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Claiming Human Rights - in Uganda

The Republic of Uganda is a member of the United Nations and the African Union. It has ratified many UN Human Rights Conventions (compare list on the right) and thus has made binding international commitments to adhere to the standards laid down in these universal human rights documents.

Uganda is an English- and Swahili-speaking country in Central East Africa. It is a landlocked, middle-sized country with an area of 236,040 square km. On a global scale, its population density is medium. The capital of the country, which became independent on 9 October 1962 from the United Kingdom, is Kampala. Uganda is a member of the regional economic communities EAC, IGAD and COMESA.

With a Human Development Index of 0.51 Uganda ranks 157th of 182 countries ranked in the UNDP Human Development Report of 2009. Life expectancy of the 31.7 million inhabitants at birth is 53 years, population growth is 3.3 percent per year. GNI is 420 US-$ per capita. External debt is 14.0 percent of gross national income. Primary school enrolment is 94.6 percent.

In as far as Uganda has ratified the Optional Protocols for UN Human Rights Conventions or has accepted the Competence of the corresponding UN Treaty Bodies (compare list on the right), the inhabitants of Uganda and their representatives are able to invoke their human rights through these bodies.

All inhabitants of Uganda may turn to the UN Human Rights Committee through procedure 1503, to the Special Rapporteurs for violations of specific human rights or to ECOSOC for women's rights violations.

Since Uganda is a member state of UNESCO, its citizens may use the UNESCO procedure for human rights violations in UNESCO's fields of mandate.

Employers' or workers' and certain other organizations (not individuals) of Uganda may file complaints through the ILO procedure in the cases of those conventions which Uganda has ratified.

Since Uganda is an AU member, its citizens and NGOs may file complaints to the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

They may also file complaints according to the EU guidelines (on Human Rights Defenders, Death Penalty and Torture) to Embassies of EU Member States and the Delegations of the European Commission.

In cases of human rights violations by multinational enterprises, they may also invoke the National Contact Point in an OECD member state.

Uganda has joined the International Criminal Court, it may thus be called upon in case of severe crimes.

Signature:   Ratification: 1995 (accession) Reservations: no/non Signature optional protocol:   Ratification optional protocol: 1995 (accession) Reservations: yes/oui Last State report: 2003 Last concluding observations: 2004  
Signature:   Ratification: 1987 (accession) Reservations: no/non Last State report:   Last concluding observations:    
Signature:   Ratification: 1980 (accession) Reservations: no/non Competence CERD acknowledged: no/non Last State report: 2001 Last concluding observations: 2003  
Signature: 1980 Ratification: 1985 Reservations: no/non Signature optional protocol:   Ratification optional protocol:   Reservations:   Last State report: 2009 Last concluding observations: 2002  
Signature:   Ratification: 1986 (accession) Reservations: no/non Article 22 competence acknowledged: yes/oui Last State report: 2004 Last concluding observations: 2005  
Signature: 1990 Ratification: 1990 Reservations: no/non Last State report: 2004 Last concluding observations: 2005  
Signature:   Ratification: 1995 (accession) Reservations: yes/oui Last State report:   Last concluding observations:    
Signature: 2007 Ratification:   Reservations:   Last State report:   Last concluding observations:    
Signature: 2007 Ratification: 2008 Reservations: no/non Signature optional protocol: 2007 Ratification optional protocol: 2008 Reservations: no/non Last State report:   Last concluding observations:    
Ratification Banjul Charter: 1986 Ratification Protocol African Court: 2001 Ratification Children's Charter: 1994 Ratification Maputo Protocol:   Last State report: 2008  
International Criminal Court joined: yes/oui  
Country Rapporteur: no/non 
National Human Rights Institute: yes/oui  

Last change: 28.01.10 - 12:19