“Whenever there is a suggestion or possibility that the civil and political rights of any individuals have been infringed, the first step for any human rights activists and defender ought to be to ascertain the facts. From a solid foundation of facts, other interventions can then follow.”
Since its inception seventeen years ago, FHRI embarked on a continuous process to advocate for the end to human rights abuses in Uganda. To this effect, in 1998 FHRI began its Human Rights Research, Monitoring and Documentation Project. The project that has evolved into a Research Division focused on investigating, monitoring, documenting and reporting key human rights issues across Uganda with an aim of enhancing the flow of information as well as creating awareness on the occurrence of critical human rights issues by developing tools for sustained human rights observance. The areas of focus include freedom of expression, association and assembly including the media; extra-judicial executions; administration of justice; police and prison conditions; torture; juvenile justice; electoral process; rights of women, children, disabled, minorities and refugees; police accountability; labour rights; right to health; and the application of the death penalty within the criminal justice system in Uganda.
The research findings shall reflect the cross cutting issues of gender, HIV/AIDS, child labour and the conditions of the internally displaced persons and refugees. This creates a basis for reform and promotion of discussion of strategies to enhance respect for human rights in Uganda. During the 2009 - 2011 programme the Research Division will focus on the following major activities:
- Treaty Reporting;
- Research and documentation of human rights violations; and
- Election Observation.
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