1. Muslim Centre for Justice and
Law (MCJL)
PROGRESS REPORT ON THE CULTURAL
RELIGIOUS SENSITIVE COUSLING
MODEL- MARCH- APRIL 2015

2. STRUCTURE OF PRESENTATION
• INTRODUCTION
• TARGET GROUP & GEOGRAPHICAL COVERAGE
• METHODS USED FOR IMPLEMENTATION
• THE COUNSELING PROCESS
• PROGRESS OF IMPLEMENTING CSCM
• WHAT CHANGES HAVE OCCURRED (IMPACT)
• CHALLENGES ENCOUNTERED
• RECOMMENDATIONS
• CONCLUSIONS

3. INTRODUCTION
• The CSC model looks at a participatory
learning approach, as part of the on-going
counseling activities conducted in Kalamba
sub-county by Muslim Centre for Justice and
Law (MCJL) in partnership with J&P in
Kampala Archdiocese.

4. TARGET GROUP &
GEOGRAPHICAL COVERAGE
• Participants were selected basing on; being a victim of
long term domestic violence and resident of Kalamba.
• 26 counselors were selected and are implementing the
model; 13 in the control group and 13 in the test
group).
• The 13 counselors in the test group were trained in the
CSCM stages of change and on how to implement the
model, while the other 13 members are using the
routine counseling procedures.
• Each counselor was allocated two couples. Making it
52 couples in total. The model is being implemented in
Kalamba sub county within Butambala District.

5. METHODS USED WHEN COUNSELING.
• Talking to the couple at the same time
• Use of one on one interaction with the couples.
• Home visits which generate dialogue between
the couples.
• Use of Islamic religious teachings and practices
that advocate against violence in the home and
the community at large.

6. THE COUNSELING PROCESS
• The process involves taking couples through
the 8 stages of change, which are elaborated
to take couples through acknowledging
violence, deliberate on the situation and
understand why domestic violence occurs the
way it does among the couples. The model
guides the couple to reflect upon their history,
culture and religious gender beliefs which
work to enhance peace for the couple.

7. PROGRESS OF IMPLEMENTATION
• Training of the counselors was conducted
from 17th
to 19th
February 2015. Roll out to
start the implementation of the model started
in March. Couples are met at least twice in a
week. The counselors engage the couples
using motivational approaches in order to
establish who the perpetrator and victim is.
This is done under stage one of the eight
stages of change, which involves truth telling.

8. PROGRESS OF IMPLEMENTATION
• Once the perpetrators is established, he/ she is
persuaded to acknowledge that their actions
amount to violence in the home. This also applies
to the victim acknowledging that the actions of
their spouses are violence.
• The counselor then explores stage three which
involves, exploring the behavior of the
perpetrator and victim that is brought about by
the cultural and religious beliefs, which could
influence violence and acceptance of violence in
the home.

9. INNOVATIVE APPROACHES USED
RELIGIOUS APPROACHES.
• Quran teachings on
responsibilities of both
spouses in marriage and
their rights. Quran 4:3
• Teachings about how a man
should behave towards his
wife and vice versa. Quran
9:71
CULTURAL APOPROACHES.
• Teachings about the
traditional roles of women
and men in the home,.
• Teachings about the false
beliefs of superiority of men
that oppress women.

10. INNOVATIVE APPROACHES USED
RELIGIOUS APPROACHES.
• Teachings about how a man
should treat his wife during
the marriage and upon
dissolution of the
marriage.2:231.
• Teachings about how to
behave in the home 30:21.
CULTURAL APPROACHES
• Teachings about false
beliefs that a woman should
always go by what her
husband says even if it is
oppressive.
• Teachings about the false
beliefs that a man cannot
do house chores when he
has a wife.

11. INNOVATIVE APPROACHES USED
RELIGIOUS APPROACHES
• Teachings about the role of
a wife and nature of
equality with men. “Women
are twin halves of men”
(Abu Dawud)
• Teachings about polygamy
and the requirements to be
fulfilled before. 4:3
CULTURAL APPROACHES
• Teachings about false
beliefs that a woman should
always avail herself to her
husband for sexual
intercourse.
• False beliefs about
submission of a wife to her
husband.

12. INNOVATIVE APPROACHES USED
RELIGIOUS APPROACHES
• Teachings about good
treatment of wives..” The
best believer is one who is
king and amiable to his
wife” Tirimidh.
• Teachings about the
importance of God in
Marriage 4:1
• Teachings about the
different forms of abuse.
CULTURAL APPROACHES
• Teachings about breaking
the silence in order to
resolve issues in the home .
• Teachings about how a man
should not have children
recklessly.
• Beliefs about how financial
responsibility for children in
the home belong to the
man

13. WHAT CHANGES HAVE OCCURRED
BETWEEN THE COUPLES (IMPACT)?
• Couples now understand the nature of
cultural beliefs that perpetrate violence in
their homes. They can resolve some of the
issues without invoking violence.
• Couples are increasingly appreciating how to
use religious and positive cultural teachings
for conflict resolution within a home setting.
• Counselors acquired additional skills in
handling which has brought about innovation.

14. WHAT CHANGES HAVE OCCURRED
BETWEEN THE COUPLES(IMPACT)?
• There is improved dialogue, respect and
collective effort between some of the couples,
to mend the broken marriages.
• Some spouses have reconciled to the extent
of returning to their marital homes and
understand the value of putting God first in all
their affairs.

15. WHAT CHANGES HAVE OCCURRED
BETWEEN THE COUPLES(IMPACT)?
• Knowledge about cultural and religious beliefs
that mitigates violence has been appreciated
and enhanced among the couples reached.
• Two cases of domestic violence have been off-
set. One of the couples has reconciled and the
other separated.

16. CHALLENGES ENCOUNTERED
• Couples need a lot of time and attention which is
a challenge considering occupational
responsibilities of the counselors.
• The diverse culture of the couples makes it hard
for them to agree on certain principles.
• Some of the couples do not make time for
counseling process.
• Some couples do not stay within Kalamba and
therefore accessing them is difficult.

17. CHALLENGES ENCOUNTERED
• Lack of transport facilitation to counselors to
enable them reach the couples for counseling.
• Some of the couples take their issues to police
before seeking alternative dispute resolution by
counseling.
• Lack of proper Identification as counselors in the
community to be recognized and acknowledged.
• Sometimes the men do not want to be part of
the counseling process and avoid being involved.

18. RECOMMENDATIONS
• Transport facilitation to the counselors for
homes visits.
• Motivational reward of the counselors in form
of allowance for their efforts.
• Continuous counseling of the couples and
regular follow up even when progress is
realized.
• Dedicating time to listen and understand
nature of problem of the couples.

19. RECOMMENDATIONS
• Counselors should take trouble to understand
the behavior of each partner in the marriage.
• Counselors should understand who the actual
perpetrator of violence is, before beginning
the counseling process.
• Provide more community sensitization about
cultural and religious beliefs that influence
violence in a home.

20. RECOMMENDATIONS
• Provide some kind of identification for the
counselors.
• A special or neutral place for counseling
should be used.
• Provide more sensitization about violence in
homes, causes and its effects that arise from
cultural and religious beliefs.

21. CONCLUSIONS
• Different from the traditional ways of
counseling, the Culturally Sensitive Counseling
Model is an innovative approach that can help
in breaking the persistent salient issues
among couples. However, for effectiveness it
is important to address the above challenges
and counselors to be given simplified referral
tools (handouts or book-let) with relevant
religious and cultural beliefs in the community
to further their understanding of the
counseling approach being used.