Access to information on gender-based violence prevention during COVID-19 lockdown in Uganda: a cross-sectional study

Background During the lockdowns to contain the COVID-19 pandemic in Uganda, women and girls, disproportionately, had increased exposure to gender-based violence (GBV). Access to high-quality and empowering information or knowledge to minimise the incidences of GBV for women, girls, men and boys, was, therefore, crucial. The purpose of this study was to understand the characteristics of the individuals who were unable to access such information, and if received information, was associated with more awareness in the populace.Methods The data analysed were from a cross-sectional nationally representative phone survey of individuals aged 18 years and above from all four regions of Uganda. The survey was carried out by Uganda Bureau of Statistics using a purely quantitative approach, and all questions were closed-ended. The sample was stratified by sex, age, and geographical region, and executed in November 2020, six months after COVID-19 lockdown restrictions. Binary logistic regression analysis was used for data analysis in STATA software. Findings Female respondents with tertiary education (OR = 0.47; 95% CI = 0.26, 0.85) and male respondents with tertiary education (OR = 0.70; 95% CI: 0.49, 1.00) were more likely to receive information on GBV prevention. Both female (aOR = 0.68; 95% CI: 0.52, 0.88) and male (aOR = 0.66; 95% CI: 0.50, 0.87) respondents who were working had about a third the odds of being unable to access information about GBV prevention. Female respondents living in urban areas were associated with less odds of being unable to access the information (aOR = 0.77; 95% CI: 0.59, 1.00), while unmarried male respondents had higher odds of being unable to access the information (aOR = 1.37; 95% CI: 1.00, 1.89). Respondents who reported being vulnerable to GBV were also more likely to know someone who experienced GBV. This was similar for female respondents (PR = 3.00; 95% CI: 2.26, 3.98) and male respondents (PR = 3.01, 95% CI: 2.3, 3.95) (PR = 5.49; 95% CI = 4.12-7.30). Results also indicated that both male (PR = 1.28; 95% CI: 1.14, 1.43) and female respondents (PR = 1.24; 95% CI: 1.11, 1.37) who did not perceive themselves at risk of GBV were less likely to know a GBV survivor.Interpretation The individuals who were unable to access information had characteristics associated with GBV perpetration or victimization. Monitoring the dissemination and quality of information empowers individuals and communities to develop local solutions to GBV prevention and protection. The design of GBV prevention messages and delivery channels needs to take into consideration the risk factors at the different levels of the socio-ecological model (individual, community, institutional, and society). Interventions aimed at increasing access to information on GBV prevention should consider the different socio-demographic as well as context-specific factors.