Tororo Mayor Obben Calls for Collective Fight Against Gender-Based Violence.

By Peterson Hiirya.

Tororo Municipality Mayor Benard Ochieng, popularly known as Obben, has called on communities, cultural institutions, and leaders to join hands in the fight against violence against women and children.

The mayor made the remarks on Tuesday while speaking at the launch of the Family and Gender Relations Guidelines for the Iteso community, organised by the Iteso Cultural Union in partnership with International Justice Mission (IJM) at King George Stadium in Tororo.

Mayor Obben praised IJM for its consistency in protecting vulnerable groups and commended the Iteso Cultural Union for taking a leading role in championing the fight against gender-based violence.

“This team is one I have closely worked with and they have been very consistent in trying to end violence against vulnerable groups,” Obben said.

He noted that many cases of abuse, including defilement and domestic violence, are often hidden or resolved secretly within families instead of being reported to authorities.

“We have had cases where there is violence against a little one, but the community wants it sorted from home simply because the suspect is a relative,” he said.

The mayor urged all stakeholders to treat the fight against violence as a collective responsibility instead of leaving it to organisations and cultural institutions alone.

“We need to join this fight as a team. Everyone invited here today has a responsibility to ensure we end violence against women and children,” he said.

Obben also appealed for more attention to be given to the welfare of boys and men, saying many male victims of violence suffer silently due to stigma and ridicule.

“So many of our fathers and brothers suffer silently. Even when they report cases to police, they are mocked,” he said.

He warned against focusing only on the girl child while neglecting boys, saying both genders need proper guidance and support for society to raise responsible future parents and leaders.

The Family and Gender Relations Guidelines are aimed at strengthening family values and addressing gender-related challenges within the Iteso community.