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Human rights commission seeks Shs15 billion funding
Chairperson of the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) Ms Mariam Wangadya interacts with Mr Simon Lokodo before the Parliament Appointments Committee vetted them in September. PHOTO | DAVID LUBOWA
What you need to know:
- The Commission wants take over its full financing, since the one of their major funder, the Democratic Governance facility (DGF) was shut down.
The chairperson of the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) Ms Mariam Wangadya has revealed that the commission has a funding gap of Shs15.8 billion which is needed for the entity if it is to ably deliver on its mandate.
The financial crisis was revealed Thursday as the Commission presented the 22nd and 23rd Annual Report on the state of Human rights and Freedoms in Uganda in 2019 and 2020 to the Speaker of Parliament, Mr Jacob Oulanyah.
According to Ms Wangadya, the money is required to finance some of the core activities like investigations, tribunal hearings research and field work.
“The commission is on life support and needs instant blood transfusion. We seek your indulgence to ensure that we are fully funded. We are tired of stripping ourselves bare before foreigners. Reliance on donor support is not sustainable,” Ms Wangadya said.
The only funds available, Ms Wangadya said, can only cover administrative costs that the commission shoulders and leave out the major activities and services.
The Commission wants take over its full financing, since the one of their major funder, the Democratic Governance facility (DGF) was shut down.
“Give us the dignity we ought to have. I have already put the plight of the commission before the Human right committee of Parliament. However, I wish to reiterate in your presence that the commission is in need of serious affirmative action in regard to our budget,” Ms Wangadya told Speaker Oulanyah.
As he appreciated the work of the Commission, Mr Oulanyah asked the commission to decentralise their activities and services to distant communities as well, instead of only focusing on covering violation incidents in the city centers.
“We also need to start anchoring discussions on human rights, not just on things that happen on the streets of Kampala. We need to start anchoring them also on the things that happen in the villages,” Mr Oulanyah said.
