rape and sexual assault often begin online through the use of fake profiles," Anguzu stated, further noting: "We therefore urge everyone to report any instances of violence so that those responsible can be held accountable.

As per the latest police crime statistics, in the last three years, there have been over 10,000 instances of domestic abuse, 14,846 cases involving sexual violence, and 10,741 offenses related to children reported annually.

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