As the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence wraps up today, it’s a great time to reflect on MUCOBADI’s work in protecting rights and promoting accountability throughout 2024. From empowering communities to addressing gender-based violence head-on, MUCOBADI has been busy creating meaningful change.

Building Leadership and Awareness

One of the year’s highlights was helping Girls and Young Women (GYW) step into leadership roles. With our support, two women now lead at the Pan-African level, two others serve at the National Girls Desk, and three more represent the Busoga Regional Alliance. These young leaders aren’t just breaking barriers—they’re shaping decisions.

We also focused on spreading critical knowledge, including the National Strategy to End Child Marriage and Teenage Pregnancy (2022/2023-2026/2027) and National Parenting Guidelines.

Reaching Over 61,000 People

MUCOBADI made an impressive impact, reaching over 61,072 individuals from January to November. How did we do it? Through several impactful projects:

• USAID/ICARE Project: This project drove 81% of our reach, integrating prevention of sexual violence against children (SVAC).
• Mental Health Integration Project: Focused on preventing violence while addressing mental health needs (8% of the reach).
• SHE LEADS Project: Brought GBV awareness to communities (1%).
• Young Africa Works – Markets for Youth: Promoted GBV prevention while empowering youth (10%).

What We Achieved

Here’s a snapshot of our work this year:

• Improved Reporting: Supported 10 District Action Centers to better respond to GBV cases.
• Empowered Communities: Trained 70 local groups to use social accountability tools to demand justice.
• Helped Survivors: Identified and supported 580 child abuse cases.
• Raised Awareness: Reached 437 people with important messages on rights and GBV prevention.
• Pushed for Change: Helped draft and propose one new legal policy promoting gender equality and non-discrimination.

Partnerships in Acholi and Karamoja

In northern Uganda, we worked with communities to tackle GBV challenges head-on. This included:

• Holding conversations to challenge harmful social norms.
• Connecting with 15 local partners to provide GBV prevention services, resulting in 11 resolved cases.
• Training 70 community volunteers in safeguarding and child protection.
• Equipping 240 youth with skills like tailoring, catering, and crafts to improve livelihoods and reduce household tensions that often lead to GBV.

What’s Next?

MUCOBADI’s work doesn’t stop here. We’ll keep supporting communities, building partnerships, and advocating for justice. Ending GBV is a team effort, and with every person empowered, we’re getting closer to a world where everyone can live with dignity and safety.