With support from UN Women, UPF developed a Gender Policy and Strategy 2019 – 2023. The Policy provides a guiding framework to the Police Force in its responsibility to fulfill the principle of non-discrimination and the fair and equal treatment of all, in the exercise of its institutional mandate and contribute to gender responsive policing in Uganda. In the medium to long term, a more gender responsive UPF will contribute to greater access to justice for women and girls, and a society in which there is greater respect for human rights and rule of law in Uganda.

UPF has taken steps to address specific gender issues in policing in Uganda and internal concerns regarding discrimination, lack of opportunity, and equality for women and men who serve in the Force. These interventions include: the establishment of the Departments of Women Affairs, Child and Family Protection (CFP), and Sexual Offences under the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID); the inclusion of modules on Gender, Human Rights, and Child Protection in the curriculum for the initial training of police officers; and the practice of affirmative action in recruitment and promotion of female officers. The UPF has also worked with the Ministry of Gender, Labor and Social Development (MGLSD) and partners in the UN and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to enhance its gender responsive practices.

During consultations for the development of the gender policy there were numerous concerns raised by female officers about sexual harassment, which was said to contribute to women’s desertion from the police. There is an inherent culture of denial, trivialization and justification of incidents of sexual harassment, which leads to perpetuation of sexual violence against women in the UPF . In addition, the absence of trusted mechanisms to handle such issues coupled with intimidation often discourages victims from seeking justice, particularly when the alleged harasser is a senior. As a result, there is a perception that mechanisms for handling complaints are inadequate and mostly situated at a few stations, mainly in urban areas, leaving most female officers vulnerable and without access to redress facilities. It was further noted during the same consultations, that whilst the UPF established a Department of Women Affairs (DWA) to address some of the challenges that affect female officers, and with a specific remit to address sexual harassment, the DWA is critically under-resourced, both financially and physically, leaving it unable to carry out its functions effectively. Policewomen have also noted the lack of clarity in handling petitions.

The Gender Policy was explicitly developed to address sexual harassment within the UPF and concerns with inadequate responses among other gender concerns and mandates the institution to put in place measures to deal with sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse in the workplace.

It is against this background that UN Women and UPF are seeking the services of a national consultant to provide technical support for the development of an Anti-Sexual Harassment Policy for the Uganda Police Force (UPF).

The objective of the Assignment: The overall objective of the assignment is to develop a comprehensive anti-sexual harassment, sexual exploitation, and abuse policy with implementation mechanisms.

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of Work and Deliverables: Under the supervision of UN Women’s Access to Justice Programme Specialist, and UPF Department of Women Affairs, the consultant will:

Hold an inception meeting with UPF and UN Women
Review the following documents: gender policies and strategies of UPF, UPS JLOS Secretariat and MGLSD (if available because it is currently at Cabinet level), the Sexual Offences Bill, Employment Act 2006 and its Sexual Harassment Regulations of 2012, Employment Bill, Penal Code Act, Constitution of the Republic of Uganda, Public Service Standing Orders 2010 and any relevant laws to the task at hand to develop materials relevant to inform the content of the policy.
Review relevant international and regional instruments on gender equality and identify principles that should be integrated into the Policy.
Conduct consultations with:
Internal stakeholders from
The directorates and specialized units like counter-terrorism, VIPPU, FFU, CID, Fire and rescue services, Logistics and Engineering, PPG, INTERPOL, PRESS UNIT, EXODUS SACCO, Welfare, HRA, HRD.
Police Regions like; MT Moroto, BuKedi north and south, Aswa, Northwest Nile, Rwenzori East and West, and KMP.
Police training Schools (PTS Kabalye, Olilim, Bwebajja) and
external stakeholders
Including Judiciary, ODPP, MGLSD, JLOS Secretariat.
Uganda Prisons Service.
Development Actors including UN agencies (UN Women, UNICEF, UNDP, UNFPA), NGOs (including WROs), JLOS and the Gender Development Partners’ Group and others, including the donor community, cultural and religious leaders in the policing regions,
Office of the President (Department of Policy Development & Capacity Building).

Conduct key informant interviews with the UPF leadership and hold separate focus group discussions with female and male officers in the Force to gain insights on how sexual harassment can be addressed.
Develop the Anti – Sexual Harassment Policy
Present the draft Anti-Sexual Harassment Policy to key stakeholders for validation.
Present the finalized Anti-Sexual Harassment Policy to the Policy Advisory Council of the Police for approval.
NO

Tasks

Deliverables

No of days (Approx)

Pay %

1.

Conduct inception meeting with UPF and UN Women

Carry out desk review; design methodology and workplan (in Gantt chart format); and

An INCEPTION REPORT on the content and methodology for review of the policy. The inception report should provide information on the following:

an understanding of the assignment,
identify documentation to be reviewed and persons to be consulted.
tools for reviewing documents and conducting consultations.
Workplan and methodology
5

06th -10th Dec ,2023

10%

2.

Conduct consultations, gather relevant information, and undertake analysis in line with the above Scope of Work section, detailed objectives, and tasks.

A report on the analysis of desk-based research and the consultations highlighting the contents of the Policy. d51ucO0 veHCW
Draft Policy
25

13th December-8th January 2024

20%

3

Present draft Revised Policy at a validation workshop

PowerPoint presentation for a validation workshop
Workshop report highlighting recommendations.
Revised Policy
5

11th -15th January 2024

20%

4

Present the Finalized Policy at the UPF Policy Advisory Council (PAC) and incorporate any final changes recommended by the PAC

Report highlighting recommendations from PAC.
Final Policy
2