HUMAN RIGHTS NETWORK

Human Rights Network Uganda (HURINET#U) is a network of human rights organizations in Uganda working to promote and protect the rights of citizens. HURINET-U was established in 1993 by a group of eight (8) human rights organizations, including Action forDevelopment (ACFODE), Federation for Women Lawyers in Uganda (FIDA), Human Rights Focus (HURIFO), Legal Aid Project (LAP), Foundation for Human rights Initiative (FHRI), Centre for Conflict Resolution (CECORE), Jamii Ya Kupananisha (JYAK), National Association of Women Organizations in Uganda (NAWOU) and was formerly registered in 1994 as an independent, non-partisan and not-for-profit organization. Currently, HURINET#U has a membership of 66 organizations that are committed to ensuring the promotion andprotection of a wide range of human rights within the framework of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights. The rights of children, women, and people with disabilities, prisoners and refugees are encompassed. Since inception, HURINET#U hasworked to promote and protect human rights as provided for in the regional and international instruments that Uganda is party to and as provided in the Constitution of Uganda; encourage close collaboration and networking among human rights organizations in Uganda as well as sharing of information and resources among human rights organizations. HURINET#U has continually assessed collective impact of human rights programmes in Uganda and strived to strengthen the professional capacity of human rights organizations. HURINET#U stands out as a human rights network in Uganda serving a diverse membership of organizations and is known for its #non#compromising voice against human rights violationsand abuse in Uganda#. 2. ACHIEVEMENTS What have been the principal results in the past three years that contribute to significant,structural, sustained and positive improvement in the lives of men, women, girls and boys suffering from poverty, injustice, insecurity and exclusion? 1. Law Reform: HURINET#U law reform work involved the review of existing laws to assess compliance with human rights instruments at national, regional and international levels, and engaging with bills tabled in parliament before they are passed into law to ensure that the provisions protect citizens# rights. HURINET#U engaged with policy processes to ensure the integration of human rights issues into the policy framework. HURINET#U has been able to review a number existing laws and influenced a numberof bills and policy processes. 2. Access to Information During the period under review, HURINET#U has worked towards ensuring that Government institutions are availing information freely in fulfillment of the constitutional requirement and provisions of the Access to Information Act (ATIA). In this regard, HURINET#U launched a campaign aimed at ensuring that the ATIA regulations are passed and implemented, as well as increasing awareness on access to information within Government departments and agencies (MDAs)and civil society. Some of the results of HURINET#U work include the passing and implementation of the ATIA regulations; Government allocating resources in the budget to implement the Access to Information Act. Government has continued to provide a budget for implementation of ATIA.HURINET#U continues to popularize the ATIA. 3. Regional and International Mechanisms In relation to Regional and International Mechanisms (RIM), HURINET#U has continued to play a catalytic role with respect to reporting processes to the African Commissionon human and people#s rights Treaty and the United Nations Treaty Committees responsible for monitoring specific international instruments. HURINET#U spearheaded reporting to the Africa Commission on Human and people#s Rights and catalyzed CSO participation in the Universal Period Review (UPR) on the status of human rights in Uganda. HURINET#U catalyzed and continues to support CSO participation in the Universal Period Review (UPR) of the human rights situation in Uganda. During the process of the UPRin 2016, the Government of Uganda accepted a total of 148 recommendations for implementation out of the 226 as per the adopted report of the 34th Sessionof the Human Rights Council. This provided an opportunity for the country to update the UM memberstates on the progress and challenges of implementing the previous recommendation for 2011. 3. INSTITUTIONAL PURPOSE The Vision: #A society free of human rights abuse# Mission Statement: HURINET-U is a National Network of Human Rights Organizations in Uganda, promoting the human rights agenda through linking and strengthening the capacity of member organizations and advancing the human rights movement for collective advocacy at National, Regional and International levels. Mission: What is the currentpurpose of the organisation? HURINET-U set out to contribute to processes that facilitate the citizen and citizen organizations accessing justice and enjoying human rights and basic freedoms. Institutional objectives: What are the principal changesthe organisation seeks to achieve over the long term? 1. Civil society engagement with regional and international mechanisms for protection of human rights and justice strengthened; 2. Rights holders# demand for accountability and enforcement of their rights enhanced. 3. Legal, institutional and regulatory framework on constitutionalism, governance and operating environment for human rights and pro-democracy activists improved; 4. Operational efficiency, effectiveness, security and institutionalsustainability enhanced Field(s) of activity: What are the principal thematic and geographic areas in which the organisation works? Who are the social actors that benefit from the work? HURINET-U#s objectives are aligned to three thematic programme areasincluding Regional and International Human Rights and Justice Mechanisms, Human Rights Education and Network Development and Human Rights, Rule of Law and Democracy. Being a National Network, with members across the country, HURINET-U operates nationallyin Uganda. Beneficiaries of HURINET-U include government ministries, Agencies and departments, Civil Society organizations, Human Rights Defenders and the entire citizenry. 4. STRATEGIC POSITIONING Analyse the environment in which the organisationworks? Who are the other relevant social actors, including government and business, and what roles do they play? #In this context, what is unique about the position of the organisation? HURINET#U strategic positioning is two pillar: a. Plays aleadership rolein CSO engagements as a hub of 8 CSO issue based coalitions. b. Holds engagements between government and CSOs by use of none combative methods to engage government on pertinent human rights issues. This involves The two pillar position of HURINET-U has enabled it to advance the broader human rights agenda using multifaceted strategies which include: Research and Documentation; Advocacy and awareness raising; Networking and Partnerships and Capacity Building as guided by the followingprogrammes; 1. THE REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS <(>&<)> JUSTICE MECHANISMS (RIM) PROGRAM: HURINET # U monitors, documents and reports state compliance to Regional and International Instruments (African Commission on Human and People#s Rights, Treaty Based Committees, Special Procedures and the UN Human Rights Council) that have been ratified by Uganda through alternative and shadow reporting. HURINET-U brings together Civil Society Organizations during the development of alternative or shadow reports and litigation on strategic cases at Regional and International level. HURINET-U continues to strategically engage in the monitoring of the implementation of the recommendations adopted by the Government of Uganda during the Universal Periodic Review. HURINET-U currently hosts the National Stakeholders Forum on the UPR bringing together 350 CSOs grouped into 12 thematic clusters including; # Civil and Political Rights Cluster # Children#sRights Cluster # Women#s Rights Cluster # Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights Cluster # Youth Rights Cluster # Transitional Justice Cluster # Refugees, IDPs and Post-Conflict Cluster # Minority Rights Cluster # Human Rights Defenders Cluster # Media Rights Cluster # Persons Living With Disabilities Rights Cluster # Freedom of Information Rights Cluster 2. THE HUMAN RIGHTS EDUCATION AND NETWORK DEVELOPMENT (HREND) PROGRAM: HUREND works towards growing and strengthening the capacity of Member Organizations, the human rights movements and the citizenry in Uganda. This has been done through a multi-pronged approach including: Trainings, exchanges, leaning journeys and study tours, research, documentation and sharing media advocacy, networking partnerships and collaborations. The program also supportsnascentcivil society initiatives and Organization that work towards the promotion of human rights through incubation and hosting. 3. THE HUMAN RIGHTS, RULE OF LAW AND DEMOCRACY (HURUDE). PROGRAM: HURINET-U advocates for an enabling institutional <(>&<)> legal framework underpinning constitutionalism, good governance, democracy, and respect for human rights in Uganda through various campaigns and research on police reform and accountability, electoral reforms, law reform and access to information. The programme conducts research, assessments, human rights observations and monitoring to help gather and disseminate concrete, reliable,and up-to-date information on policies, legal framework and practices affecting human rights. Advocacy and strategic action is alsoundertaken around economic and social justice.

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