Gender issues in Apac district still requires a lot of redress/sensitization by all stakeholders if it’s to be fully understood by both men and women. Both women and men has failed to grasp the idea of gender equality as both accused each other of being behind perpetration of violence in homes under the pretext of gender equality.

For Milly Ogwang, a 28 year old woman of Owang Central-Apac Sub County, to her the concept of equality between men and women is not practical in families and she complains about this in essence to defilement.

“We do not understand the concept of defilement and gender. If young children are involved themselves in sexual intercourse, they should punish both the boy and the girl.”

Kubere Information Center in partnership with community radio –Radio Apac has been conducting the “Rural Women’s voices” project in Apac district. The project aims at identifying the concerns of women in five policy areas that affects their development: Health, Education, Good governance, Livelihoods and Gender.

The one hour thirty minutes live broadcast of the women’s concerns on Community radio –Radio Apac on the 23^rd July 2008 drew responses from key policy makers and stakeholders including the presence in studio of Gender Officer-Apac district, Campaign Against Domestic Violence (CADOVIC), National Association of Women Organization in Uganda-Apac (NAWOU) and a Woman farmer.

For William Opio,a regular listener during field group discussion, the issue of women’s rights are a big problem.

“Women’s rights are causing domestic violence for example a man and a woman may plan to grow simsim together but after harvest you may ask your wife to give you some little to sell and drink but she will refuse because she thinks she has rights forcing the man to steal or beat up the wife. These rights are bad and government should remove them”

A lot of issues have emerged out with many women expressing concerns that had hitherto not been represented in the mainstream Citizen media. Gender responsive programs that integrate a combination of ICTs using rural Telecenter such as the Kubere Information Center and Community radio –Radio Apac has shown that women can equally be represented so that their voices as compared to their male counterparts are heared and represented and possible intervention with all key stakeholders done to ensure redress. Hence need for ample and concerted effort from Policy makers and key stakeholders if the problems affecting women in respect to gender needs are to be addressed.

Florence Omara,the Chairperson of National Association of Women Organization in Uganda in Apac district with a copy of the 1995 constitution in her hands in the studio held her breath but observed that both men and women have rights and should be aware of these rights so that both respects each other.

“Fundamental rights and freedom of individuals are not granted by the state or any body or organs of the state. They are inherent and God given” therefore women have rights just like men and they should not stop their wives from enjoying these rights.

“Why is it that when a man comes back home late after midnight drunk they are not beaten by their wives and when a woman comes home late-she is beaten” wonders Beatrice Adupa-Gender Officer Apac district as she explains gender issues on Radio Apac.

The show that was sponsored by UNESCO’s International Program for Development and Communications (IPDC) and Hivos attracted a number of varying calls from listeners especially by men.

“I would like the gender Officer to tell me why if a man defiles a girl he is imprisoned and when a woman defiles a boy the law doesn’t apply against the woman who did it. I think the law on gender issues are not fair” argues one of the callers