UHRC flags off activities to mark International Human Rights Day, unveils new UHRC App.
Drake Nyamugabwa
The Uganda Human Rights Commission together with other stakeholders has launched week-long activities to mark International Human Rights Day 2022 which falls annually on 10th December.
Uganda will join the rest of the world to commemorate that to be held in Wakiso district in Kajansi Town Council on Saturday 10th December 2022.
During a joint Press conference organized by the Uganda Human Rights Commission and partners the statement say that the launch of the Human Rights Awareness Week will have various activities done in the communities of Wakiso District, Kampala and other parts of the country in preparation for International Human Rights Day.
In the statement it was noted that despite the challenges, there are strides that have been made towards the progressive realisation of human rights especially in the areas including government’s fulfillment of its international Treaty Reporting obligations in respect to the International Convention Against Torture (CAT) and the Universal Periodic Review, in the the recent outbreak of the Ebola epidemic in both Mubende and Kassanda districts which posed a challenge especially to the residents in those districts among others.
“The Commission notes that despite the challenges, there are strides that have been made towards the progressive realisation of human rights in the following areas:- The Government of Uganda fulfilled its international Treaty Reporting obligations in respect to the International Convention Against Torture (CAT) and the Universal Periodic Review (UPR). The recent outbreak of the Ebola epidemic in both Mubende and Kassanda districts has posed a challenge especially to the residents in those districts. In an effort to curb the spread of the disease, government imposed a lockdown on the two districts, restricting movement into and out of the districts” it reads in part
The Commission has also launched an app dubbed UHRC App to enable people to use their mobile phones to access services.
“In furtherance of its mandate to protect and promote human rights, the Commission has launched the first ever online application to enable people use their mobile phones to access our Services – the UHRC App. The App which is easy to download and use can be accessed on google play for those with phones that use Android software and it will soon be available for those with IPhone and IOS softwares” it reads
The Director Monitoring & Inspection at UHRC Ruth Ssekindi said: "The UHRC has not so far received any human rights related complaints due to the Ebola lockdowns. We commend security agencies for trying to exercise respect for human rights ".
Commissioner Crispin Kaheru called upon the public and the media to allow UHRC to perform its duties in fulfillment of its mandate. He encouraged the public to approach their offices for support.
Activities during the week include a symposium, regional activities, and community engagement among others including a symposium, regional activities, community engagement among others.
The main commemoration will be held at Nakawuka Playground, Kajansi Town Council in Wakiso district. It will also involve a psycho-social, legal camp where we together with different partners like Uganda Law Society, Refugee Law Project, African Center for Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture Victims (ACTV), the Judiciary among others will be rendering their services free of charge to the people.
There will also a High-Level SGBV Symposium on December 9, 2022, Community Outreach, joint commemoration activities at the regional level, especially in the districts of Gulu in Northern Uganda and Moroto in North-eastern Uganda among others.
