As part of the events to commemorate the Human Rights Day, various Human Rights NGOs converged in Kampala to discuss ways in which they could push for more civic space and freedom to carry out their operations. The Civil Society organizations pointed out that they were undergoing significant pressure and intimidation in the course of doing their work. “Our pathway is bobby trapped by minds that are legal in nature that actually you do this they will have a legal limit for you, you do this you are limited by a provision that they have put in. So bad legislations are part of what we have to contend with in a quest to have an expanded civic space where we can promote human rights.” Said, Muhammad Ndifuna – Executive Director, Uganda Human Rights Network.

According to the Uganda Human Rights Commission, rampant strikes in the country have led to different kinds of human rights violation. “Prosecutors are on strike and because they are on strike so many people’s right to liberty is being violated. Even when the doctors went on strike, we see a lot of death that people’s right to healthy life was being violated.” Said, Meddie Mulumba – Commissioner, Uganda Human Rights Commission. As the Commission called for the naming and shaming of human rights violators, the human rights defenders demanded the prosecution of rights violators especially Police officers. “We should advocate for effective punishment and that must be prosecution and when that happens then people feel relieved that some degree of justice has at least taken place.”

“The Public Order Management Act is still a fairly new law and it has not yet been well understood and appreciated by either party.” Said, James Kusemererwe – Head of Human Rights Department, Police. Since the UN declaration on human rights defenders in 1998, several mechanisms developed internationally to protect the work of human rights defenders. However, in Uganda, these organizations still need various support mechanisms to safely and effectively carry out their work.