2.1.5 The Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC)
This is an independent Constitutional body established to promote and protect human rights in Uganda. It is
established under article 51(1) of the Ugandan Constitution and by the Uganda Human Rights Commission Act
No.4 of 1997. The Commission is mandated to empower the public by giving them basic knowledge about
their rights. In this respect, the Commission has a protocol with the UPDF and has a programme of training
security agencies and sensitizes the general public in human rights issues including children‟s rights. It has
up-to-date organized and held sensitization workshops and media programmes, published a number of
materials; conducted education and training workshops for, local council leaders, teachers, youths and
students with the aim of disseminating to the public the provisions of the charter enshrined in the domestic
human rights instruments. The table below shows the number of people sensitized and trained by the
Commission in 2004.
Number of people who have attended the workshops in 2004
No.
Target groups Trained in Human Rights
1.
UPDF
2.
Intelligence Officers
3.
Special Police Constables and Police Constables
4.
Local Council Leaders
5.
Youth Leaders
6.
Secondary School Teachers
7.
Civil Servants, Private Sector, Youth.
Totals
Source: Uganda Human Rights Annual Report 2004.
No. Sensitized
440
100
374
1,119
70
230
157
2,490
The Commission also has a child rights desk and has been handling cases relating to child neglect and abuse.
Every year, it produces an annual report that has a specific section reporting violation of the rights and welfare
of children. The Commission is also spearheading training on human rights based approach to programming
to influence planning processes to focus on rights. In that way, the budgets to implement the plans would also
focus on fulfilling rights including that of children. In development planning outside education, children are the
most marginalised.
2.1.6 The Local Government Act
The Local government Act (Cap 243) is the enabling law for decentralization of government administrative
structures to allow for representation and accessible authority in close proximity. This decentralization has
enabled the reinvigoration of the District Probation and Social Welfare Office and having services closer to the
children and their families. This office bears the specific responsibility for protection issues having particular
focus on protection needs of children. Key focus areas for the Probation and Social Welfare Office are:
Monitoring and lobbying for the security of children.
Ensuring that children live in environmental conditions that minimizes threats to their protection
Facilitating the children‟s rights to be heard.
Providing financial and material assistance to children in need.
Providing social and welfare services for children and their families.
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