ISHR
On 1 July 2022, during the 50th session of the Human Rights Council, Uganda presented the outcome of its 3rd Universal Periodic Review. Only 54% of the recommendations given for review were accepted by Uganda and none of them were related to the protection of human rights defenders. Uganda can and should do better!
Uganda has accepted 149 recommendations out of the 273 received at its third Universal Periodic Review. During the report of the outcome, Uganda’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, Marcel Robert Tibaleka, stressed the efforts made by his government to welcome refugees within their borders, as well as the measures taken to better protect people with disabilities. Although those efforts have been commended by both States and civil society organisations, Uganda still needs to fulfill other obligations to comply with the international human rights standards.
The joint statement delivered by ISHR and Women Human Rights Defenders Network Uganda (WHRDN-U) highlighted that the government has shown very little will to change the situation of human rights defenders by noting recommendations on the excessive use of force, the need to combat impunity, freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, and the 16 recommendations concerning civic space and human rights defenders that were offered by all regional groups. The situation is even more difficult for women defenders working to protect the rights of sex workers and the LGBTIQ+ community. Indeed, Uganda accepted none of the recommendations pertaining to the rights of LGBTIQ+ persons. They are still at risk of facing jail sentences that can go up to life. Moreover, Uganda only noted recommendations on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association.
Therefore, ISHR calls on Uganda to :
After three years of online sessions, the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (the Commission) resumed in person sessions. The 73rd session was held from 20 October to 9 November 2022 in Banjul, The Gambia. This session was marked by the commemoration of the 35th anniversary of the Commission.
In compliance with Article 62 of the African Charter, States have the obligation to report every two years on the legislative, administrative and political measures taken with a view to give effect to human rights guaranteed by the Charter. The Islamic Republic of Mauritania, which ratified the Charter in 1986, submitted its 15th-16th and 17th Periodic Reports for its review.
The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (‘the African Commission’) examined the periodic report of the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire covering the period 2016-2019, during its public session held from 20 to 30 October 2022 in Banjul, The Gambia. The report presents the progress made by Côte d'Ivoire regarding the state of human rights since its last review by the Commission.
