Female University student leaders decry sexual harassment

The pursuit of student leadership positions has left many female university students exposed to a myriad of hurdles, the apex of which is sexual exploitation in the name of votes and political alignment.

Karungi Bernadette, a youthful student leader and member of Makerere University’s guild cabinet, revealed harrowing tales of what happens behind the scenes during election season.

"Society needs to understand that women are very important in the structure and get on board when it comes to preventing GBV," she says, stressing that collective action is needed to address these challenges, especially during critical moments such as university elections when the girl child faces added hurdles in attaining positions of power.

Karungi made these remarks on Monday, December 9, 2024, at Four Points by Sheraton Hotel in Kololo, Kampala during the national convening organised by Uganda Women's Network (UWONET) to commemorate the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (GBV).



“Gender-based violence is on the rise among young people, with the Internet being one of the main perpetrators," Karungi said.

In response, she added that Makerere University launched a Safer Campuses campaign in October, aiming to raise awareness about GBV and encourage students to speak up.

According to her, in many cases, students face significant challenges, but most of these issues are linked to online platforms, she added emphasising the dangers young people face in the digital age. The lack of sufficient protection online, especially for girls, is a growing concern.

Karungi recommended increasing awareness campaigns, as many are still unaware of the various forms of GBV that exist. Miria Matembe, a passionate women advocate, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of recognising women’s role in society.

Her concerns were validated by a female Kyambogo University lecturer, who added her voice to concretise the magnitude of the problem.

She declined to give her name to the media saying she at one time had to painfully lose a job in a prominent entity because of her advocacy for girls’ rights.

She believes sexual harassment has been deeply institutionalised and many employers and lecturers ask for sexual favours to hand out job offers.

Joy Kigozi, a fourth-year law student at the Uganda Christian University (UCU) who also doubles as a female resident leader at the institution revealed the dark side that lies beneath the glitter of university politics.



Kigozi, an enthusiastic environmentalist, who is also an aspirant for the slot of secretary for women's affairs at the Uganda National Students Association (UNSA) echoed Karungi’s woes. This was during a separate interview.

According to Kigozi, during student elections when women are seeking a position, there is a lot of sexual harassment.

“If you need a position, and you need to reach out to the male population, men are going to ask you for sex to help you push your campaign,” Kigozi emphasized.

Isaac Akugizibwe, a lecturer at Kampala International University (KIU) who is also a former member of the student’s guild in the docket of the information minister, validated the sexual harassment concerns attributing this vice to human nature and adolescence as an inevitable stage in life.

Among the people who attended the women’s convention were UWONET executive director Rita Aciro, head of Austrian embassy development co-operation Dr Katja Kerschbaumer, Miss Uganda Natasha Nyonyozi and Maureen Atuhaire the commissioner of child and family protection unit of Police.

Also present was Lillian Mpabulungi of CARE Uganda, Susan Tumusiime of Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE), and mental health advocates.