An overview of activities for Human Rights Week in Pabo, Uganda, November 25 - Dec 10, 2015.

1. HUMAN RIGHT WEEK 25 NOVEMBER -10 DECEMBER 2015:
The human rights is annual event that starts with 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-
Based Violence and the 10 December is the day of Human commemoration.
Introduction
Pabo Sub County is the biggest sub county with area land in Amuru district.
The sub county is well known of it high agricultural production of food corps. After harvesting the
families are cripple with a lot of domestic violence that affect the society in negatively. This has
highly increased school dropout, breakage in families etc.
Background
Violence against women violates many fundamental rights protected by International human rights
instruments,includingthe righttolife,rightnottobe subjectedtotorture orcruel,inhumanordegrading
treatment, protected by UDHR, ICCPR, ACHAP and other conventions such as DEVAW and CEDAW.
Sexual and Gender Based Violence denies women (and at times men) security, the right to enjoy
fundamental freedoms and forces them into subordinate positions compared to men. A district, sub
county, and individuals affected in these cases cannot reach their full potential as long as women’s
potential to participate in their societyis deniedthrough acts of violence perpetrated against them and
disrupt their lives (Suffering in Silence: A Study of Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) In Pabbo
Camp, Gulu District, Northern Uganda, Ms. Akumu Christine Okot, Ms. Amony Isabella and Mr. Otim
Gerald Researched in September 2004, Published in January 2005)
This year 2015 marks the 24th year of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence
Campaign, initiated in 1991 and coordinated by the Center for Women’s Global Leadership:
Theme: “From Peace in the Home to Peace in the World: Make Education Safe for All!”
Education is a public good and fundamental human right recognized in Article 26 of the 1948
Universal Declaration of Human Rights and upheld in various international and regional human
rights conventions and treaties. Nonetheless, the right to education is subject to political,
economic, and socialshifts and upheavals,leaving certain groups (especiallywomen, girls,people
with disabilities
The protection of the right to education in conflict affected settings relies on national
governments, and the international community’s response and commitment, which are often
difficult to obtain.5 The right to education is too often affected by weak infrastructure, including:
unsafe and unsanitary educational environments, inadequate curricula that are not gender-
sensitive and continue to be framed within stereotypical patriarchal notions of gender; limited
resource provision for the delivery of, or access to education.

2. Children and young people of all genders can face further disadvantage due to disability, race or
ethnic origin, economic difficulties and obligations thrust upon them by families and by the
situation many find themselves in, whether in times of violent conflict, after an environmental
disaster, or during relative peacetime.
The disadvantages experienced by girls are particularly acute: girls and young women face the
specter of early marriage or forced marriage that can cut short their education; the threat of
different forms of school related gender-based violence (SRGBV), including sexual violence and
abuse on the way or within education settings; and discrimination in the availability of essential
infrastructure such as adequate and safely accessible sanitary facilities. Consequently, many
families choose to keep girls and young women from school and actively prevent them from
continuing their education.
Given such insecurity and lack of safety in relation to education, and informed by the results of a
globalsurvey conducted earlier this year, the globaltheme of the 16 Days Campaignwillbe “From
Peace in the Home to Peace in the World: Make Education Safe for All”. This theme recognizes
the dire situation for millions of girls and boys, and young women and men, whose universal
human right to education is daily impacted or cut short due to violence, lack of resources, and
discrimination. It is our obligation to focus on the precarious situation of education for girls and
boys, young women and men this year through the 16 Days Campaign.
The 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children is an international
awareness-raising campaign. It takes place every year from 25 November (International Day for
the Elimination of Violence against Women) to 10 December (International Human Rights Day).
The period includes Universal Children’s Day and World AIDS Day.
Pabo save the Orphans Association has taken this year the intervention strategies towards
creating a society free of violence. The campaign continues to raise awareness amongst Pabo
Communities about the negative impact of violence against women and children (VAW&C) and
on all members of the community.
Objectives of the campaign
The objectives of the 16 Days Campaign are to:
1. Attract all Pabo Communities to be active participants in the fight to eradicate VAW&C;
hence the theme:
2. Expand accountability beyond the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) cluster to
include all government clusters and provinces.
3. Combine technology, social media, the arts, journalism, religion, culture and customs,
business and activismto draw attention to the many ways VAW&C affects the lives of all
people in all communities around the world.

3. 4. Ensure mass mobilization of all communities to promote collective responsibility in the
fight to eradicate violence against women and children.
5. Encourage society to acknowledge that violence against women and children is NOT a
government or criminal justice system problem, but a societal problem, and that failure
to view it as such results in all efforts failing to eradicate this scourge in our communities.
6. Emphasize the fact that the solution lies with all of us.
What can you do?
Together, let us take actions to support the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against
Women and Children campaign.
 Support the campaign by wearing the white ribbon during the 16-day period: A white ribbon is
a symbol of peace and symbolizes the commitment of the wearer to never commit or condone
violence against women and children.
 Participate in the various 16 Days of Activism events and activities.
 Volunteer in support of organization and community groups who support abused women
and children: Many organization need assistance from the public. You can volunteer your time
and make a contribution to the work of institutions. Help plant a garden at a shelter, sponsor
plastic tables and chairs for kids at a clinic or join an organization as a counsellor. Use your
skills and knowledge to help the victims of abuse.
 Speak out against woman and child abuse.
 Encourage silent female victims to talk about abuse and ensure that they get help.
 Report child abuse to the police.
 Encourage children to report bully behavior to school authorities.
 Men and boys are encouraged to talk about abuse and actively discourage abusive behavior.
 Seek help if you are emotionally, physically or sexually abusive to your partner and/or
children. ( Religious leaders, LC, other organization near you)
 Talk to friends, relatives and colleagues to take a stand against abuse of women and children.
 Try and understand how your own attitudes and actions might perpetuate sexism and violence.
 Spread the message on social media to combating negative action against women and
children.