Uganda excluded from human rights talks after UN office closure

Summary:

• Uganda’s Human Rights Commission Chair, Miriam Wangadya, reveals Uganda’s exclusion from physical attendance at key human rights meetings in Geneva due to the closure of the UN Human Rights Office in Kampala. Wangadya expresses concern over Uganda’s declining global human rights rankings and refutes claims of Commission bias towards the ruling regime.

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KAMPALA, (Examiner) – The Chairperson of the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC), Miriam Wangadya, has disclosed that Uganda’s physical presence at human rights meetings in Geneva has been halted following the closure of the United Nations Human Rights Office in Kampala.

Expressing concern, Wangadya apprehends that Uganda may not receive an invitation to this year’s June meeting, coinciding with the anticipated drop in the country’s rankings on the global human rights index.

“In light of the closure of the UN Human Rights Office in Kampala, we have been unable to attend key meetings, including those in Geneva and Addis Ababa,” Wangadya lamented before the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee, while presenting the Commission’s 2024/25 budget.

Highlighting the unprecedented situation faced by Uganda, Wangadya noted, “We were invited to physically attend meetings in Geneva but were instead asked to participate via Zoom. We find ourselves as the only Human Rights Institution globally attending such a significant meeting virtually. The absence of physical presence has limited our effectiveness, as evidenced by the challenges we faced during the Zoom meeting.”

Responding to queries from Ndorwa East MP, Wilfred Niwagaba, regarding the UHRC’s response to the closure of the Democratic Governance Facility (DGF) and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Office (OHCHR), both significant funders for the UHRC, Wangadya refuted claims of silence.

“We’ve continuously petitioned the government to reconsider its decision to close these vital offices. However, our efforts were met with warnings against obstructing government decisions,” Wangadya clarified.

Regarding accusations of bias towards the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) regime, Wangadya dismissed such claims, highlighting the significant funding cuts the Commission has endured during her tenure.

“The notion that the Commission is aligned with the ruling regime is unfounded. Despite my leadership, the government has drastically reduced funding, allocating a mere UGX 400 billion for operations,” Wangadya retorted, addressing concerns raised by Niwagaba about the Commission’s impartiality in handling cases of human rights violations.

(BE)

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