IJM Uganda Reveals Shocking Scale of Violence against Women and Children

Uganda, December, 2025 —  IJM Uganda has released a national baseline report, shedding light on the alarming prevalence of violence against women and children in the nation – and calling for urgent action.

To build a world together where all are free, we need to understand the scale of the problem we’re facing. This report, Strengthening the Criminal Justice System Protection of Women and Children in Uganda, will help to measure the success of IJM’s work with authorities to protect people and build strong justice systems.

The findings are sobering:

• Nearly 6 in 10 children, mostly girls, have experienced sexual abuse.
• Over 50% of women who have ever had a partner have faced violence at their hands.
• Over 70% of incidents of physical and sexual violence against women go unreported.

“These are not just numbers… These are women and children for whom their community and home do not provide the safety to dream and thrive.” – Wamaitha Kimani, IJM Uganda Director

In her keynote address at the launch of the report, Principal Judge Lady Justice Jane Frances Abodo stated,

“[This report] is both a mirror and a roadmap; it reflects the challenges we face and it also charts a path forward, calling for collective action to strengthen our justice system, empower survivors, and protect the vulnerable.”

This is the dark reality we’re up against. But we know IJM’s approach to stopping violence against women and children is working around the world:

• 38,151+ women and children brought to safety from violence
• 7,900+ perpetrators of violence convicted

Together, thanks to people like you, we’re building upon our proven success – and this report is fueling the path forward for change across Uganda.

The IJM Uganda team works to equip justice actors by enhancing reporting mechanisms for survivors and ensuring timely, trauma-informed investigations and prosecutions.

These efforts are already making justice possible for girls like Pearl* and Devine*, who endured unimaginable abuse but have now see the perpetrators held accountable.

Both girls experienced what no child should. But their courage to speak out led to landmark sentences: this year, high courts in Uganda sentenced the attacker to 30 and 20 years in prison respectively for sexual assault.

IJM provided critical legal and aftercare support. Today, both girls are receiving therapy and healing – free from the fear of their abuser ever harming them again.

When asked who she wanted by her side in court, Pearl chose her IJM aftercare worker.

In the face of such prevalent violence, the support of people like you and the global impact we’ve already seen give us hope that change is possible to protect children and women in Uganda.

As Lady Justice Abodo said, this report “calls on us to build a Uganda where no woman fears violence from her partner, where no child has to live in fear of abuse.”

You can help make that vision real.

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*Pseudonym, Images are representative of survivors.