TITLE:
Women’s Economic Empowerment and Access to Justice for Gender-Based Violence Survivors in Gulu District, Uganda
AUTHORS:
Davis Moses Okello, Rose B. Namara, Betty C. Mubangizi, Robert Agwot Komakech
KEYWORDS:
Women’s Economic Empowerment, Access to Justice, Gender-Based Violence (GBV), Uganda
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Social Sciences,
Vol.14 No.9,
September
28,
2026
ABSTRACT: Access to justice (AJ) is crucial for gender equality and democratic governance. However, economic challenges and weak institutions still hinder survivors of gender-based violence (GBV) in northern Uganda from exercising their legal rights. This study examined the association between women’s economic empowerment (WEE) interventions implemented by ActionAid International Uganda (AAIU) and stakeholders’ perceptions of access to justice for GBV survivors in Gulu District. The study adopted a quantitative research approach and employed a cross-sectional design. Of 186 questionnaires distributed to sampled GBV stakeholders, 148 were returned; following data-quality screening, 16 were excluded due to invariant response patterns or substantial missing data, leaving an analytic sample of 132. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis. The regression model was statistically significant and explained 20.9% of the variance in access to justice (R2 = 0.209, p p = 0.001), as was business start-up support (β = 0.250, p = 0.014), with sensitization and skills training showing a stronger statistical association. Although women’s empowerment increased survivors’ agency and their ability to afford justice-related costs, socio-cultural norms and deficiencies within the justice system continued to limit the full realization of justice for survivors. While economic empowerment is vital, it alone does not guarantee justice. Therefore, integrating livelihood support with legal empowerment initiatives and justice-sector reforms is essential to ensure meaningful access to justice for GBV survivors.