From time immemorial, families have been central to human society, the basic social unit for the expression of love between man and woman and the creation or raising children. Similarly, in Uganda the family is the fundamental and basic unit of society. It serves its members as a reproductive unit,
socio-cultural and spiritual/moral base (Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, 2018). Download full document Here
At the turn of the millennium, the economic empowerment of women was on the global agenda because it was believed that empowering women was
the first step in ensuring gender equality in the home, and in society. There are experiences, which reveal that the labour burden on women is actually increasing since empowerment activities come along with more activities attached to her and in most cases done single handedly but
expected to benefit the entire family. This is accelerated by the prevailing norms that surround ownership and decision making at family level yet interventions are not addressing these a fair equity. However, recently, the Ministry of Gender Labour and Social Development (MGLSD) through the department of Family and Culture is advocating for change in focus. Instead of focusing on improving the woman’, youth, old persons, children
separately as individuals within a family, the department is focusing on uplifting the entire family, which will, in the process, empower women.
May 15, 2020 was the first time for Uganda to join the celebration of the International Family Day virtually. This came at a time the country was in a lockdown aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19, a global pandemic, among Ugandans. On March 30th, 2020, President Yoweri Museveni had announced a lockdown in Uganda, starting March 31st 2020. Apart from a few categories of essential workers, all Ugandans were expected to stay at home and avoid unnecessary movements. About a week earlier, schools had been closed and children were already home. Initially, the lockdown had been scheduled for 14 days, but it was extended for another 21 days after which another 14 days were added, which were serving during the International Day
of the Family (IDF), and they were expected to end on May 19th. Downloaf Full Document Here
PROJECT BRIEF
Parenting in Uganda remains a priority intervention area for the wellbeing of Children, a need affirmed by the high levels of Violence against Children (VAC) as per findings of the 2015 National VAC Survey .While there exists numerous parenting interventions, these are institutional and project based with limited documented scientific evidence on what is working. Consequently, there exists no clear strategic direction on the parenting agenda in Uganda. In addition, while 2017 was declared the year of family in Uganda, not much has been achieved to date in terms of shaping the parenting agenda in the country leaving a vacuum on the future of the parenting agenda.
In 2018, the Child Health and Development Centre (CHDC) within the College of Health Sciences Makerere University applied for a grant from the Oak Foundation to support Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development (MGLSD) in providing leadership in development of a parenting agenda in the country. The process is envisaged to involve rallying institutions implementing parenting interventions towards visioning, generating and systematizing evidence based parenting programmes in Uganda. This is a three year project (2019-2020).
The project is expected among to deliver the following results:
1. A national parenting strategy developed through consensus building on the strategic direction for enhancing parenting initiatives in Uganda
2. An inventory of parenting initiatives in Uganda compiled and maintained
3. A synthesis of existing research evidence on the most effective parenting interventions in Sub Saharan Africa punctuated with case examples from Uganda
4. Compiled research evidence on effective parenting interventions disseminated to key stakeholders
5. Strengthened networking among institutions implementing parenting interventions in Uganda
6. National parenting guidelines developed by MGLSD reprinted and disseminated across sectors and levels
7. Key stakeholders capacity on parenting strengthened
The project shall be implemented with a consortium of institutions and agencies currently involved in parenting work.
#16DaysofActivism 2018 Blog Series
Written by Carolyn Namutebi1, Godfrey Siu 1 and Daniel Wight 2
Child Health & Dev Centre, Makerere University1; MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, Uni of Glasgow 2
“I received a hug for the first time in fifteen years” Jane, a mother and wife told us as she proudly described the many benefits of their participation as a couple in the Parenting for Respectability Programme recently delivered to about 600 parents in Wakiso a semi-urban area in the central part of Uganda. Jane’s voice was not isolated. We have been surprised at how many different spouses valued this parenting programme for its benefit to their relationships. Jane, as is often the case with so many women in Uganda and parts of sub-Saharan Africa, had for many years lived in a conflictual marital relationship characterised with violence from her spouse. For many women in this situation, violence, especially intimate partner violence and violence against children, is inevitable, it is acceptable as normal, and is expected.
Violence against women and violence against children are preventable!
But the truth is that violence against women (VAW) and children (VAC) are preventable. By addressing the root causes of violence we can stop it from happening in the first place(Dartnall & Gevers, 2015). Worldwide, 1billion children experience some form of violence and/ or neglect; most of these occurring in Asia and Africa (Hills et al 2016). Out of all the deaths occurring to children due to injury and violence, 95% are in low and middle income countries (WHO, 2014). Approximately four in ten female and six in ten male Ugandan children experience physical violence and 35% Ugandan girls and 17% Ugandan boys experience sexual violence (MoGLSD 2018). The drivers of VAC and VAW are multi-faceted and inter-linked, and they originate from unequal gender and social norms, as well as in early adverse childhood experiences, including poor attachment and exposures to and witnessing violence
(Wilkins, Tsao, Hertz, Davis, & Klevens, 2014).
VAW and VAC have far reaching impacts
The impacts of VAW and VAC are far reaching and can manifest throughout the lifespan. Such violence is associated with premature mortality and morbidity, increased risk of HIV, and in children, potential long term conduct problems, cognitive and emotional problems, social development, poor educational outcomes, and future relationship problems and violence. Although VAW and VAC tend to occur together efforts to address these types of violence are often conducted in isolation. As a result there is still limited evidence on what really works to prevent both VAC and VAW, especially in LMICs. Evidence of effective and culturally relevant parenting programmes that deliberately seek to address outcomes associated with both intimate partner violence and child maltreatment are few.
Working with caregivers should be priority for VAW and VAC prevention models
Yet interventions focusing on addressing gender norms and improving caregiver capacities and understanding of child growth and development are important levers for reducing violence against children and gender based violence broadly, and should be a priority component of a prevention model. There is now, more than ever, increasing global and national policy interest to optimize primary prevention of violence. The SDG targets 5.2 and 16.2 provide a great opportunity to address this kind of violence. The WHO, in partnership with a group of 10 international agencies have developed and endorsed an evidence-based technical package called INSPIRE: Seven strategies for ending violence against children. The package aims to help countries achieve SDG Target 16.2 on ending violence against children.
Parenting for Respectability Programme
The Parenting for Respectability Programme currently being tested in Uganda implements INSPIRE, and contributes evidence on how to practically bring together programming addressing violence against women and violence against children, as well as how to effectively mobilize and retain men for such programmes. The programme has 16 sessions with a core of 9 single sex and 7 mixed sex sessions delivered weekly by local facilitators. Parenting for Respectability addresses four main predictors of GBV and violence against children: lack of parental bonding and attachment, harsh discipline, especially the use of corporal punishment by parents, differential gender socialization, often with girls being raised as unequal to boys, and conflictual spousal relationships, especially violence.
 [Photo by CHDC, Makerere University; Women during a session] |
[Photo by CHDC, Makerere University; Men during a session] |
Parenting for Respectability – evidence informed and context based
The programme, which has undergone piloting and a proof of concept evaluation with ~600 parents/carers and their 10-14-year-old children between 2014 and 2018, is a collaboration between Makerere University, MRC/UVRI & LSHTM Uganda Research Unit, and Glasgow University UK, in partnership with SVRI and Oak Foundation. It was designed to address the need for an indigenous model of parenting in Uganda. Four main features make this programme unique. First, it is locally developed to address parent’s concerns for family respectability, largely achieved through children’s good behaviour and successes in life. Second, the project combines approaches that build parents skills to parent better and targets to improve spousal relationships which is an important cause of poor parenting and VAW. Third, the Parenting for Respectability programme deliberately seeks to recruit fathers as much as women and encourages parental couples to attend together. Fourth, it has a strong research component in it, which is important for learning lessons to improve practice. Through a strong research process, the programme has clarified how the intervention is perceived in terms of relevance and acceptability, the best way to recruit parental groups and sustain participation, especially participation of fathers, the best way to negotiate access with local leaders, and how to continue to monitor, mentor and support local facilitators.
The Parenting for Respectability programme has provided incredibly important data on what makes an intervention acceptable and relevant to local communities, and many parents, like Jane, have reported dramatic benefits from their involvement. There is widespread interest and endorsement of the programme as a potentially high impact programme since parenting was an important concern in this community. The community leaders and participants have spoken positively of the delivery structure which involves both single sex and mixed sex sessions. For the men, the single sex sessions create an environment in which they can explore non-conventional masculinity without the risk of being ridiculed while attending sessions as a couple enabled the participants to clarify conflictual perspectives regarding spousal relationships and negative gendered norms and offered an opportunity to learn new perspectives on parenting from the opposite sex. We have learnt that using men’s pre-existing motivation to improve their children’s behaviour, thereby enhancing family respectability, is an important factor that should be harnessed in a parenting programme.
Positive stories from Parenting for Respectability participants
Women and men alike have reported many positive impacts of the programme on their parenting skills and spousal relationships, and that cases of gender based violence and child abuse have reduced after parents received the training. Jane received a hug from her husband for the first time in fifteen years, and other couples have variously described the programme as an “eye opener” that has helped each of them to reflect on their role in family conflict: “I used to be tough. I would subject my husband to silent treatment. I never thought of the implications of my behaviour. However, the training was an eye opener. I have since started having discussions issues with my husband and the children, and as a result our home life and marriage has become enjoyable”.
[Photo by CHDC, Makerere University; A couple during a closing ceremony]
Tinka, a married man and father, presented the programme as relevant and timely: “Training is what I needed to change my ways. I used to drink a lot and mistreated my wife and children. I am now a better husband. We now communicate better”. Like Tinka, many other men have reported that they are now better fathers and husbands. Semogerere, one of the local leaders who attended the programme says he is now more involved in home affairs and shares chores with his wife, such as looking for firewood, which used to be a woman’s job when he was growing up.
Parenting for Respectability programme is a promising approach to engage parents in reducing violence.
The Parenting for Respectability programme is a promising approach to engage parents, especially fathers, in reducing violence to children and their wives, but challenges remain. First, men still experience social pressure to adhere to conventional masculinity, suggesting the need to instill intervention values at community level. There have also been some unintended consequences of the programme, notably, the potential for the programme to increase men’s monitoring of their wives’ parenting practices. Some men who believe that they are more receptive to the programme are critical of their wives’ approach to parenting. This is a potential source of conflict which the programme should pay attention to. Many participants have noted that the programme needed a session on income-generation and livelihood skills to help them implement what they are being taught. “This is because many of the things were trained to do, such as educating children and providing them with proper nutrition, need a stable income. Lack of money is one of the issues that disorganizes homes,” one father decried. There are plans for a large-scale trial of the Parenting for Respectability Programme to generate further evidence of effectiveness. In the meantime, several NGO’s and CBOs have noticed the programme and are considering various adaptations.
For more information visit:
http://www.svri.org/parenting-good-behaviour-and-respectability-programme
#Parenting
#GBVSolutions
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References
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Project Team
Funders: SVRI, Oak Foundation, Bernard van Leer Foundation
Wilberforce Semombwe, the LCl chairperson of Lukose village in Bulwanyi parish, Wakiso district, used to believe that a man had no place in the daily running of a home. To him, running a home and taking care of children were a woman’s work. “I used to think that I only needed to look for money for salt, soap, paraffin or medical treatment. I expected my wife to grow the food we eat. I also expected her to ensure that we have water, the children were disciplined and monitor their academic performance. I would never even check their report cards:’ he says. Semombwe had also left the responsibility of rearing livestock to his wife. “And if anything went wrong (for instance, a miscarriage), I would blame her for being negligent:’ he says. However, all this changed after Semombwe went through a training programme where he learnt skills on how to be a good parent and husband. He says he is now shares chores with his wife such as looking for firewood.
Semombwe says his participation in home activities has yielded many benefits. The couple now produces enough food for the family, his wife is happier and the children are well-behaved. His wife, Brenda Semombwe, who also underwent the training, says the programme has made it easy for her to discipline her children and relate with her spouse. She says she no longer beats the children; she talks to them and they hold discussions on the issues affecting them. As a result, the children now talk to her as a friend. Brenda adds that sharing chores with her husband has made her life more enjoyable. “My husband now goes to the children’s school to check on their performance or pay fees, buys them clothes and takes them for treatment – activities he never did in the past,” Brenda says. She can now engage in activities that enrich her life since her husband can take care of the home in her absence. Brenda now has time to be more involved in the activities of her savings club and the church. As a result, she was recently elected chairperson of Mothers’ Union for her parish.
Violence against children, which the programme set out to fight, is widespread in Uganda. The recently launched National Violence Against Children Survey (2018) showed that violence against children occurs in homes, The violence is perpetuated by people who interact with children, especially parents and guardians.
Fifty nine percent of girls and 68% of boys have experienced physical violence. Sexual violence is experienced by 35% of girls and 17% of boys. Emotional violence is
experienced by 34% of girls and 36% of boys. Perpetrators of physical violence are mostly parents and caregivers, while those of sexual violence were
mostly neighbours, friends and intimate partners. Violence against children has many negative lifelong consequences on them, families and Government.
The state minister Florence Nakiwala Kiyingi, said t is a major cause of physical and emotional complications such as low self esteem, physical disability and death. Nakiwala’s remarks were contained in a speech read by Shafik Butanda, the principal probation and welfare officer in the gender, labour and social development ministry.
This was during the passing out of over 200 participants who had undergone the PfR training in Ssisa sub-county. Nakiwala noted that research shows that boys who experience violence are likely to be violent in adulthood, while girls are likely to tolerate violence. Byekwaso added that such people continue with violence against their children. Many people parent by instinct or the way they are raised. Nakiwala noted that the Government spends a lot of money in rehabilitating and treating victims of violence in hospitals and prosecuting the perpetrators in
courts of law.
I learnt that being tough does not yield good results. I used to think children had to only be ordered around, but I have learnt how
to hold meaningful discussions with them. Also, my wife and lnow manage our egos and communication has improved.
As a pastor, the programme has made it easy for me to counsel couples
I used to be tough with the children. I would also subject my husband to the silent treatment. I never thought of the implications of
my behaviour. However, the training was an eye-opener. I have since started discussing issues with my husband and the children. As a result, our home life and marriage have become enjoyable.