My name is Julie Bukirwa and I am an acid attack survivor.  My ex-boyfriend (the father of my first child) attacked me with acid after I wanted to go back to school.  I spent a year in Mulago hospital.  Even though he caused me so much damage, my ex-boyfriend was never held legally accountable in any way.  Now I'm fighting to make sure this does not happen to other people, including my daughters!  We know from legal initiatives in other countries that the best way to reduce the frequency of acid violence is to enforce tough laws on the sale of acid and punishment for perpetrators.  That's why I am urging you to sign this petition demanding the Ugandan government pass a law against acid attacks.

What would the law address?  

It would regulate the sale of acid.  Acid is readily available in the market in Uganda.  If I want to buy acid, they will not ask me for my license, for what industrial use I am purchasing it.  It makes it a very easy weapon to get.   It is also inexpensive.  In most cases, a liter of acid costs 3000 Ugandan Shillings, roughly one US dollar.  With one liter, you can make someone very deformed, end someone’s life.  In 2016, the government passed the Toxic Chemicals and Prohibition Bill into law.  It was a good start but it was too general in nature.  It brought all the other chemicals in one basket.  We need the law to specify who can purchase acid and for what industrial purposes.

It would enforce stricter punishments for perpetrators.

As it is written into law now, someone convicted of an acid attack can be sentenced for up to seven years in prison.  Not only is seven years an outrageously meager sentence for an act of attempted murder, but perpetrators are rarely charged.  The acid attack survivors I know, in almost all of their cases, the perpetrator was never charged.  

Please click here to learn more about acid attacks in Uganda and why this law is needed.