Uganda's constitutional court scraps 'anti-miniskirt' law

The constitutional court in Uganda has scrapped a 2014 anti-pornography law whose provisions prohibited Ugandan women from wearing miniskirts in public.

While reading the verdict of the court on Monday, Justice Frederick Egonda-Ntende termed the law “inconsistent with or in contravention of the constitution of the Republic of Uganda” leading to the court’s decision to declare certain sections of the law “null and void.” The court also lifted the powers of a nine-member committee that was tasked with enforcing the law popularly known as the “anti-miniskirt law”.

The ruling followed prolonged protests by campaigners calling for the law to be dropped. The  2014 legislation prohibited anything deemed pornographic including dirty song lyrics and wearing short skirts.

However, activists have been challenging the law since 2014 arguing that it provided ground for the harassment and mistreatment of women in public and denied them control of their bodies.

Speaking to AFP, Lillian Drabo, one of the nine petitioners who challenged the law described Monday’s ruling as a culmination of a “bitter struggle” adding that they were “grateful (that) those who believe in the rights of women have emerged victors.”

In response to the court’s ruling, the government’s lead counsel Imelda Adong told AFP that they were “studying the ruling” and would respond in due time.