KAMPALA- The Chairperson of Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC), Ms Mariam Wangadya has disclosed that Uganda has embarked on a transformative journey to strengthen human rights, focusing on educating young people about their rights and responsibilities, as embeded human rights in schools, workplaces and communities, and ensuring that respect for rights becomes an integral part of the national identity.
This commitment was emphasized at the National Stakeholder Consultative Conference on the National Action Plan on Human Rights (NAP-HR) which started today February 20th and ends tomorrow 21st 2025 at Golf View Hotel in Entebbe.
Chairperson Wangadya highlighted the human rights’ critical role in national development saying that it is not just another meeting, but it is a defining moment for Uganda’s human rights journe and are now taking stock of their progress, confronting challenges and setting a clear course for the future.
Ms Wangadya described the National Stakeholder Consultative Conference on the National Action Plan on Human Rights as Uganda’s blueprint for integrating human rights into governance, development, and daily life.
She noted that the plan aligns with Vision 2040, the National Development Plan, and regional and international treaties. Despite Uganda pledging to develop this plan during its first Universal Periodic Review at the UN Human Rights Council in 2011, the process stalled for over a decade.
“The UHRC played a central role in reviving and accelerating the process by working closely with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and later the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs. After years of advocacy, the Commission has finally validated a plan to reshape Uganda’s human rights landscape,” She said.
“The National Stakeholder Consultative Conference on the National Action Plan on Human Rights is not just for policymakers—it is for every Ugandan,” Wangadya stressed.
She said that the plan aims to ensure that human rights are embedded in governance, economic policies, and social structures and emphasized the need to prioritize minority communities, indigenous groups, and marginalized populations to make human rights accessible to all.
“Discrimination must end. Equal access to justice, education, healthcare, and economic opportunities must be a reality for everyone,”and, “Strengthening legal aid is crucial in this endeavor so that all Ugandans, regardless of status, have access to legal protection and redress” She emphasized.
She however noted that the success of the National Stakeholder Consultative Conference on the National Action Plan on Human Rights does not rest on one institution alone. Wangadya called for collective responsibility from all sectors.
“The government must allocate adequate resources for implementation. Without funding, a plan like this only remains words on paper,” She warned.
She urged civil society organizations, academia, and the media to track progress, amplify marginalized voices, and hold duty-bearers accountable, while the private sector, must integrate human rights into corporate policies and business practices, because respecting rights is not just good ethics but it is good business.
Most importantly, every Ugandan must play an active role. “We need a culture of human rights. That means educating young people about their rights and responsibilities, embedding human rights in schools, workplaces, and communities, and ensuring that respect for rights is part of our national identity,” She said.
Hon Wangadya acknowledged that laws and policies alone will not transform Uganda and what is needed is a cultural shift where human rights are ingrained in every aspect of society.
