EACOP partners with Ministry of Gender to observe 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence

The East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) has partnered with the Ministry of Gender Labour and Social Development in observing this year’s 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence from the 25th to the 10th of December 2022. Gender Based Violence (GBV) and Violence Against Children (VAC) is generally high across the country including in the project affected Districts.

During these 16 Days, EACOP will collaborate with the District Consultative Committees through the respective District Action Centres to support awareness raising and engagement with communities along the pipeline route. These engagements will focus on Social Risk Management specifically spousal conflicts and Gender Based Violence including protection of the rights of children in selected villages.

EACOP will conduct sensitization sessions in 23 villages within the Districts of Hoima, Kikuube, Kakumiro and Kyankwanzi as part of the 16 Days of Activism and later scale these out to the rest of the Project Affected Communities. EACOP is committed to contributing towards SDG 5 that calls for gender equality and empowerment of women and girls and fully subscribes to the Global Call to Action to Unite to stop violence against women and girls.

The Company recently approved a Human Rights Policy which is very clear on a zero-tolerance for on any discrimination or violation of human rights including Gender Based Violence. EACOP has also launched a Gender Impact and Inclusion Assessment to inform our Gender Strategy and Action Plan to strengthen even further our support to women and girls in the project area. This will be completed end of February 2023 just in time before Construction works pick up.