HRCU WEEKLY UPDATE: ISSUE NO.8 OF 2023
THE HUMAN RIGHTS
CENTRE UGANDA (HRCU)
WEEKLY UPDATE ON KEY
EMERGING HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES WITHIN THE WORKING ENVIROMENT OF HRDS IN UGANDA
THE WEEK OF 27THFEBRUARY
TO 5TH MARCH 2023
Dear
reader,
It
is a pleasure to welcome you to this week's edition of our human rights
discussion and analysis on the emerging issues. In sharing this information
with you, we must remember that human rights are not just a lofty ideal or an
academic concept but a fundamental part of our everyday lives.
Every
day, people around the world are denied their basic rights to freedom,
equality, and dignity among other rights. This must be challenged by all of us as
HRDs who believe in the inherent worth and value of human rights and dignity.
HRDs
from across the country are encouraged to continue engaging in thoughtful and
respectful dialogue with key stakeholders while keeping in mind that each and
every one of us has a role to play in the fight for human rights. Let us work
together to create a world where every person's rights are respected and
protected.
Thank
you, and let's begin looking at this week’s updates
THE
RIGHT TO EDUCATION:MORE 2022 UACE CANDIDATES QUALIFY FOR UNIVERSITY - UNEB
A
slightly higher number of 2022 Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE)
candidates have qualified to join university as compared to the previous year.
“At the minimum two principal level required
for university admission, 67,815 (70.3%) qualify compared to 69.8% in 2020,”
the Uganda National Examinations Board (Uneb) executive director Daniel Odongo
said on Friday February 3, 2023.
However,
UNEB clarified that “in terms of numbers, this is slightly less than that of
2020, which was 68,013 candidates (69.8%).”
According
to UNEB, 97,890 candidates sat the 2022 UACE examination from 1,969 centres
across the country as compared to 98,392 candidates from 1,952 centres in 2020.
Additionally, results
released at the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) indicate that “the overall
candidates’ performance in the 2022 UACE examinations registered a very high
percentage of candidates (99.2%) who qualified for the award of the UACE-just
as was in 2020.”
PROMOTION
AND PROTECTION OF THE RIGHTS OF PEOPLE WITH ALBINISM: ALBINOS ASK FOR MORE
SUPPORT
The Albinism Umbrella Uganda (AUU), an organisation
for persons with albinism, has asked government, the European Union and the Aga
Khan foundation to extend help and research on albinism beyond Kampala.
Ms. Olive Namutebi, the AUU chief executive officer,
told Daily Monitor on February 25 that the Shs142m, which they received from
the European Union through the Aga Khan Foundation to support their community
during the Covid-19 pandemic, enabled them to provide relief items, set up
medical camps, and invested in business incubation to their beneficiaries.
Ms. Namutebi said a total of 38 children benefited
from the medical camp and more than 150 persons in Kampala and Wakiso districts
have benefited from the programme.
She called for more support beyond Kampala
Metropolitan area in order to understand the magnitude of albinism in the
country.
Source:https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/albinos-ask-for-more-support-4144302
DISCUSSION ON GENDER-BASED ISSUES: LAWMAKERS
WELCOME FRESH ANTI-HOMOSEXUALITY BILL
Parliament
on Wednesday 1st March 2023 granted the Bugiri Municipality MP, Mr. Asuman Basalirwa, leave to process the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, 2023 that
will prohibit same-sex relationships in Uganda. His motion was seconded by
Mr. Jonathan Odur (Erute County South) and Mr. Charles Onen (Gulu East).
The law
being processed is however not entirely new as Mr. Basalirwa intends to revisit
and polish the contents of the Bill of 2014 that was quashed by the
Constitutional Court.“Precisely we are bringing back that same Bill. We will
make a few modifications because of the changing circumstances and situations
and the realities on the ground,” Mr. Basalirwa stated.
It may be recalled that on August 1, 2014, five justices of the
Constitutional Court nullified the Anti-Homosexuality Act, 2014 due to lack of
quorum in Parliament on December 20, 2013 when it was passed.They unanimously
ruled that the then Speaker Rebecca Kadagadid not first ascertain whether there
was quorum before putting the issue to a vote.
But the Speaker of Parliament, Ms. Among said the plenary session
that will debate and vote on the passing of the said Bill will do so by raising
their hands to address the issue of quorum.
Source and details at: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/lawmakers-welcome-fresh-anti-homosexuality-bill--4141958
IRON
SHEET SCANDAL: CIVIL SOCIETY WANT PRESIDENT TO RESTRUCTURE (OPM)
Members
of the civil society have asked President YoweriMuseveni to consider
restructuring the office of the Prime Minister to address the levels of
corruption that have continued to escalate. This is in reaction to
the corruption scandal of Karamoja iron sheets which involves senior Cabinet
Ministers including, Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja and Finance Minister
MatiaKasaija among others.
The
Action Aid Country Director, Xavier Ejoyi noted that it is very disturbing for
an ordinary person to see what is unfolding in the office of the prime minister. He added that, the Office of the Prime Minister is too convoluted and
conflicted to even play its oversight role to other government ministries,
agencies and departments, which calls for restructuring.
Ejoyi
also noted that, this new scandal is an opportunity for the office of
inspectorate of the government to prove itself that it is speaking to the needs
of Ugandans.
Besides
members of the civil society,opposition Members of Parliament including Mukono
North’s AbdallahKiwanuka,Mityana Woman Mp Joyce Bagala among others urged
President Museveni to sack all the ministers involved in the scandal.
NUP
ACCUSES UPDF OF COACHING ‘TORTURE VICTIM’ TO LIE
The National Unity Platform (NUP)
leadership last week accused the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF)
spokesperson, Brig Gen Felix Kulayigye of coaching a ‘torture victim’ to lie.
On Wednesday March 1, 2023,
Kulayigye paraded Eric Mwesigwa, a NUP supporter who recently claimed that he
was abducted and tortured by security operatives before the media at the
Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs headquarters in Mbuya.
During the press conference,
Mwesigwa revealed that he was lured by NUP leadership to have wounds inflicted
on his body and promised Shs50 million to pin government over torture. He
further claimed that the party has a drone they use to stage abductions of
their own supporters.
NUP leaders, including the president,
Robert Kyagulanyi as well as MP Joel Ssenyonyi, the party spokesperson have
dismissed the allegations, accusing the army of trying to spin the facts to
avoid public scrutiny.
Source:https://www.kfm.co.ug/news/nup-accuses-updf-of-coaching-torture-victim-to-lie.html
YOUTH
EMPOWERMENT:EACOP ENROLLS 146 YOUTH FOR VOCATIONAL SKILLS
146
youth in Sembabule and Kyotera districts have been enrolled to benefit from the
vocational training programs by the East African Crude Oil Pipeline-EACOP
project.
The
beneficiaries were selected from the project-affected households in the
different parts of Kyotera and Sembabule districts. Enrollment is part of the
livelihood restoration program which is intended to equip young people with
skills that can increase their opportunities to restore and improve their
livelihoods and gain capacities.
The
students comprising 89 males and 46 females were enrolled at St Charles Lwanga
Technical Institute Butende and Mummy’s Institute of Beauty Design and
Commercial Studies in Masaka City.
The
benefiting students will be trained in welding, plumbing, electrical
installation, garment design, motor vehicle, and motorcycle mechanics,
building, and construction among the survival skills that will enable them to
transform their lives.
Source:https://www.independent.co.ug/eacop-enrolls-146-youth-for-vocational-skills/
INTERNATIONAL
UPDATE
RULING
PARTY’S TINUBU WINS PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN NIGERIA
Bola Tinubu from Nigeria’s ruling
All Progressives Congress party won Nigeria’s presidential election, the
country’s electoral body said last week.
With over 8.79 million ballots,
Tinubu secured the highest number of the total votes cast during the election,
Mahmood Yakubu, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, said.
The 70-year-old president-elect defeated
his closest rival, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, candidate of the main
opposition Peoples Democratic Party. Abubakar got over 6.98 million votes and
was closely trailed by Peter Obi, candidate of the Labor Party, who secured
about 6.1 million votes.
The election was one of the most
hotly contested in the country’s history, with Tinubu losing Lagos, his
stronghold in the country’s southwest region, to Obi.
Tinubu, who served as a former Lagos
State governor and senator, had been eyeing the presidency for years to build a
strong political structure with a vast network of supporters nationwide
Source:https://www.independent.co.ug/ruling-partys-tinubu-wins-presidential-election-in-nigeria/
CONCLUDING REMARKS
1.
It
is important to protect the rights of people living with albinism because they
are often subject to discrimination, violence, and marginalization. Albinism is
a genetic condition that results in little or no pigment in the skin, hair, and
eyes. In some cultures, people with albinism are stigmatized, and myths and
superstitions are associated with their condition. Protecting the rights of
people with albinism is crucial for ensuring their safety, promoting their
inclusion and integration into society, and combating discrimination and
stigma. This can include measures such as raising awareness, providing access to
education and healthcare, ensuring legal protections, and combating
discrimination and violence against people with albinism.
2.
Equipping
youths with vocational skills is of great importance as it helps reduce youth
unemployment: Uganda has one of the highest youth unemployment rates in Africa,
with over 60% of the population under the age of 30 unemployed. Equipping young
people with vocational skills gives them an opportunity to learn and acquire
skills that can help them find employment and become self-employed. In
addition, Vocational training can help to address skills gaps in the labor
market, ensuring that young people are equipped with the skills that are in
demand by employers.
3. Torture is a serious violation of human rights and is prohibited under international law. Uganda, like any other country, has a responsibility to prevent and combat torture. Therefore, combating torture requires a comprehensive and coordinated approach, involving a range of measures aimed at prevention, accountability, and awareness-raising which are both from state and non state actors.
4. As the discussion around homosexuality and now the Anti Homosexuality Bill continues, everyone is called upon to be mindful of the tone and language used in the media and social circles. Let's give Parliament time to scrutinize the Bill until all requisite processes are dealt with.
Thank you for reading.
Wishing you a happy new week
Comments
Post a Comment