Parliament has named a nine member select committee to investigate rampant allegations of sexual violence in schools and higher institutions of learning.
Speaker Rebecca Kadaga constituted the select committee that will be chaired by Gomba East MP Robinah Rwakojjo who are expected to return with a comprehensive report in a period of two months.
“This committee shall serve at least three institutions of learning including primary, secondary and tertiary in the central, eastern region, northern, southern and western region. The committee will report back to Parliament with their findings and recommendations within a period of two months,” Kadaga said.
Among the terms of references to be followed in investigations include studying the cause and extent of sexual violence in institutions of learning and its negative effects to the population.
Others include studying and reviewing laws on sexual violence in Uganda, study the measures that have been put in place to address sexual violence when it occurs and study measures put in place to create awareness on sexual violence in institutions of learning among others.
The other members of the committee will include; Gideon Onyango, Mary Kabanda, Kisa Stephen, Anthony Okello, Sarah Kityo, Joshua Anywarach, Atkins Katusabe and Mwine Mpaka.
In April this year, National Female Youth MP Anna Ebaju Adeke raised the motion for a resolution of parliament to investigate the vice of sexual violence in schools.
This comes after media has been awash with numerous and repeated reports of gross acts of sexual violence in institutions of learning at all levels with the latest being Kibuli Secondary School headmaster Ali Muggaga who has been allegedly sexually abusing some of his female students. The other is Dr Swizen Kyomuhendo, a senior lecturer in the Department of Social Work and Social Administration (SWASA) who was recently suspended on allegations of Sexual Harassment.
The National Strategic Plan on Violence Against children in Schools established that violence against children in schools is widespread and children are subjected to different forms of violence.
Statistics show that sexual harassment especially among girls is on the high with 77.7% of the primary school children and 82% of the secondary school students experiencing sexual harassment while at school, 8% of the girls are subjected to defilement, 24% are spoken to in a sexual way, 18% receive marriage proposals and 25% are fondled/touched in a sexual manner while 29% are made to watch sexual scenes (pornography).