HRCU WEEKLY UPDATE: ISSUE NO.15 OF 2022
WEEKLY UPDATE ON COVID-19
AND KEY EMERGING HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES WITHIN THE WORKING ENVIROMENT OF HRDS IN
UGANDA
THE WEEK OF 25TH
APRIL TO 1ST MAY 2022
Dear esteemed Reader,
Welcome to the month of May 2022!
We welcome the Muslim community and human rights defenders from the Eid celebrations as were held on 1st May 2022.We wish you a happy commemoration of World Press Freedom Day.
Every week that starts has its own uniqueness and as human rights defenders (HRDs) , we ought to always embrace it with a critical and open mind that will lead to finding of new, achievable and sustainable ideas about solving the existing realities and human rights challenges and create a more desirable working environment.
Let's begin our updates from last week with a look at the COVID-19 updates and related developments.
COVID-19 UPDATES
Image Source: https://twitter.com/MinofHealthUG
70%
COVID PATIENTS FAIL TO HEAL A YEAR AFTER INFECTION
Medical experts in the country said a significant
number of COVID-19 survivors are grappling with the long term effects of the
virus which has affected their productivity and quality of life.
The experts were reacting to a new report from the
United Kingdom’s Leicester University which indicated that only a third of 804
Covid-19 survivors got totally healed after one year.
COVID-19 PANDEMIC NOT OVER YET: WHO
Even
though the number of globally reported COVID-19 cases and deaths continued to
decline, largely due to a drop in testing rates, the pandemic is not over, the
World Health Organization (WHO) warned on 25th April 2022.
Last
week, just over 15,000 coronavirus-related deaths were reported to the WHO, the
lowest weekly total since March 2020, WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom
Ghebreyesus told a press briefing.
VACCINATED
UGANDANS NOT REQUIRED TO WEAR FACE MASKS OUTDOOR– ACENG
Health Minister Dr Jane Ruth Aceng on Wednesday 27th
April 2022 said fully vaccinated individuals would not be required to
wear face masks when they are outdoors provided there are no crowds. Additionally, Ms Aceng said wearing of face
mask when one is indoors or in closed spaces like public transport, shops,
schools and offices, among others where two meter-distancing cannot be observed
with other individuals, is required whether one is vaccinated or not.
KEY EMERGING
HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES
ACCESS TO JUSTICE: 54
DISTRICTS LACK STATE PROSECUTORS
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) named at
least 54 districts that don’t have state prosecutors to prosecute criminal
cases. Justice Jane Frances Abodo attributed the
understaffing in her office to being misunderstood for what roles they play.
“The office of
the DPP is present in 82 districts, but has no office presence in 54 districts.
This represents only 60 percent national coverage. Due to acute understaffing,
the office of the DPP has not deployed a full time prosecutor in the
sub-courts,’’ she said. The chief government prosecutor also named 73
courts without a full-time prosecutor.
Justice Abodo revealed that her office has 325 state
prosecutors against the approved 862, representing 40 percent of the vacancies
filled, leaving a staffing gap of 60 percent which translates to 537 staff.
Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/54-districts-lack-state-prosecutors-3797190
PROMOTING
SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH RIGHTS (SRHR):
NEW TECH LAUNCHED TO INCREASE UPTAKE OF SRHR INFORMATION &
COMMODITIES
The assistant
commissioner for reproductive and infant health at the ministry of Health, Dr.
Richard Mugahi said if the government and Organizations advocating for girl
child rights do not quickly address the existing gaps in accessing right sexual
and reproductive health information among adolescents, tackling the problem of
escalating of teenage pregnancies will remain difficult.
Dr. Mugahi, who was
speaking during the launch of PULANIKI Mobile and Web-Based
platform that has been designed to bring essential sexual and reproductive health
and mental health services closer to young people noted that teenage
pregnancies has remained a major challenge in Uganda.
NEW PRESS FREEDOM REPORT: POLICE NAMED AS LEADING TORMENTORS OF JOURNALISTS
The report released
by the Human Rights Network for Journalists (HRNJ) highlighted the challenges
the media faced during the two years of lockdown, the January polls that were
marred by brutal attacks on journalists who covered opposition presidential
candidates including NUPs Robert Kyagulanyi, the closure of some media houses,
as well as blocking of the internet and access to social media sites.
Releasing the report
in Kampala on 28th April 2022, the Network’s Executive Director
Robert Ssempala revealed that more than 130 cases of human rights abuse and
violations against journalists were recorded in 2021.
The 2021 Press
Freedom Index Report further exposed the worsening state of media freedom in
Uganda.
Sembabule
district was reported to be struggling to attract and retain secondary school
teachers. According to the district education sector performance report, all
the nine government secondary schools in the area are struggling with an acute
shortage of teachers yet they have a high student population to cater for.
Muhammad
Kiggwe, the Sembabule District Education Officer indicated that the district is
badly affected by the chronic habit of secondary teachers seeking transfers of
services as soon they access the government payroll.
COFFEE AGREEMENT: FINANCE
MINISTER, AG DEFEND CONTENTIOUS COFFEE DEAL
The Attorney General
Kiwanuka Kiroywa and Finance Minister Matia Kasaija defended the controversial
coffee contract between the Government and the Italian investor that has
ruffled feathers since last month.
While appearing
before the parliamentary committee on Trade, Tourism and Industry chaired by
Mbarara city south MP Mwine Mpaka on Wednesday, 27 April 2022, the Attorney
General told the committee that the contract is legal and binding.
His response was
triggered by Kalungu West County MP Joseph Ssewungu who demanded the Attorney
General’s confirmation that the contract is favourable for the people of
Uganda.
Source: https://www.independent.co.ug/finance-minister-ag-defend-contentious-coffee-deal/
CONCLUDING REMARK
As we join the rest of the world to commemorate World Press Freedom Day, sincere appreciation is extended to the journalists in Uganda and the rest of the world who work extensively to inform, educate and entertain the citizenry. It’s of paramount importance for all stakeholders to respect and uphold the rights of journalists who double as human rights defenders (HRDs) and work together as partners in the promotion of human rights.
Given that COVID-19 hasn't been fully wiped out, lets continue observing the set safety measures and following updates and guidance from the Ministry of Health and World Health Organization.
We thank you for reading and wish you a happy new week and month filled with happiness, peace, prosperity, and good health.
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