Introduction
The Foundation for Human Rights Initiative (FHRI) is an independent, non-governmental, non-partisan and not-for-profit human rights organization established in December 1991 in response to the daunting political, economic and social instability and the prevalent permissiveness to gross violations of human rights of the Ugandan society. The organization designs and implements initiatives that seek to remove impediments to democratic development and meaningful enjoyment of the fundamental freedoms enshrined in the 1995 Uganda Constitution and other internationally recognized human rights instruments.
FHRI is currently implementing its sixth three- year strategic plan titled: ‘Put Our World to Rights: Deepening Democratic Practices in Uganda’- (2009-2011) addresses the question and lays out activities oriented to deepen the observance of human rights through building a democratic ethos across the political and social spectrum of Ugandan society. The 2009-2011 programme was designed to enhance meaningful citizen participation in democratic governance in order to promote collective and organized social action oriented to the eradication of poverty, the promotion of stability and dismantling of practices of impunity, corruption, political intolerance and exclusion of vulnerable sections of Ugandan society from social justice. The above human rights themes that are prioritized in the run up to the 2011 General elections are implemented at a national level and are executed under the following objectives:
OVERALL OBJECTIVE:
To enhance citizen participation for democratic governance and sustainable development in Uganda
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES
- To monitor and document human rights practices in order to promote dialogue and respect for human rights and democratic development in Uganda.
- To promote sustainable access to justice for the poor and vulnerable groups in Uganda.
- To advocate for best practices in the administration of justice.
- To build capacity of community based human rights associations to monitor, document and expose human rights violations.
- To build the civic competence of the media, local government and tertiary institutions to effectively participate in democratic processes.
- To promote electoral democracy before, during and after the 2011 General elections.
- To promote leadership development among human rights defenders.
- To strengthen the institutional capacity and sustainability of FHRI.
The strategic plan operates under six themes and is pursued through the activities executed under five divisions as further explained below:
Focus Themes
- Civic Participation;
- Access to Justice;
- Freedom of expression, association and assembly (including the media)
- Right to life, liberty and security of person;
- Judicial independence and integrity and
- Leadership development of human rights defenders.
Operational Framework
Research Division,
Legal Services Division,
Capacity Development Division,
Communication and Information Division
Programme Development Division. and
Partnerships
FHRI has successfully implemented a number of strategic plans since its inception. Each of these strategic plans have been executed through the engagement in a wide array of activities related to research, monitoring and documentation; advocacy; and human rights education. For instance, under its research component the organization has executed monitoring activities and published thematic reports assessing the trends in the country’s efforts to address the specific human issues.
FHRI is a strong proponent of increased public awareness of the rights guaranteed in the 1995 Ugandan constitution and the international human rights instruments to which Uganda has acceded. Therefore, under its education component, it has conducted sensitization workshops and seminars on basic law, human rights related subjects and availed information and documentation on human rights issues to the Ugandan public. The organization has produced and disseminated several in-depth, thought-provoking publications to educate the community and generate public debate on pertinent human rights issues.
Furthermore, as an advocacy organization FHRI has spearheaded efforts to promote and protect internationally recognized human rights norms and standards in Uganda. It has actively lobbied before competent authorities for penal and legislative reform and judicial independence and for laws that protect vulnerable groups. These efforts entail undertaking campaigns for better administration of justice, gender equality and respect for vulnerable populations such as internally displaced people, children, refugees, minority groups, and disabled people.
FHRI’s advocacy work is executed through partnerships with institutions and groups pursuing a similar agenda at the local, national, regional and international level. In fact, at the local level FHRI is undertaking along with civil society the Citizens’ Coalition for Electoral Democracy in Uganda (CCEDU) which intends to forge a coordinated effort for the progressive improvement in the electoral processes in Uganda especially in light of the forthcoming general elections of 2011. Also, as a member of the Coalition Against Torture, FHRI has interacted with several government and non government actors to draft and present to the Parliament a bill criminalizing torture and has implemented other activities to protect the victims.
At the international level, FHRI is a key actor in the global campaign on the death penalty, torture, impunity, penal reform and media freedom working jointly with traditional partners such as Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, FIDH, Penal Reform International and the World Coalition against the Death Penalty.
Priorities under the current strategic plan
FHRI addresses the entire range of human rights: civil and political as well as economic, social and cultural as defined in international human rights covenants. The current strategic plan intends to pursue compliance to the aforementioned covenants through two different approaches: first by executing initiatives that make the public active agents of change and accountability in the observance of their rights; second, through the direct interaction with the government to enact legislation and policies to fulfill its obligation of guaranteeing the rights of its citizens.
Therefore, FHRI will engage in public education, media campaigns, and capacity building efforts for the community leaders as well as strengthening collaboration with grass root structures to promote mass empowerment. Activities will be oriented to foster the development of ally organizations in the creation of a culture of human rights in Uganda and of the number of citizens that are cognizant of the human rights standards and principles, their individual obligations to observe them and the mechanism to demand their enforcement.
Moreover, through dialogue with Parliament, the Justice, Law and Order Sector and the Executive, FHRI will continue to design and implement other initiatives of strategic litigation and legislative analysis that contribute to foster institutional change and further commitment in the protection of the rights of its citizens.
To ensure quality control of the implementation of the strategic plan, the FHRI management performs a periodic review at all stages of the three year project cycle. Close monitoring along with the ongoing efforts of a dedicated and professional core team and policy and systems development are central to the full realization of program objectives.
