Africa-Press – Uganda. The European Union (EU) delegation in Uganda and the Konrad- Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Uganda and South Sudan (KAS) have launched a human rights project geared towards strengthening reporting and evidence-based advocacy efforts to safeguard human rights and freedoms in Uganda.
The project dubbed ‘Human Rights Our Concern’ will be undertaken in 14 districts of Uganda among which are; Arua, Adjumani, Gulu, Kingum, Otuke, Kotide, Kiween, Mbale, Morotu Kasese, Hoima, Kisoro, Wakiso, and Kampala. The project will run for 28 months starting in October 2023 to January 2026.
Speaking at the event launch held in Kampala on Wednesday, Mr Gilbert Cathal, the Programmes Officer with the EU delegation in Uganda said the project will be co-financed to a tune of €840.000 (Shs3.2b) with both KAS and the EU contributing equally towards the project.
Mr Cathal noted that the project will strengthen the capacity of human rights defenders in the 14 target districts especially civil society organisations and journalists on how to hold duty bearers accountable in the event of human rights violations. He added that the project will be implemented by a consortium of partners led by the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Uganda and South Sudan.
Other members of the consortium are Chapter Four Uganda, a civil liberties organization that supports human rights and pro-democracy activists in Uganda, as well as the African Institute for Investigative Journalism.
Speaking at the same event, Ms Anna Reismann, the Country Representative of KAS Uganda, and South Sudan appreciated the EU delegation in Uganda for accepting to co-finance the project.
“This project is very important to us as KAS because it will improve the evidence and information base on the state of human rights and fundamental freedoms in Uganda,” she said.
She added: “The project will also encourage the engagement of public institutions, duty bearers and citizens in human rights advocacy for accountability, reforms, and promoting respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in Uganda. The duty bearers and the CSOs must look at each other as friends, not foes.”
Reismann pointed out that although Uganda has laws that protect human rights and fundamental freedoms for all there is growing concern about the increasing occurrence of gross human rights viotations in the country.
“When these violations are reported to the police and other authorities there are limited chances of a successful prosecution of perpetrators. This is due to a lack of documentation and reporting, which makes it difficult to gather evidence for legal action and advocacy. The capacity and compliance gaps of Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) to monitor, document and report on such incidents have also hindered advocacy efforts to seek accountability for human rights violations and abuses,” she said.
Mr Solomon Serwanja, the executive director of the African Institute for Investigative Journalism decried numerous violations of human rights during elections and said journalists will through the project, bring to book perpetrators of such violations.
Mr Nicholas Opiyo, team lead at Chapter Four Uganda, said they will leverage on the project to advocate for the rights of human rights defenders.
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