Background
Violence against children, including physical, emotional, and mental abuse, neglect, maltreatment, and exploitation, remains a serious concern in Uganda. The Violence Against Children Survey (VACS) revealed that parents were the most common perpetrators of emotional violence. In Bugiri District, emotional violence is often normalized, with verbal abuse and neglect frequently overlooked as serious issues. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the situation, as parents and caregivers, having lost their livelihoods, experienced heightened stress, which they often transferred to children through emotional abuse and neglect.
Intervention
To address these challenges, the JOFA – Protecting Children project implemented a positive parenting program aimed at reducing psychological distress among parents and caregivers. The Parenting Without Violence (PwV) approach was introduced to help parents understand their roles and responsibilities while fostering a supportive environment for their children. This initiative worked with fathers, mothers, caregivers, and community leaders to transform harmful norms and strengthen child protection systems in a gender-sensitive manner.
CASE 1:
1. Josephine( not real name ) was convinced to join the Tiira Parenting Without Violence group, which comprised 20 parents/caregivers (4 males, 16 females). She initially hesitated but eventually attended a session out of curiosity. The discussion on family dreams resonated with her, prompting her to become an active participant.Through six adult parenting sessions and two adult-child interaction sessions, Josephine gained insights into family dreams, positive parenting goals, emotional warmth, structured care, stress management, self-care, child development, respectful communication, and problem-solving. She reflected on her parenting style and began changing her behavior toward her children. She recalled the first time she asked her children about their school day and meal preferences, which made her feel good as a mother.Josephine, a 39-year-old single mother of five, shared her experience. After separating from her husband, she directed her anger toward her children, especially her 14-year-old son, Amoit( Not Real names ), whom she physically abused. She admitted that even minor mistakes led to severe beatings, leaving her son with scars. Her son, Isaac, also testified that she frequently denied them food out of anger. However, after attending the parenting sessions and receiving home visits from her facilitator, Josephine gradually changed her behavior.
Impact
Josephine acknowledged the importance of involving her children in planning, recognizing that her relationship with their father should not affect how she treated them. She realized that violence not only harmed her children emotionally and physically but also resulted in financial burdens due to medical expenses. Isaac expressed happiness, noting that their mother no longer beat them and instead engaged in storytelling about their family history.
Josephine also exhibited confidence in advocating against child abuse in her community. She stated that with the knowledge she had gained, she intervened in cases of child abuse by engaging with parents or reporting to local authorities.
Josephine was one of 196 parents who completed the first cohort of the Parenting Without Violence sessions in Busia District. The project aimed to enroll an additional 400 parents in Cohorts 2 and 3. The model also targeted children, with 200 reached in the first cohort and plans to reach 400 more in the subsequent cohorts.
CASE 2:
Obaara, a district-elected councilor from Budhaya sub-county, was one of the 200 parents who participated in the positive parenting sessions. As a father, he admitted that providing basic needs was not his priority, often neglecting his children’s essential requirements such as sanitary towels, books, and pens. He also acknowledged that he was a tough father, frequently shouting at his wife and children, especially when facing financial difficulties.
Through six parenting sessions and two adult-child interaction sessions, Obaara and other participants engaged in discussions on family dreams, self-care for caregivers, the right to be safe, positive parenting goals, and emotional warmth. Additionally, the sessions covered structured care, respectful communication, problem-solving, and understanding children’s views and feelings.
Impact
After attending the positive parenting sessions, Obaara committed to changing his behavior. He transformed from a tough and unapproachable father to a loving and supportive parent. He recognized the importance of providing for his children equally, ensuring that both boys and girls had access to scholastic materials, including sanitary towels for his daughters. He also began spending quality time with his children, engaging in play and open discussions.
Obaara’s daughter, Stella, a 14-year-old, shared how her father, for the first time, accepted her decision regarding her education. When he wanted her to skip a class due to financial constraints, she explained her desire to stay in her current class to improve her performance. To her surprise, he listened and agreed. His son, Elijah, 12 years old, also noted that their father had abandoned physical violence and was now more involved in providing for their needs, including food and emotional support.
Beyond his family, Obaara emerged as a community mentor and now leads his PwV group in Budhaya sub-county. He actively campaigns against child labor, physical violence, teenage pregnancy, and early and forced marriages. Using his knowledge on positive parenting, he has taken it upon himself to sensitize other parents in the district on child protection and well-being.
During a focus group discussion, PwV group members highlighted the impact of the positive parenting sessions. They reported a noticeable decline in early and forced marriages, school dropouts, teenage pregnancies, and child labor in the district. Mirembe, another member of the group, shared her success in sensitizing at least ten parents on the dangers of child labor, leading them to withdraw their children from the mines and enroll them in school.
These achievements are attributed to the cascading effect of community engagements, including sensitization dialogues and case management interventions facilitated by PwV members. While child protection risks still exist in the district, individual efforts like Obaara’s are making a significant impact, paving the way for safer and healthier childhoods.
Through initiatives like Parenting Without Violence, communities are witnessing real change—one family at a time. By breaking the cycle of violence and embracing positive parenting, parents like Obaara are fostering a brighter future for their children and inspiring a generation rooted in care, respect, and love.