PARLIAMENT.- Former abductees of the Lord’s Resistance Army rebels in Acholi sub-region have petitioned Parliament, calling for government’s immediate intervention in addressing challenges faced by war affected women in the region.
The Women’s Advocacy Network (WAN) yesterday presented the petition, signed by more than 1,000 people hailing from the sub-region, to the Ugandan Women Parliamentary Association (UWOPA) leadership.
Among the concerns they raised was a call for the government to institute a comprehensive reparations policy that will see war victims compensated by the government and empowered to live a meaningful life.
Ms Lily Grace Anena, the WAN advocate, handed over the petition.
“On behalf of the war-affected women in Acholi sub-region, we request you to lobby Parliament for a reparations policy that will help us alleviate most of our problems related to our social economic status,” she told UWOPA deputy chairperson Rosemary Nyakikongoro.
The policy, if implemented, is expected to offer free accessible health care tailored to address women’s health issues, livelihood skills to help recover lost education opportunities and compensation for lost time.
They also want a gender reparations fund instituted to cater for the women’s immediate needs.
UWOPA deputy chairperson Rosemary Nyakikongoro said the women MPs are determined to push through the petition and will garner support from their colleagues.
Gulu District chairperson Martin Ojara Mapenduzi asked MPs to urgently handle the petition so as to end the suffering for war victims.
war aftermath
Atrocities. Acholi sub-region suffered most from the LRA rebellion where the abductees were raped, tortured, mutilated and forced to become wives of rebel commanders.
Government role. Whereas the government has made some interventions, the women say a lot more needs to be done and that they have been forgotten.- Monitor
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