HRCU WEEKLY UPDATE: ISSUE NO. 41 OF 2022
THE HUMAN RIGHTS
CENTRE UGANDA (HRCU)
WEEKLY UPDATE ON KEY
EMERGING HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES WITHIN THE WORKING ENVIRONMENT OF HRDS IN UGANDA
THE WEEK OF 7TH TO
13TH NOVEMBER 2022
Dear
Esteemed Reader,
Welcome to
this new week!
Please
receive and read through some of the key highlights in the context of HRDs as documented from last week. Monitoring and Documentation remain a critical
aspect of the protection, promotion, and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms.
Evidence-based advocacy resulting from documentation helps in identifying the
interim and long-term goals and objectives that are achievable to support the
creation of conditions necessary to support the work of HRDs.
Kindly
note that the Human Rights Centre Uganda, National Bureau for NGOs, and Uganda
National NGO Forum is inviting you to the dialogue meeting between the Minister
of Internal Affairs and NGO leaders. The meeting is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, November 29, 2022.
NGO
leaders and HRDs can register for the meeting via the link below;
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZApc-6qpj4rHd3Tex6iGPuKW0Kfj45Ei7aQ
HEALTH
WATCH
EBOLA
FIGHT DRAWS GOVT, DONORS APART
The government and donors are following different
scripts in their responses to the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak, leading
to rivalry, duplication and wasteful spending, this newspaper can reveal.
Details of the uncoordinated interventions blamed
for a rather lethargic official response came to the fore during a meeting in
Kampala last week.
As a result, some implementing partners are on the
ground working without the knowledge of the Ministry of Health, while teams
from multiple entities are overlapping on logistics management, surveillance
and risk communication mandates.
Whereas the World Food Programme (WFP) said it had
deployed a substantial part of $6.8m (Shs25.8b) it pooled to provide food for
Ebola patients, Uganda government officials told the meeting that the
contractor had terminated supplies to Ebola treatment centres over non-payment.
We could not independently verify this claim because access to the treatment
centres is restricted and the Ebola response expenditures are not readily
available to the public.
Source:https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/ebola-fight-draws-govt-donors-apart-4017056
KASSANDA
EBOLA CASES RISE TO 48 AS MBALE REGISTERS FIRST SUSPECTED CASE
The number of confirmed Ebola Virus Disease (EVD)
cases in Kassanda district increased to 48. Kassanda resident district
commissioner (RDC), Phoebe Namulindwa said the majority of the confirmed Ebola
cases and suspected cases are from Kikandwa village in Kalwana Sub County. She
attributed the rising cases to the contact persons who have now started showing
signs and symptoms of Ebola.
Namulindwa said that they have 944 contact persons undergoing surveillance. She
blamed the surging problem on politicians and boda boda motorists who have
continued to defy the lockdown regulations. Namulindwa revealed that the health
staffing levels in Kassanda stand at just 38 per cent, and yet they are the
ones deployed for the Ebola response as well as routine medical work.
Meanwhile, Mbale Regional Referral hospital
registered its first suspected Ebola suspect according to the district health
officer, Dr Johnathan Wangisi. Wangisi revealed this while addressing
councilors during the budget conference at Mbale secondary school hall.
GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE: ACTIVISTS RAISE FLAG ON 400 CASES OF GBV IN OIL DISTRICTS
More than 400 cases of gender-based violence (GBV)
cases have been reported in Hoima, Kikuube, and Buliisa districts from July to
October, activists have said.
The cases were reported to the 20 safe and operational shelters established in
the three oil districts.
Under the National Association of Professional Environmentalists
(Nape), the activists said the shelters were established with support from the
European Union to protect women.
Speaking during a meeting in Kiboga District
this week, Mr Rajab Yusufu Bwengye, the Nape programme manager, said 410 cases
have since been settled through mediation and counselling while others were
referred for law enforcement.
The activists’ concerns come ahead of the launch of
the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence, an annual international
campaign that starts on November 25 aimed at eliminating violence against
women.
DPP
LAUNCHES CONSTRUCTION OF HOME FOR CHILDREN WHO ARE VICTIMS OF GBV
The
Director of Public Prosecutions Jane Frances Abodo launched the
construction of a super structure which will among others house the
rehabilitation center and vocational institute for the children.
The
children include victims of child sacrifice, trafficking in children and those
of gender based violence including physical and sexual violence.
Justice
Abodo launched the said construction as she visited Kyampisi Childcare
Ministries in Mukono District under the leadership of Mr. Peter Sewakiryanga
that currently houses the said children.
She
further toured Weema Clinic where the children are treated, and Rock
Hill Christian Primary School where they study.
Parents
of some of the victims expressed their pain and trauma arising from the
aforementioned crimes and pleaded for fair and speedy disposal of their cases
in a bid to avoid re-traumatizing them in the later stages of their
lives.
The
DPP pledged to passionately handle the cases and ensure that they are fast
tracked through special sessions; funds permitting.
Image: Babirye Sania
EU
PLEDGES TO CONTINUE SUPPORTING REFUGEES, HOST COMMUNITIES IN UGANDA
The European Union
(EU) pledged to continue addressing the needs of refugees and hosting
communities in Uganda.
Jan Sadek, the
ambassador of the European Union to Uganda said during the launch of the EU
photo exhibition held at Makerere University aimed at highlighting stories of
resilience and success among the refugee and host communities residing together
in Uganda.
Uganda hosts 1.5
million refugees from South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC),
Rwanda and other countries. Its open-door refugee policy is considered
progressive and inspiring to other countries around the world.
Sadek said since
2016, the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations has availed
€250 million (about Shs 945 billion) to support the delivery of humanitarian
assistance across sectors. The EU Trust Fund for Africa (EUTF) in Uganda has
committed €82 million (about Shs 310 billion) towards government programs
supporting both refugees and host communities.
COMBATING BODA
BODA ACCIDENTS: 6,000 BODAS IMPOUNDED IN NATIONWIDE CRACKDOWN
Police impounded more than 6,000 motorcycles in the ongoing operation against errant boda boda riders across the country. The operation, which started on Monday and will last through the festive season, targets riders without reflector jackets, helmets and PSV permits.
Ms. Faridah Nampiima,
the traffic police spokesperson, revealed last week that so far, 6,374
motorcycles have been impounded countrywide.
“We
are on day three of the operation against motorcycles, mainly targeting those
without crash safety helmets and retro-reflective jackets. The operation has
resulted in impounding 6,374 motorcycles countrywide in the last two days,”
Ms. Nampiima said.
The crackdown follows
police reports that boda bodas are one of the major causes of accidents in the
country, with at least four people dying due to motorcycle-related accidents
every day.
The operation came
after the police released a compilation of CCTV footage of boda boda accidents
in Kampala and its suburbs.
The video showed the numerous accidents that happened in Kampala and its surroundings last month. A total of 257 lives were lost in boda boda accidents in October, according to Uganda Police.
Source:https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/6-000-bodas-impounded-in-nationwide-crackdown-4015408
CONCLUDING REMARKS
1. HRDs and the general public are encouraged to continue observing and adhering to the prevention and safety measures set by the World Health Organization and Ministry of Health regarding the Ebola disease especially since the disease killed more than 54 people (https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/ebola-kills-54-people-in-two-months-who-report-4018928) in the last two months and also spread to other districts of the country.
2. The fight against sexual and gender-based violence is a collective role for all of us. Reports by activists on
increased cases of gender-based violence in some of the oil districts of
Uganda require immediate intervention from both State and non-state actors to
work together and address this vice as the world prepares to mark this year’s “16
days of Activism” campaign which is an advocacy campaign geared towards
ending violence against women and girls.
3. Construction of shelters for children
who are victims of gender-based violence is a big step towards addressing violence
against children and protecting the rights of children through the provision of
shelter, and psychosocial support to these children. HRDs working on the rights of
children will also closely make use of these shelters in the course of their
work.
4. As operations on “Boda Bodas” continue to help combat the escalating road accidents, it’s noble that security personnel adhere to human rights standards and guiding principles to ensure that throughout the operation, the rights of citizens are not abused at any one moment.
Thank you for reading. Happy new week
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