Uganda National Elections 2016
National Election 2016
The Citizens’ Election Observation Network-Uganda (CEON-U), a citizen election observer coalition of local CSOs, monitored the 2016 electoral process in Uganda between September, 2015 and June 2016, covering the pre-election, election day and post-election periods. Overall, few observers reported witnessing or hearing reports of violence against women in the pre-election period. On election day, of the incidents of violence that were reported, observers reported more incidents of violence against voters than against any other group.
CEON-U and the CSO members of the coalition worked to engage citizens at the local level as part of their public outreach, complementing the work CEON-U undertook to monitor the electoral processes.
Before the Election
Over 200 observers were deployed throughout the country, and reported their findings every week for several months, giving a great depth to the data collected. Several specific questions about VAW-E were part of this observation and reporting, including the following: Have you witnessed or heard of hate speech, violence or intimidation against candidates or their supporters because they are women?
CEON also disaggregated other questions about electoral violence by gender. While few observers reported witnessing or hearing reports of violence against poll officials, for example, the reported violent incidents in the pre-election period targeting election officials affected an equal percentage of men and women observers
Election Day
Observers who were part of CEON's observation on election day observed more incidents of violence against voters than against any other group, although election officials were also a significant portion of victims of observed incidents of violence. Of the types of violent incidents that were observed, there were some differences between whether victims were men, women, or involved victims of both genders. Overwhelmingly, perpetrators of violent incidents were men.
