“I am irked by parents who take their girl-children with the psychosocial problem for sterilization because they do not want the girls to give them an extra burden of a baby! This is a big crime because it denies the girls a chance to enjoy the right to form a family! The sterilization issue has been around for years and it must end now,” Esther Suubi, Programme Officer in charge of communication, My Story Initiative.
In a new vigorous wave of advocacy for women with psychosocial disability in the districts of Jinja and Mukono, a number of concerned stakeholders have mounted a rigorous, unwavering campaign to push for change in the legal framework and policy regarding psychosocial disability, with a view to change the widespread marginalization, stigmatization and discrimination.
According to the final concept paper, on the matter, a number of stakeholders have joined hands to kick start the campaign in Jinja and Mukono districts, and eventually seek opportunities of rolling it out in other regions.
Key players in the campaign include; Triumph Uganda, a mental health support and recovery programme, My Story Initiative, the Disability Rights Fund, and Uganda Mental Health fellowship.
According to the concept note, they have held a series of strategic advocacy workshops geared at building consensus among different stakeholders in advocating for a right to marry and start families for persons with psychosocial disabilities, causing them to cause awareness about disability, challenge stigma and discrimination, and create opportunities for community discussions about sexual reproductive health rights (SRHR) and family rights.
The Jinja workshop was held on December 17th, while the one for Mukono was held on Thursday December 19, 2024 at COMBRA headquarters in Goma Division, Mukono Municipality. Participants included legal practitioners, police, the academia, persons with psychosocial disability, local government officials, the media, religious, cultural and opinion leaders, and civil society actors.
Kyaggwe TV followed the proceedings and here below reproduces excerpts of presentations, opinions and suggestions by various stakeholders who attended the Mukono workshop.
Pr. Fred Ssali, Mukono Deliverance Church: As a church we support the move to bring on board persons with psychosocial disabilities in the efforts to get married and form families because they are entitled to enjoyment of their God-given right just like any other human beings. They are part of our congregation and the task is upon us to go and fish them out.
Fellow pastors, let us endeavour to talk to their parents and other caregivers harbouring them behind there, to join us helping them access their rights, because even the existing laws are not fully in their favour.
Dr. Daniel Iga Mwesigwa, co-founder of My Story Initiative: Both core and extended families are essential in our campaign because where one encounters problems, financial or otherwise, the other gives a helping hand.
Some people erroneously think psychosocial disability victims are being punished by gods (lubaale) for having wronged them and that associating with them may attract the wrath of the gods and turn their curse to them, but this is a totally misleading concept.
Some of the real causes for this are; family break ups, hunger, bullying for this or that reason, loss of dear ones, and a host of others. The problem is not a demonic attack and we should be noble and help when this challenge strikes anyone. Beating lunatics is not a problem; instead inform the police, parents and social workers.
Namatovu Grace, deaf and dumb person (speaking through an interpreter): People with psychosocial problems should not be forced into marriage as a way of getting rid of them. In creation, God gave us the same rights as everybody else – to choose a partner of our own choice.
If the government helps in maintaining the one man – one wife set up, there will be calm, peace and love in our families; even when you pick a disagreement over this or that matter, it will be easy to reconcile.
Oscar Wakholi, disability rights advocate, consultant: There are many attitudinal barriers – physical, communication and otherwise. But at the same time institutional laws and policies regarding marriage and family formation are in place. Family formation is anchored on national and international laws.
This project is to enhance advocacy for enjoyment and to determine how different players can put a hand in the matter. We cannot afford to neglect any avenue that points towards achievement of full harmony for social life for people with psychosocial disabilities.
Alambuya Nakanwagi Robinah, ED Triumph Mental Health Support and Recovery Programme: I
I am a victim of psychosocial disability right from adolescence through to university and I am now married and a mother. We are mentoring adolescent girls with the involvement of boys and men. Girls are now of marriageable age. We partnered with all these groups to be able to bring the matter to communities in a strong voice.
We have been given many nasty labels which have only fueled stigma and discrimination, which in effect limits us to move with ease and freedom. That is why we have brought on board high calibre people, CDOs, police, the media, councillors – all to amplify these messages for all to hear. We also have young people here with us with psychosocial problems to express themselves.
Religious leaders are in counselling and wedding couples; they are duty bound to ensure that families stay together for sustainability. According to the UN Convention on Rights of People With Disabilities Article 19, they have a right to live in their communities and be included in all community programmes.
Unfortunately many persons with psychosocial disabilities are kept in confinement, now how will they get an opportunity to marry or get married? Some are chained up in places of worship, some in mental hospitals and instead of being listened to, they are dumped in Butabika! And to stay there full time!
Woman Sgt. Gladys Kuloba, Child and Family Protection Unit Kiwanga Police: Some of the causes of these children’s plight is the fact that they come from polygamous families where one of the step parents may be unpleasant. This is what forces them onto streets where they get contaminated with a lot of bad ways.
And we concur with these people that psychosocial patients should be given the opportunity to marry people of their choice. If they are forced into marriage, there will be no harmony.
Suubira Racheal, self-help advocate at Triumph Uganda: Let psychosocial victims choose their love partners at ease; they are going to live with them for all of their lives, bear children and bring them up together. If they live in an atmosphere of slavery, even their children will not have peace.
The challenge of choosing a partner becomes complicated when names like ‘lunatic’ are attached to these people, and when they see a chance of getting married, they go with whoever comes their way and proposes to them. This has gone on for a long time! It’s high time that song is changed!
Esther Suubi, Programme Officer in charge of communication, My Story Initiative: I am irked by parents who take their girl-children with the psychosocial problem for sterilization because they do not want the girls to give them an extra burden of a baby! This is a big crime because it denies the girls a chance to enjoy the right to form a family!
The sterilization issue has been around for years and it must end now.
Rev. Prof. Ngwabe Dennis Ojiambo, Vice Chancellor, Apostolic Impact Christian University: The church has not done enough; psychosocial disability victims have not been recognized enough. They are seen as victims of a generational curse or as being demonized.
At our church we have begun training and set up a full faculty of people with disabilities, with a unit of disability leading to the award of certificate, diploma, bachelor’s degree, master’s degree and a doctorate.
We are in the community where these people abound and we have established that lack of knowledge has curtailed the ability to decisively handle the matter to its conclusion.
Rebbeca Buwala, Programme Officer, Uganda Mental Health Fellowship: The major challenge is that stigma is too rooted in our communities. You cannot wake up one morning and tell people in the community that you have a mental problem because you will be igniting your own fire of stigma!
The other challenge is proving to the communities that the psychosocial problem is a disability, it is a very big problem!