Dear Reader,
We are happy to share with you the 13th issue of the HRAPF Spotlight Newsletter which provides highlights of our interventions during the first quarter of 2024 (January-March 2024) under the four programme areas which are: Access to Justice; Advocacy and Influencing; Community Capacity Enhancement; and the Center for Law and Marginalisation.
In the first quarter, there was an exponential increase in the number of cases that were handled (394 cases) as opposed to the first quarter of 2023 (170 cases). The majority of the cases involved incidents where members of key population communities were particularly targeted for abuse because of changes in the legal context.
Enjoy your read!
ACCESS TO JUSTICE
LEGAL AID SERVICE PROVISION
HRAPF offers free legal aid services to key populations, survivors of gender based violence in refugee settlements, women, girls and health workers in conflict with abortion laws, elderly and indigent persons with land justice challenges and women and girls living with and/or affected by HIV/AIDS (PLWHIV).
In the first quarter, the Access to Justice Programme handled a total of 626 cases: 394 of these cases involved LGBTQ persons; 154 were cases involving sex workers; 48 were PWUID cases and 25 involved PLWHIV and indigent and elderly persons with land justice challenges and 5 were cases of women and health workers in conflict with abortion laws.
The main legal aid clinic handled 375 cases; 169 cases were handled by community paralegals working with key populations with the guidance and assistance of the HRAPF lawyers; 50 cases were handled by the specialised community legal aid desks; The HRAPF regional legal aid centres handled 32 cases.
IMPACT OF THE ANTI-HOMOSEXUALITY ACT, 2023 ON THE NUMBER AND NATURE OF CASES INVOLVING LGBT+ PERSONS
Throughout the quarter, the Anti-Homosexuality Act, 2023 had an adverse impact on the lives and rights of key populations in Uganda. Although HRAPF remains dedicated to providing essential assistance through the legal clinic, we are concerned about the growing number of cases of violence and other human rights abuses against key populations.
In January 2024, HRAPF handled 121 cases, a 45.7% increase from December 2023. 48.7% of these (59 cases) involved actions targeting individuals based on their Sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGIE). Out of these 59 cases, 30 involved evictions, 25 involved violence, and 4 involved arrests for sexuality-related reasons, affecting 73 individuals.
The number of cases handled in February 2024 increased by 23.1% with a total of 149 cases handled. Of these, 59 cases targeted individuals for negative treatment based on their SOGIE, accounting for 39.6% of all cases, which indicated a general reduction in actions of deliberate homophobia. However, the number of individuals affected increased from 73 to 82. Out of the 59 cases, 32 involved evictions from rented properties, 24 involved violence and threats, and 3 involved arrests for sexuality-related reasons, affecting a total of 82 individuals.
In March 2024, HRAPF handled 111 cases, a decrease from 149 in February. Out of these, 52 cases targeted individuals for negative treatment based on their Sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGIE), accounting for 46.8% of all cases, and the number of victims of these incidents decreased from 82 to 66. Out of the 52 cases, 23 involved evictions from rented properties, 20 involved violence and threats, and 9 involved arrests for sexuality-related reasons. The environment has therefore remained quite strained and difficult for key populations across the country as a result of the shifting legal landscape.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND LEGAL AND HUMAN RIGHTS AWARENESS
SITE VISITS
In the quarter, we held a total of 12 site visits to the different sites where sex workers operate in order to understand their access to justice issues and offer legal aid services.
HRAPF also conducted 8 awareness sessions with KPs across the country, reaching a total of 238 individuals with information on human rights and the laws that affect them. In addition, the team engaged with 80 stakeholders from the local leadership and police authorities in various parts of the country on access to justice, legal protection and the rights of key populations in their areas.
COMMUNITY PARALEGAL SHARING SESSIONS
In the period, we held paralegal sharing sessions with paralegals from various regions as follows:
- The sharing session with community paralegals from the central region was conducted on 25th March and it was attended by 29 community paralegals.
- The Western region sharing session was conducted on 26th March and it was attended by 17 community paralegals.
- The Eastern region paralegal sharing session was conducted on 27th March and it was attended 11 community paralegals.
- The Northern region sharing session was conducted on 28th March and it was attended by 19 community paralegals.
The paralegal sharing sessions are used as an avenue for the community paralegals to share their experiences and challenges during the quarter, seek solutions and guidance from the lawyers and from fellow community paralegals who may be experiencing similar challenges and mutually encourage and support one another.
AWARENESS SESSIONS WITH SEX WORKERS
In the period, we held three awareness sessions with sex workers on the law, safety and security and access health and legal services. The first session was held in Mutukula on 8th March 2024 attended by 35 participants, the second session was held on 21st March 2024 in Bwaise attended by 41 participants and the third session was held on 28th March 2024 in Kireka attended by 43 participants.
CENTER ON LAW AND MARGINALISATION
The Center on Law and Marginalisation was established under the new HRAPF strategic plan 2023 – 2027 to promote the development of knowledge and jurisprudence for the promotion and protection of human rights of marginalised persons and key populations. The strategic objective of the programme is to build a center of excellence on research and strategic litigation for the promotion and protection of rights of marginalised persons and Key Populations.
STRATEGIC LITIGATION
In the period, HRAPF convened five legal strategising meetings on ongoing strategic litigation cases, and also followed up on three pending cases of strategic importance. One of these cases has since been decided while we await judgment in the remaining two.
ADVOCACY AND INFLUENCING ENGAGEMENTS
DIALOGUES ON MARGINALISATION AND HUMAN RIGHTS
During the period, we conducted one dialogue with 28 stakeholders in Busia on access to services for Key Populations. These included district political and technical persons like District Health Officers, COA, district health secretary and councillors, among others.
ENGAGEMENTS ON THE CURRENT LEGAL FRAMEWORK
In collaboration with the Uganda Key Populations Consortium (UKPC), we conducted one meeting with 36 leaders of various KP CSOs and officials from the Ministry of Health on the impact of the Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023. The dialogue was aimed at creating a shared understanding of the access to health challenges created by the AHA for KPs and jointly devising means to address these challenges.
ENGAGEMENTS WITH THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND UGANDA AIDS COMMISSION
In the period, HRAPF supported one meeting of the Ministry of Health KP Technical Working Group on 21st February 2024 to discuss strategies for improving demand for and access to HIV/AIDS testing, prevention, treatment and care services for KPs in Uganda.
HRAPF also supported one meeting of the KP Steering Committee of the Uganda AIDS Commission (UAC) that was held on 8th March 2024.
REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ADVOCACY
HRAPF participated in the Experts’ meeting on Freedom of Expression with the United Nations Independent Expert on SOGIE organised by the Center for Human Rights, University of Pretoria at which we presented a statement on freedom of expression for sexual and gender minorities in Uganda under the new legal regime.
HRAPF also participated in a dialogue on the shrinking civic space for human rights defenders in the East African region from 4th to 5th March 2024 in Naivasha, Kenya.
HRAPF also participated in the Convention on the Status of Women, which was held in New York from 11th to 19th March 2024.
MEDIA ENGAGEMENTS
HRAPF participated in a press conference held by the Uganda Network of Sex worker led Organisations (UNESO) on International Women’s Day and commented on the high rates of femicide against sex workers in Uganda, and co-hosted an X Spaces conversation on the same with various stakeholders, including leaders of the sex workers movement.
COMMUNITY CAPACITY ENHANCEMENT
COMMUNITY PARALEGAL TRAINING PROGRAMME
PARALEGAL TRAININGS
HRAPF continued to empower communities to advance their rights through the training of peer leaders as community paralegals. During the quarter, the 3rd module of the community paralegal training for Key Populations was conducted, and it was attended by 9 participants, who were duly passed out as fully trained community paralegals.
The first module of the next class of KP community paralegals was also commenced during the quarter, with 10 participants from the community of sex workers. The training took place from 11th – 15th March 2024.
SUPPORT TO PARALEGALS TO FURTHER THEIR STUDIES
HRAPF continued to support one community paralegal to pursue a diploma in law at the Law Development Center. In the same period, two community paralegals were supported to continue pursuing their degrees in Law at Cavendish University.
WORKSHOPS AND TRAININGS FOR DUTY BEARERS ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND MARGINALISATION
In order to protect and advance human rights for all, especially marginalised groups and Key Populations, it is essential that duty bearers are engaged in continuous dialogue with the rights holders to develop participatory solutions to challenges laws, policies and practices that affect the rights holders’ enjoyment of critical rights and social services.
As such, HRAPF conducts various workshops and dialogues with duty bearers in the fields of health, law enforcement, media, the Justice, Law and Order Sector and local government leadership on marginalisation and human rights. These engagements are intended to enhance appreciation and understanding of the human rights based approach to service delivery to and protection of key populations among the duty bearers.
POLICE OFFICERS WORKSHOPS
During the quarter, 5 training workshops were conducted on KP issues, the concept of marginalisation and the human rights based approach to drug policing in Uganda in Amolatar, Kampala Capital City, Kyankwanzi, Mbarara City and Nakasongola. A total of 164 police officers were engaged in these workshops.
WORKSHOPS FOR JOURNALISTS
Journalists play a crucial role in shaping public perception, and it is, therefore, important to equip them with knowledge on employing a human rights-based approach to reporting stories on marginalised persons in a way that does not further marginalise them. Two training workshops were conducted for 20 journalists from various media houses. One training was conducted from 4th - 7th March 2024 and the second training was conducted from 18th - 21st March 2024.
HEALTH WORKERS WORKSHOPS
HRAPF conducted 4 training workshops for healthcare providers during the quarter. The workshops were conducted in Kitgum, Rakai, Busia and Mbarara, reaching out to 82 health workers.
INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT TO KEY POPULATION ORGANISATIONS
In the quarter, we paid courtesy visits to 20 community organisations and supported six community events convened by different KP-led CSOs.
HRAPF also conducted compliance assessment visits to a total of 71 KP organisations. We also supported seven organisations to file their annual returns and filed resolutions for six community organisations. In the quarter, one community organisation was supported to conduct an annual audit.
HRAPF SECRETARIAT ACTIVITIES
STAFF BIRTHDAYS AND CELEBRATIONS
During the period, we celebrated birthdays for staff members born in January, February and March 2024. We also celebrated with staff on their various achievements during the quarter, particularly the staff graduated from various institutions and those who welcomed new additions to their families in the period. In the period we also had staff wellness activities including dance therapy sessions
BEGINNING OF YEAR STAFF RETREAT
From 8th to 12th January 2024, HRAPF held its annual staff retreat to plan and strategise for the year ahead, taking stock of the previous year's milestones and challenges. The retreat was a platform for deep discussions, brainstorming innovative solutions and setting goals for the New Year. The retreat also served as a reflection period, allowing staff to assess the effectiveness of their initiatives, celebrate achievements, and learn from setbacks. The HRAPF team emerged with renewed purpose, clarity of vision, actionable strategies and a renewed commitment to taking human rights to all.