Barriers to justice among female victims of gender - based violence in Kiryandogo Refugee Settlement, Uganda

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate the obstacles to achieving justice for women who have experienced Gender-Based Violence in Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement. The study aimed to: i) identify the types of Gender-Based Violence experienced by female refugees in Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement; ii) assess the justice system in place for female victims of Gender-Based Violence at Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement; iii) identify the obstacles in the current justice system and suggest interventions to eradicate Gender-Based Violence among female refugees in Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement. The study employed a Case Study research design. The design facilitated the gathering of qualitative data through the utilisation of In-depth Interviews and Key Informant Interviews. The researchers employed purposive and snowball sampling methods to determine a sample size of sixteen (16) participants, based on the saturation point. The results revealed that female migrants encountered several manifestations of gender-based violence, particularly physical and sexual aggression. The many types of gender-based violence (GBV) were interconnected and repeatedly happened in their lives. While the participants had knowledge of the different types of judicial systems, they chose to choose informal methods because they were more acceptable, affordable, and accessible. Obstacles to pursuing legal action against gender-based violence (GBV) encompassed distrust in law enforcement, complex administrative processes linked to seeking justice, socio-cultural factors that discourage women from reporting, lack of valid citizenship and proper documentation among refugees, stigma and shame associated with reporting GBV, and limited financial resources to handle the cases. The study recommended that communities should be empowered through awareness campaigns that educate them about the perils of gender-based violence (GBV). Furthermore, it proposed reforms in the areas of justice, law, and order to guarantee that both formal and informal judicial systems are recognised as valuable partners. Moreover, it is advised that the privacy of victims of gender-based violence (GBV) be guaranteed when they are in safe spaces in order to improve their utilisation.