Constitutional Court Nullifies Law on Insulting Women's Modesty

In a landmark unanimous judgment, Uganda’s Constitutional Court has declared specific provisions of the Penal Code Act that criminalize insulting the modesty of women and girls to be unconstitutional. A panel of five justices delivered the ruling on Wednesday, stating that the law violates the fundamental right to equality before the law because it fails to offer equivalent legal protections to men.

The court specifically targeted Section 115(1) and (3) of the Penal Code Act, which addresses indecent assault and the protection of female modesty. The justices concluded that the gender-specific nature of the statute creates an unfair legal disparity, rendering it discriminatory under the nation’s constitution.

Legal experts and advocacy groups have quickly responded to the judicial development. The Uganda Law Society welcomed the court’s decision, issuing a statement describing the invalidated legal provision as overly broad, discriminatory, and unnecessarily restrictive of the freedom of expression.

This constitutional ruling marks a significant moment in Uganda’s ongoing legal evolution regarding gender rights, equality, and the modernization of penal statutes to reflect contemporary human rights standards. Observers note that the judgment will prompt discussions on how lawmakers address equal protection under the law for all citizens moving forward.

Read more details in the Daily Monitor report.