FHRI has spearheaded efforts to promote and protect internationally recognized human rights norms and standards in Uganda and has been able to successfully implement a number of relevant programmes. It also seeks partnerships while strengthening existing ones with institutions and groups pursuing a similar or related agenda at the local, national, regional and international level. FHRI currently is implementing its sixth three year strategic year plan titled: "Put Our World to Rights: Deepening Democratic Practices in Uganda"- (2009-2011).
Objective
FHRI closely works with different actors in order to build a sound, viable and credible human rights movement in Uganda in order to strengthen national and international lobbying and advocacy for the respect of international human rights standards.
Activities
FHRI collaborates with a wide range of institutions and groups pursuing a similar or related agenda at the local, national and international levels through joint campaign in coalitions, partnerships and networks, internship and volunteer placements, participation and reports to regional and international treaty institutions like the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights, the African Union and the UN Committees.
In the current three year programme, FHRI is already working with other institutions under the following programmes:
- Pro-Poor integrity programme September 2009 – March 2010
- Building the Capacity of the Parliament of Uganda, 2009 - 2013; and
- East Africa International Criminal Justice Initiative.
East Africa International Criminal Justice Initiative
The Foundation for Human Rights Initiative in partnership with the Kenya Section of the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ-Kenya) is undertaking an initiative titled East Africa International Criminal Justice Initiative (EAICJI).
Objective
The overall objective of the EAICJI is to transform the ICC into an effective tool to be used in the struggle against impunity for the gravest crimes committed in violation of international law in the region.
The initiative specifically aims at creating awareness and garnering support for the International Criminal Court (ICC) in select African countries, Uganda being one of them, by interacting with stakeholders such as the media, parliamentarians, and judicial officers in Uganda in order to: improve on the level of awareness of the ICC; to enhance capacity amongst stakeholders; to generate dialogue on its possible use to curb impunity in Uganda; and to demystify the ICC.
Activities
- The debut activity of the EAICJ in Uganda was sensitization of the media through a “Media Sensitization Workshop”. The Media Sensitization workshop was specifically tailored to suit the needs of the media as a target group. The media has the capacity and responsibility to inform, educate and clarify ICC issues to the general public. Specific objectives were however to, generate dialogue between the media and the ICC, to create a network of media practitioners and reporters enabled to enhance awareness of the ICC, to clarify the relationship between the ICC and alternative justice mechanisms, to reinforce the relationship between peace and justice and to create an ICC media strategy in Uganda.
The workshop attracted twenty seven (27) participants. Each represented a cross-section of print, audio and visual media houses. The workshop was enriched by expert resource persons from the academia, award winning journalists, the judiciary (War Crimes Division of the High Court of Uganda) and ICJ-Kenya.
- In January 2010, an Inter State Taskforce Consultation meeting will be held.
Pro-Poor Integrity Programme: Sept 2009 – March 2010
Through the Pro-Poor Integrity Programme, TIRI-Making Integrity Work and Foundation for Human Rights Initiative aim to strengthen capabilities, responsiveness and accountability to improve the prospects of meeting the Millennium Development Goals locally and by extension nationally. The programme, funded by the UK Department for International Development is implemented in different countries, Uganda being one of them.
The two partners firmly believe in the need to improve local and national governance for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals and recognise the important contribution and role Community Based Organisations, local public administrations and elected representatives play for this purpose.
FHRI together with four local partners is implementing the programme in the four districts of Wakiso, Bushenyi, Tororo and Kamuli through Community Based Organisations. The local partners include Kasubi Community Development Association, Wakiso District; Uganda National Students Association, Bushenyi District; Tororo Civil Society Development Association, Tororo District; and Kamuli District NGO Network, Kamuli District.
Through the use of local monitors based in the target districts, the programme will focus on monitoring the nature and extent of service delivery in the following sectors:
- Health;
- Education;
- Sanitation and Water;
- Social Protection; and
- Dispute Resolution Mechanisms
Building the Capacity of the Parliament of Uganda
Under the Westminster Consortium for Parliament and Democracy which was established to support the implementation of sustainable capacity building within Parliaments, Foundation for Human Rights Initiative in partnership with the Westminster Foundation for Democracy is implementing a 4 year capacity building programme between 2009 and 2013. FHRI will deliver the module on the ‘Rule of Law Development programme with an objective of focussing on enhancing Parliament’s role in upholding the constitution, rule of law and human rights in Uganda and the effectiveness of parliament in upholding the constitution, the rule of law and human rights.
Activities under the programme:
- Conduct a baseline survey on the effectiveness of Parliament in upholding human rights;
- Development of a course curriculum to support the Parliament Courses,
- Training of Trainers workshop to ground the trainers on the programme; and
- Parliamentary Courses conducted on both procedural and human rights discourse.
