{"id":12579,"date":"2025-12-12T09:54:12","date_gmt":"2025-12-12T06:54:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.reachoutmbuya.org\/?p=12579"},"modified":"2025-12-16T11:38:52","modified_gmt":"2025-12-16T08:38:52","slug":"use-social-media-responsibly-women-girls-tasked-during-16-days-of-activism-commemoration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.reachoutmbuya.org\/?p=12579","title":{"rendered":"Use Social Media Responsibly: Women & Girls Tasked During 16 Days of Activism Commemoration"},"content":{"rendered":"

Women and girls have been urged to embrace responsible use of social media as a strategy to curb digital violence and protect themselves online.<\/p>\n

The call was made on Tuesday during the International Human Rights Day celebrations, which marked the climax of the global 16 Days of Activism \u2014 a period dedicated to violence prevention, response, and care. The event, held in partnership with Reach Out Mbuya Community Health Initiative (ROM), Empowered At Dusk Women\u2019s Association (EADWA), the African Women\u2019s Development Fund, Makerere University, the Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI), WomanKind Worldwide, and others, began with a march led by the ROM Brass Band.<\/p>\n

Ms Joweria Sadiq, a counsellor at Kawaala HCIV, encouraged girls to be intentional and cautious while using digital platforms, warning that irresponsible online activity has cost many Ugandans, including celebrities, their careers and reputation.<\/p>\n

\u201cSocial media is a powerful space to learn, grow and showcase your abilities. Use it to shape opportunities that move you closer to the future you want. Never allow reckless online behaviour to take away doors you could have opened,\u201d<\/em> she advised.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Ms Joweria Sadiq speaking to the participants at Kawempe Division Chambers.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

About 49% of Ugandan women experience online violence, according to the United Nations in Uganda.<\/p>\n

Grace Kabayaga, Executive Director at EADWA, emphasized that although digital platforms offer immense opportunities, they have also become spaces of harassment and abuse for women and girls.<\/p>\n

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Grace Kabayaga addressing the participants<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

“We invite community leaders, partners, youth, educators and activists to join this movement. Let us use our platforms to challenge online abuse, support survivors and promote a culture of respect and dignity in all digital spaces,\u201d<\/em> she said.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Harriet Nakuya, the Structural Prevention Officer at ROM stressed the importance of supporting referral pathways and ensuring survivors of violence access legal and psychosocial assistance without intimidation.<\/p>\n

\u201cDuring these 16 Days of Activism, we reached 20 schools and conducted sensitization sessions on digital violence in schools and tertiary institutions. We also scaled up case identification, held community barazas, debates, and discussions, and engaged local, religious, and cultural leaders to raise awareness and promote safer online spaces for children and youth,\u201d she said.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Harriet Nakuya addressing participants at KCCA Kawempe Division Chambers<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Nankya Ruth, Woman Council representative for Bwaise II, reminded participants that awareness of one\u2019s rights is key to empowerment.<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone is born with fundamental rights, but many people do not know they exist. Understanding these rights is the first step to true empowerment,\u201d<\/em> she said.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Nankya Ruth addressing the participants at the KCCA Kawempe Division Chambers<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Speaking on behalf of the Division Mayor, Nakyobe Silvia noted that irresponsible parenting fuels digital violence, as children imitate what adults post online. Adding,<\/p>\n

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Nakyobe addressing the participants at the KCCA Kawempe Division Chambers<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cDo not stay silent about violence. Violence response initiatives should also be aimed at engaging community leaders, because they are often heard by the people they lead.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Some of the participants<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Voices from Participants<\/strong><\/p>\n

Paul Nakibinge, one of the participants, highlighted relationship dynamics as a trigger for violence.<\/p>\n

\u201cInfidelity and polygamous relationships are major drivers of violence. Problems often begin when a man gains more resources and uses them to search for another woman,\u201d<\/em> he shared.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Willy Wakayamba, a member of the Kawempe Human Rights Committee, urged young people to develop self-confidence and avoid consuming or sharing harmful content online.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf something would upset you, don\u2019t post it. Also, many cartoons carry inappropriate content and that\u2019s how children learn negative behaviour,\u201d<\/em> he cautioned.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Participants wore themed T-shirts, reinforcing the collective call to end violence and promote safer communities.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

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The ROM Brass Band made mobilisation of community members easier<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Women and girls have been urged to embrace responsible use of social media as a strategy to curb digital violence and protect themselves online. The call was made on Tuesday during the International Human Rights Day celebrations, which marked the climax of the global 16 Days of Activism \u2014 a period dedicated to violence prevention, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":12585,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[104],"class_list":["post-12579","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","tag-blogs"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.reachoutmbuya.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12579","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.reachoutmbuya.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.reachoutmbuya.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.reachoutmbuya.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.reachoutmbuya.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=12579"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.reachoutmbuya.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12579\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12603,"href":"https:\/\/www.reachoutmbuya.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12579\/revisions\/12603"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.reachoutmbuya.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/12585"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.reachoutmbuya.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=12579"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.reachoutmbuya.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=12579"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.reachoutmbuya.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=12579"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}