AHURIO staff participates in training on Human Rights Reporting

AHURIO Coordinator, Fred Kaahwa participated in a training workshop on Human Rights Reporting and Handover of Case Database organized by Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in partnership with the National Coalition of Human Rights Defenders Uganda.

Javier Sanjuan facilitating the training

During the three (3) days residential training held on 19^th – 21^st April, 2016 in Esella Country Hotel, Wakiso district, Uganda participants were equipped with skills and knowledge in general human rights concepts, human rights instruments, human rights obligations for states including Uganda, National Human rights framework in Uganda, concepts and principles of human rights monitoring.

Other topics covered during the training included Levels of human rights Monitoring, Human Rights Fact finding: trends and cases, Methodology for monitoring human rights cases and Human Rights reporting among others.

AHURIO will use the skills and knowledge gained from the training to strengthen human rights reporting and monitoring in the Rwenzori region through organizing similar trainings in the region. In addition, AHURIO will use the case data base to increase documentation, reporting and analysis of the human rights abuses and violations and also analysis of trends of human rights violations and abuses in the region.

AHURIO coordinator sharing during the training

TLC Coordinator in the training

Participants included human rights defenders from across Uganda from human rights Civil society organizations like Twerwaneho Listeners Club (TLC), HURINET, Chapter Four - Uganda, FHRI, RDP from Masindi, East & Horn Human Rights Defenders Network, Sexual Minorities - Uganda, Freed and Roam - Uganda, Uganda Journalists Association, Human Rights Centre Uganda among others and facilitators included human rights experts like Javier Sanjuan of the UN Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner  

LASPNET team visits AHURIO to monitors its work in legal aid service provision

Staff from the Legal Aid Service Providers Uganda (LASPNET) made an evaluation visit to AHURIO from 11^th – 15^th April 2015 to evaluate AHURIO’s work in legal aid service provision in the Rwenzori Region. 

AHURIO coordinator hands over LASPNET publications to Mr. Solomon Olone of UCLF - Kasese

LASPNET ICT staff training AHURIO staff on IIMS

The team was headed by LASPNET research and advocacy officer Ms. Jamidah Namuyanja also included Mr. Walubya Fredrick who is the general secretary of LASPNET board, LASPNET ICT officer Mr. Godfrey Baluku and LASPNET ICT consultant.

The 5 day monitors and evaluation exercise focused on legal aid service provision function, access to justice, membership, learning and sharing best practices, reporting and documentation using the Integrated Information Management System (IIMS).

In addition to AHURIO, other institutions evaluated were Uganda Christian Lawyers (UCLF) in Kasese, Legal Aid Project of the Uganda Law Society – Fort Portal Branch and World Voices in Kibaale district.

LASPNET staff at World Voices offices in Kibaale District

The LASPNET team trained AHURIOs research and advocacy officer Mr. Solomon Akugizibwe on using the IIMS tool to effectively capture, share and store legal aid information and mapped other key Justice, Law and Order Sections like Police, Court and Local Councils in the region.

The LASPNET team also interacted with the AHURIO’s Coordinator Fred Kaahwa who is also a board member of LASPNET representing the western region on the challenges for legal aid service providers in the region and ways of strengthening legal aid service provision in the region.  

LASPNET staff on a group photo in Kasese

Group photo at AHURIO offices - Fort Portal

AHURIO participates in the coordination and follow up meetings and training on the operationalisation of the referral pathway

Group photo of the meeting

Following the capacity building training that HRCU conducted from 15th – 16th October, 2015 at Liesseux Guest Centre, Fort Portal, a number of recommendations were made including having follow up meetings on the operationalisation of the referral pathway; having more training on the use of the Data Management System to track and report human rights violations and abuses and; more training on the different categories of violations and abuses of human rights and the laws for promoting and protecting the rights of HRDs. HRCU has accordingly organized the follow up meeting and training to address the gaps that still exist in the operationalisation of the pathway and the purpose of this letter is to invite you attend the said meeting scheduled to take place on Thursday 7th and Friday 8th April, 2016 at Dutchess Guest House and Restaurant, Fort Portal. This two-day meeting shall be Non-residential. The objectives of the meeting are:

1. To share experiences on referral of cases from the time of the training to date.

2. To enhance the capacity and knowledge of the HRDs to understand their rights and the different human rights violations and abuses that they may face in the course of their work.

3. To enhance HRDs’ knowledge on the legal framework for protection and promotion of the rights of human rights defenders.

4. To share more information on Data Management Systems in recording and reporting human rights violations and abuses.

5. To discuss and lay more practical strategies for the operationalisation of the referral pathway.

Launch of the report of the joint dialogue on sexual orientation and gender identity

The report which you can access through the links below in English and French was launched today at a special event held during the 58th Ordinary Session of the African Commission. (See web stories at http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/UnitedtoendviolenceLGBTI.aspx and http://www.unaids.org/en/resources/presscentre/featurestories/2016/april/20160417_OHCHR). The dialogue and report are the result of a two-year process of engagement and dialogue between the mechanisms, based on the advances in each system, which was facilitated by UNAIDS and OHCHR. 

  
The joint dialogue which is summarised in the report was attended by 10 members of the African Commission and chaired by its Chairperson, Commissioner Zainabo Sylvie Kayitesi. The Inter-American Commission was represented by its Chairperson, Commissioner Rose-Marie Belle Antoine, the Rapporteur on the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons, Commissioner Tracy Robinson and the Deputy Executive Secretary, Ms Elizabeth Abi-Mershed. The UN human rights system was represented by the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Professor Christof Heyns, and the Rapporteur of the UN Committee against Torture, Professor Satyabhoosun Gupt Domah. In addition, representatives of OHCHR, UNAIDS and UNDP attended the dialogue as observers. The dialogue was facilitated by the director of the Centre for Human Rights at the University of Pretoria, Professor Frans Viljoen. 
  
The report highlights grave violations that take place in all regions against LGBTI persons including killings, torture, sexual violence, arbitrary detention, criminalisation, arbitrary restrictions on freedoms of assembly, association and expression and discriminatory laws and practices, and it emphasises the impact of these abuses on the health of LGBT and intersex persons and their access to HIV prevention and care. The report also welcomes positive developments that have recently been achieved in each human rights system in protecting the rights of LGBT and intersex people, that are the result of the advocacy carried out by human rights defenders and civil society organizations, many of whom are on this list. The report further notes approaches and strategies discussed during the dialogue for integrating and addressing LGBTI issues within the relevant norms, principles and thematic, country and other mandates of each mechanism. 
  
The report is accompanied by a message of support jointly signed by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein and the UNAIDS Executive Director, Michel Sidibé in which they pledge to continuing supporting such dialogue and efforts to advance the protection of the rights of all individuals, including LGBTI persons.   
  
Links to the report: 

English: http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Issues/Discrimination/Endingviolence_ACHPR_IACHR_UN_SOGI_dialogue_EN.pdf 

French: http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Issues/Discrimination/Endingviolence_ACHPR_IACHR_UN_SOGI_dialogue_FR.pdf 

As you will see, the report also contains as annexes, four papers that were developed to inform the discussions at the joint dialogue. The papers address the following: 

• Norms, case law and practice relevant to sexual orientation and gender identity in the African human rights system; 
• Norms, case law and practice relevant to sexual orientation and gender identity in the Inter-American human rights system; 
• Norms, case law and practices relevant to sexual orientation, gender identity and intersex status in the United Nations system; and 
• HIV, human rights and sexual orientation and gender identity. 

We hope that this dialogue and its report will contribute to and support efforts by advocates, civil society organisations and others to engage national, regional and global human rights mechanisms to end violence and other human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

AHURIO participates in a civil society local government steering committee

The Kabarole district local government steering committee organised by ToroDev in partnership with other civil society organisations and KDLG on 5th April, 2015 was aimed at brainstorming and looking for the way forward on the issues of democracy, human rights and governance.

The meeting was held at Kabarole district Local Government Headquarters in Fort Portal . The meeting also shared knowledge and experience on issues related to social accountability, harmonise planning and budgeting for improved social services in the region.

In addition to local CSOs including AHURIO, the meeting was also attended by the SIDA programme specialist Carin Zetterlund and SIDA head of unit Eva Lovgren officials from CIPESA and Local Government Officials among others

KDLG official addressing the meeting

A member of Rwenzori Journalist Forum addressing the meeting

SIDA officials who attended the meeting

AHURIO and ACTV hold talkshow on anti-torture law in Uganda

Amnesty International 2014 report put Uganda as one of the 141 in the world as one of the countries practicing torture despite the country having passed the anti-torture law in 2012. Torture across the world is mainly used to obtain information, force confession, take revenge, get a testimony incriminating others, to spread terror in the community, to destroy personality and to show power among others.

AHURIO Coordinator discussing the anti-torture law with ACTV staff

Torture can both be mental or physical on the victim but the consequences are far reaching on the victim.

To fast-track the implementation of the anti-torture law in Uganda, Association of Human Rights Organizations (AHURIO) in partnership with African Centre for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture Victims (ACTV) is implementing a number of advocacy and sensitization activities including live radio programs.

For instance on 1^st April, 2016 AHURIO in partnership with ACTV organized radio programs on Fort Portal based Jubilee and KRC FM to sensitise the public on the anti-torture law.

During the radio programs both AHURIO and ACTV staff defined torture, effects of torture on the constitutional rights of the individuals and redress mechanisms.