By Mulengera Reporters
Reproductive Health Uganda has welcomed the enactment of The Sexual Offences Bill 2024, saying that it will provide an opportunity to have both the employers and employees held liable for sexual harassment, unlike the current laws that only punish employers for sexual harassment.
The remarks were made by Jackson Chekweko, Executive Director, Reproductive Health Uganda while appearing before Parliament’s Joint Committee of Legal and Gender on 18th February 2025, that is currently scrutinizing The Sexual Offences Bill, 2024, that was tabled by Anna Adeke, Soroti DWR.
“The Sexual Offences Bill provides for sexual harassment crimes at all levels and not only employers but also by employees to employers. The Employment Act 2016 only gives a provision for sexual harassment from employer to employee yet offences cut across from all levels. When we looked at the Employment Act 2016, emphasis was put on harassment and violations caused by the employer to the employee. But we know there are incidences where the employee also harasses the boss and I think this is carefully covered under The Sexual Offences Bill,” remarked Chekweko.
In clause 8 of The Sexual Offences Act, Adeke proposed a jail term of 10years or fine of Shs20M for anyone found liable of committing sexual harassment or both. According to the Adeke, anyone can be held liable for Sexual harassment if they intentionally; make direct or indirect sexual advances or sexual requests whether verbal or written; displays sexually suggestive pictures, objects, written materials or gestures; engages in unwelcome or unsolicited physical contact with; or makes sexually oriented comments, jokes, obscene expressions or offensive flirtations to; an employee, prospecting employee, student, patient or other person under his or her trust or authority as a pre-condition for employment, spiritual healing, access to any social service or preferential treatment in employment, promotion, recommendation, academic progress, healing.
Adeke further provided tougher penalty for sexual harassment where if the victim is a child, the convicted person shall be liable to imprisonment for 18years and where the perpetuator is a public officer, in addition to the 10years jail sentence and Shs20M fine, the public officer would be removed from office.
During his submission, Chekweko also welcomed the enactment of The Sexual Offences Bill arguing that it will offer stringer protection for the vulnerable groups and provide accountability mechanisms for the offenders. “Having this law passed provides stronger protection for vulnerable groups such as young people and children from sexual exploitation and abuse. Most importantly, looking at this Bill in its entirety, it provides clear offences and requires mandatory reporting of sexual offences, which can help increase accountability and prevent further abuse,” explained Chekweko.
Reproductive Health Uganda also welcomed the provision of creating a sexual offenders register and mechanism for tracking sexual offenders saying it will provide employers with avenues of screening prospective employees before employment.
He said, “The Bill provides for monitoring and tracking, such that it can help to track the serial offenders even at the time of employment it can enable the person know that this person isn’t clean and either the person is counseled or managed before entering into employment. There is no doubt that passing. The Sexual Offences Bill in our country can help address the country’s high rates of sexual violence. The sexual offences have been perpetually on the increase. Some body will say it is implementation, but no, there is a lacuna.”-Parliament Watch. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
