Report By: The Directorate of Research, Education And Documentation
The Uganda Human Rights Commission
has won an award for the best National Human Rights Institution (NHRI) that has
contributed the most to the human rights work in Africa.
The award was given by The African
Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights during a Special Session held in
Yamoussoukro, Cote d’ Ivoire to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of the
African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights.The ceremony was presided over by
President Alassane Outtara of Cote d’Ivoire and was attended among others, the
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Mrs Navi Pillay and the President of
African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, Hon Justice Gerald Niyungeko.
In the same ceremony, a similar award was given to the best NGO that has also offered an outstanding contribution to the Commission’s human rights work in Africa. The Pretoria Centre for Human Rights won the NGO Category Award.
Uganda Human Rights Commission was chosen from the list of the 22 African
National Human Rights Institutions (NHRI) with an Affiliate Status with the
Banjul (Gambia) based Commission.
The South African Human Rights
Commission was the runner up while that of Cameroon came third.
The Award was received by Secretary
Mr. Gordon Mwesigye. Chairman Uganda Human Rights Commission Mr. Med Kaggwa
witnessed the function as a member of the African Commission on Human and
Peoples Rights.
This recognition is geared
towards rewarding the efforts of NGO’s and National Human Rights
Institutions that have, in the African Commission’s opinion, made
particular significant and effective contribution to the promotion and
protection of human and peoples rights in Africa, with special reference
to the work of the Commission. It is also aimed at strengthening the existing
working relationship and cooperation between African NGOs and NHRIs and the
Commission, with a view to encourage, inter alia: their efforts at educating
human rights stakeholders, carrying out human rights advocacy, monitoring human
rights observance on the continent, tracking State Parties’ compliance with
human rights norms, involvement in/contribution to state reporting progress,
reporting violations of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights
(African Charter) and helping to hold State Parties accountable for human
rights breaches by assisting the victims.
Some of the benchmarks that were
used for selecting the winners included among others;
• the human right’s Institutions current status of compliance with the Paris Principles
• the level of commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights, and the strengthening of democracy and good governance at the national level e.g. through its
educational role to the public advisory role to the government, regarding the ratification of the international treaties and the harmonization of national laws with international treaty obligation;
• the human right’s Institutions current status of compliance with the Paris Principles
• the level of commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights, and the strengthening of democracy and good governance at the national level e.g. through its
educational role to the public advisory role to the government, regarding the ratification of the international treaties and the harmonization of national laws with international treaty obligation;
Level of commitment and partnership with other local human rights stakeholders; and level of cooperation
with International, Regional and National Institutions that are competent in
the areas of the promotion of human rights.
This Award comes in awake of yet
another milestone achievement by the Commission, having been rated with an “A”
Status by the International Coordinating Committee for National Human Rights
Institutions.
