Gulu University on December 20, 2023, held a dialogue with officers of the Uganda Police Force (UPF) from the Aswa West Region to discuss and find ways of working together to enhance security and safety within the region, especially to provide a safe environment for young people. Aswa West comprises Gulu City and the districts of Gulu, Amuru, Nwoya and Omoro.
The meeting, hosted by the CONSCOV research project of the university was, first of all, intended to break barriers between the security officers on one side, and health workers and the academia on the other side. Another key aim was for CONSCOV researchers to listen to the experience of the security personnel in handling cases of criminality, especially among young people as well as gender-based violence. These two conditions are reported to have increased due to COVID-19 and its response measures such as lockdowns which kept children out of school and many parents out of employment.
The CONSCOV project – a consortium of Gulu University, Reproductive Health Uganda (RHU), and Gulu Regional Referral Hospital (GRRH) – primarily aims to establish the impact of COVID-19 on the sexual and reproductive health of the youth in northern Uganda.
Alongside research, the project provides counseling and training of young people in sexual and reproductive health-related issues. It also offers free health services to the most vulnerable youths and adolescents – including testing and treating some diseases or infections.
“Under this project, we take Gulu University to the community. We take Gulu Regional Referral Hospital to the community. We take Reproductive Health Uganda to the community. As we were working, we found GBV [gender-based violence] issues. And we said the police are heavily involved here. We want to learn from you. We want to work with you,” said Dr. Agatha Alidri, the Principal Investigator (PI) of CONSCOV.
“We have undertaken tests. We have made referrals where necessary. We have also mapped health facilities. We know that you are handling many cases. GBV is a symptom of crisis. We call it a moral crisis. Someone tell you ‘my father has been sleeping with me’. We would like to work with you to tackle some of these challenges,” she added.
Dr. Alidri (r) and Ms. Judith Awacorach (l), a CONSCOV researcher, note as the police officers present
The police officers presented and discussed several issues ranging from poor parenting in homes, the collapse of cultural (clan) systems that previously maintained social order, to politicians and business people fuelling criminality by supporting and using criminal gangs to pursue their interests, as the cause of several challenges facing young people and the community in general.
They mentioned poor facilitation - including insufficient transport facilities - as one of the things negatively affecting their efficiency. They also acknowledged some weaknesses on their side, including corruption among some officers.
The Deputy Regional Police Commander, Senior Superintendant of Police (SSP) Fred Kidima (in featured image), challenged the officers to find ways of fighting corruption.
The police welcomed the idea of working with and supporting the CONSCOV team as it carries out its activities of conducting research and providing support to young people in the region.
The day-long meeting attracted more than 50 people.
The CONSCOV team is supported by researchers from the University of Copenhagen. The project is funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark through DANIDA.
