ACHPR85: Situation must improve for women human rights defenders in Uganda

The joint oral statement, delivered Women Human Rights Defenders Network of Uganda (WHRDN-U), was read as part of the presentation by the Special Rapporteur on the rights of women in Africa of her intersessional activity report. 

The statement shed light on the situation of women human rights defenders in Uganda, who face significant criminalisation and attacks by authorities, including arbitrary arrests, as well as cyberattacks.

They also face wide-spread State-sponsored harassment, notably when supporting political prisoners, including death threats, surveillance, and stalking. Attacks are even worse for defenders working on LGBT+ rights and gender equality, especially since the adoption by Uganda of an Anti-Homosexuality Law, which punishes homosexuality, including with the use of the death penalty. 

The statement went into further detail on the shrinking of civic space and restriction of fundamental freedoms. It also emphasised the situation of environmental and land defenders, student and youth defenders, and defenders in rural areas. WHRDN-U also described the significant psychological toll consistent attacks take on human rights defenders. 

In their recommendations, WHRDN-U and ISHR call on the African Commission to urge the Ugandan Government to recognise the role of women human rights defenders, ensure their protection, refrain from criminalising their legitimate activities, safeguard fundamental freedoms, and adopt the draft Bill on the Protection of Human Rights Defenders.