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Uganda has launched the SAUTI-116 helpline, providing a platform for women and men to report gender-based violence. State Minister Peace Mutuzo highlighted its significance in combating violence and urged victims to use digital platforms for reporting.

Women who are sexually harassed by their supervisors, managers and others across the country now have a chance to report directly through SAUTI-116 helpline, the state minister of gender, Peace Mutuzo has said.

“Today is a breaking point, where, after many years of fighting gender-based violence (GBV), we can finally place our hopes in a legally binding and far-reaching tool to combat violence which is our harmonized SAUTI-116 helpline that will handle all Ugandans including refugees. We finally have a holistic system that will fight tooth and nail to protect victims and bring us one step closer to ending the pain and suffering,” Mutuzo said.

The minister made this statement on Tuesday during the free tool helpline’s commissioning at Uganda Child Helpline’s headquarters in Kireka, Kampala.

In order to seek redress, Mutuzo urged both men and women who are victims of gender-based violence to utilize digital platforms and report incidents to law enforcement.

She made the point that there has never been more male violence against women and children, and that it needs to be stopped at all costs.

The minister urged men who endured mistreatment at the hands of their husbands—whom she labeled as barbaric—to call the hotline and refuse to “die” in silence.

“Some men were suffering in violence-filled homes and communities and therefore, should not hesitate to report violence being inflicted on them,” Mutuzo said.

John Mugisha, the national coordinator, claims that the infrastructure and software for the helpline cost sh1 billion.

She urged Ugandans to notify the closest police station, district probation, and social welfare officers in their respective districts of any violent incidents occurring in their neighborhoods.

She made an appeal to men to join her in combating violence against women so they could stand up and be counted.

 Mutuzo said, “I implore the fathers of this country to use dialogue and not fists.”

The minister praised international NGOs like Save the Children, Child Fund, Plan International, and Action Aid for leading the fight against GBV and violence against children, as well as development partners like UNICEF, UNFPA, USAID, CDC, UNHCR, and UN WOMEN.

 Sarah Mateke, the state minister for youth and child affairs, informed the guests that efforts are being made by the government and other stakeholders to create a society free from violence, with equal protection for women and girls.

She claimed that the installation of the integrated SAUTI-116 helpline system is timely and will significantly aid in the fight against vice.

Mateke stated that since 2014, her ministry has worked with development partners to establish the Uganda Child Helpline (UCHL)-116, a toll-free number dedicated to addressing child abuse.

She urged partners in civil society development to keep funding the helpline in order to maintain its viability.

Present at the commissioning of the Sauti 116 helpline were the country director of Save the Children, Strinic Dragana, Deborah Gasana UNICEF children protection officer, Josephine Candiru programme analyst gender and human rights UNFPA and district probation officers among others.

During the launch Child organisation representatives were given awards for championing installation of the helpline system and for their instrumental role in the fight against gender-based violence and violence against children.