By the Women Human Rights Defenders Network Uganda (WHRDN-U) | Brenda Kugonza
As Uganda prepares for its Fourth Cycle Universal Periodic Review (UPR) before the United Nations Human Rights Council scheduled for January to February 2027, the Women Human Rights Defenders Network Uganda (WHRDN-U) undertook a nationwide consultative process to ensure that the lived experiences, priorities, and protection concerns of women human rights defenders are fully reflected in the country’s national reporting and advocacy agenda. The consultation comes at a critical moment, as stakeholder submissions for the 2027 UPR cycle are due in July 2026, making it urgent to ensure that grassroots voices meaningfully shape Uganda’s human rights accountability commitments.
Uganda’s previous UPR review in 2021 resulted in the acceptance of 138 recommendations and the noting of 132 recommendations. While this reflects continued engagement with the international human rights system, women human rights defenders emphasized that gaps remain in implementation and in the protection of those working at the frontline of human rights defense. It is against this background that WHRDN-U initiated a structured consultation process between March and June 2026, reaching more than 60 women human rights defenders across different regions of the country.
The purpose of the consultation was to document and elevate the voices of women human rights defenders in order to inform Uganda’s UPR reporting process and strengthen advocacy for improved protection mechanisms. The process specifically sought to generate evidence-based insights on the protection environment for women defenders, including progress made since the last UPR cycle, emerging risks, and practical recommendations for strengthening legal, institutional, and community-based protection systems.
The consultation brought together a diverse group of women human rights defenders, including those working on environmental and land rights, gender-based violence response, anti-FGM advocacy, Indigenous women defenders from the Batwa and Benet communities, women defenders with disabilities, structurally silenced women defenders, and those operating in rural and remote areas. This diversity ensured that the consultation captured intersecting realities of risk, exclusion, and resilience across different identities and movements.
The consultations were conducted through participatory dialogue sessions designed to create safe and inclusive spaces for reflection and experience sharing. Women defenders collectively reviewed Uganda’s progress under the previous UPR cycle and discussed current protection challenges, barriers to civic space, and priority areas for reform. The process also enabled deeper analysis of how legal, political, social, economic, and digital environments are shaping the safety and work of women human rights defenders.
The findings revealed a persistent gap between Uganda’s legal and policy commitments and the lived realities of women human rights defenders. While Uganda has enacted important legal frameworks such as the Constitution of 1995, the Domestic Violence Act of 2010, the Prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation Act of 2010, and the Prevention and Prohibition of Torture Act of 2012, participants consistently reported that implementation remains weak and uneven, particularly in rural and high-risk contexts.
Women defenders working on female genital mutilation reported continued resistance rooted in cultural norms, which exposes both activists and survivors to threats, retaliation, and social exclusion. Despite the existence of the FGM law, enforcement challenges remain a serious concern, especially in border communities where cross-border practices persist.
Defenders working on gender-based violence highlighted ongoing risks including intimidation by perpetrators, interference in justice processes, stigma against survivors, and increasing forms of technology-facilitated violence. Online harassment, surveillance, and coordinated digital attacks were identified as growing threats that disproportionately target women activists and restrict their participation in public life.
Environmental and land rights defenders described experiences of criminalization, arbitrary arrest, detention, surveillance, and judicial harassment. Their work is often wrongly framed as anti-development, exposing them to public hostility and institutional pressure. Many also reported gender-specific risks such as sexual harassment, intimidation, and community stigmatization linked to their activism.
Indigenous women human rights defenders from the Batwa and Benet communities highlighted structural exclusion rooted in historical land dispossession, poverty, and geographic isolation. These intersecting inequalities continue to limit their access to protection services, justice systems, and meaningful participation in decision-making processes.
Women human rights defenders with disabilities reported systemic barriers including inaccessible institutions, exclusion from consultations, and lack of reasonable accommodation. They emphasized that disability rights issues remain underrepresented in national human rights discussions, further deepening their marginalization.
A particularly concerning finding was the situation of structurally silenced defenders, who face multiple and overlapping forms of violence including arbitrary arrest, surveillance, blackmail, eviction, and denial of essential services. Many reported self-censorships due to fear of reprisals, while organizations supporting marginalized communities face increasing operational and financial restrictions.
Defenders working in suspended civil society organizations reported severe socio-economic and psychological impacts, including loss of livelihoods, disruption of essential services, and increased vulnerability for communities that rely on their support systems. Electoral period-related risks were also highlighted, with defenders involved in civic education and election monitoring reporting harassment, arrests, intimidation, misinformation, and gendered attacks designed to discredit their work.
Despite these challenges, the consultation created a strong platform for solidarity and collective reflection among women human rights defenders. It strengthened shared understanding of cross-cutting risks, particularly those related to gender-based violence, digital safety, and shrinking civic space, while also generating a consolidated evidence base to inform Uganda’s UPR stakeholder submission.
The consultation further produced key recommendations aimed at strengthening protection for women human rights defenders. Participants called on the Government of Uganda to end arbitrary arrests, detention, intimidation, and judicial harassment linked to legitimate human rights work. They also urged the establishment of a dedicated, gender-responsive national protection mechanism for human rights defenders that addresses both physical and digital threats.
Strong emphasis was placed on the need to fully enforce existing laws, including those addressing domestic violence, FGM, and torture, while also strengthening national responses to technology-facilitated gender-based violence. Participants further called for the protection of freedoms of expression, association, and peaceful assembly, particularly during electoral periods, and for the removal of undue restrictions on civil society organizations.
The consultation also highlighted the need for targeted protection measures for Indigenous women defenders, women with disabilities, and other structurally marginalized groups to ensure their meaningful participation in national governance processes. Participants further called for improved access to justice, healthcare, housing, and essential services in safe and non-discriminatory environments.
In addition, women human rights defenders recommended the enactment of a gender-sensitive Human Rights Defenders Protection Law that explicitly recognizes women defenders and responds to their specific risks. They also urged Uganda to ratify the Optional Protocol to CEDAW to strengthen accountability mechanisms for women’s rights violations and to ensure meaningful inclusion of women human rights defenders in ongoing policy reforms, including the revision of the National Gender Policy.
In conclusion, the consultation confirms that women human rights defenders in Uganda continue to play a vital role in advancing justice, accountability, and community empowerment despite operating in increasingly restrictive environments. While Uganda has made important legal and policy commitments, significant gaps in enforcement and protection remain. The experiences and recommendations shared through this process provide critical evidence for strengthening Uganda’s 4th Cycle UPR engagement and advancing a safer, more enabling environment for women human rights defenders across the country.
On World Environment Day 2026, the Women Human Rights Defenders Network Uganda (WHRDN-U) brought together 11 Women Environmental Human Rights Defenders (WEHRDs) and five “Agroforestry Power Ladies” for a powerful learning and exchange visit at Bethany Land Institute (BLI) in Luweero District. Held under the global theme “Inspired by Nature, for Climate, for Our Future,” the commemoration highlighted the vital role of women in advancing environmental justice, climate resilience, and sustainable livelihoods.
A Celebration of Nature and Solidarity
The event was more than a commemoration it was a reminder of the central role women play in protecting ecosystems and advocating for climate action. Through interactive discussions, practical demonstrations, and a guided study tour of BLI’s learning centers, participants explored innovative approaches to:
Regenerative agroforestry and ecosystem restoration
Waste management and recycling
Organic farming and soil health
Biodiversity conservation and forest protection
Indigenous knowledge and herbal medicine
Brenda Kugonza, Team Leader of WHRDN-U, emphasized the importance of solidarity and experience sharing among defenders, while BLI Principal Mr. Kule Sylvester urged participants to honor nature by adopting environmentally friendly practices such as organic farming, tree planting, and ecosystem restoration.
Hands-On Learning at Bethany Land Institute
Participants toured BLI’s three learning centers—Lazarus Forest, Mary’s School, and Martha’s Market—gaining practical insights into sustainable farming and conservation. Highlights included:
Mary’s Demonstration Farm: Creative recycling using plastic bottles for soil conservation and garden structures.
Soil Management Section: Composting, organic fertilizers, and natural pest repellents like wild sunflower and garlic.
Black Soldier Fly Unit: Circular farming innovations where larvae serve as protein-rich poultry feed.
Artificial Wetland System: Nature-based water purification for reuse.
Regenerative Agroforestry Models: Integrating crops, trees, and livestock for resilient food systems.
Self-Care & Herbal Medicine: Exploring indigenous remedies such as Aloe Vera and Indian Pennywort.
Lazarus Forest Walk: A 300-acre conservation area showcasing biodiversity and the importance of forest ecosystems.
Voices of Defenders
Women defenders shared inspiring testimonies of their work across Uganda:
Annet (Buikwe): Mobilized communities against industrial water pollution.
Shamim (Kasese): Advocated for climate education in schools for children with disabilities.
Sharon (Girls for Climate Action): Supported women in eco-friendly enterprises like reusable sanitary pads.
Constance (Tororo): Introduced tree planting traditions, including planting a tree for every child born.
Elizabeth (Kikuube): Fought for women’s inclusion in sugarcane farming despite threats and backlash.
Preserving indigenous knowledge and herbal medicine.
Key Achievements
The commemoration strengthened participants’ knowledge and commitment to:
Replicating regenerative agroforestry and organic farming practices.
Promoting waste recycling and sustainable livelihoods.
Preserving indigenous knowledge and herbal medicine.
Expanding tree planting and forest conservation initiatives.
Building solidarity and peer learning networks among defenders.
Recommendations
Participants called for:
Continued protection and wellness support for women defenders.
More exchange visits and peer learning opportunities.
Training on safe advocacy and security practices.
Creation of safe spaces for reflection, healing, and self-care.
Stronger referral systems for defenders facing threats and violence.
This commemoration at Bethany Land Institute was a testament to the resilience, creativity, and leadership of women environmental defenders. By embracing nature-based solutions and strengthening solidarity, they continue to safeguard Uganda’s environment for present and future generations.
May 21–22, 2026 – Amudat District, Karamoja Region
Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRDs) across Uganda continue to face serious threats including physical attacks, arbitrary arrests, domestic violence, and online harassment. To strengthen their resilience and practical skills in safe documentation and reporting, the Women Human Rights Defenders Network Uganda (WHRDN-U) convened a two-day regional meeting in Amudat District, bringing together 16 WHRDs from Kaabong, Moroto, Tapak Sogdek-Moroto, IK Land, Amudat, Nakapiripirit, Karita, and Napak districts.
Opening Voices of Solidarity
Brenda Kugonza, Team Leader of WHRDN-U, reminded participants that WHRDs are frontline women fighting for human rights despite attacks from both state and non-state actors. She emphasized the importance of solidarity and partnerships with local government, welcoming Suzan Chuwai, Senior Assistant Secretary and survivor of FGM, who highlighted the need for women defenders to support each other in the face of gender-based abuse and cyberbullying.
Identifying Violations Against WHRDs
Through group discussions, participants reflected on the types of violations they face:
Attacks on life: Threats, domestic violence, and community isolation.
Domestic violence and cultural discrimination: Physical assaults, sexual harassment, land grabbing, and harmful cultural norms.
Arbitrary detention and sidelining: Cases ignored or mishandled by authorities.
Verbal and online abuse: Hate speech, doxing, fake rumors, and intimidation.
The session underscored the importance of documenting violations, both online and offline, to ensure accountability and protection.
Building Documentation Skills
Participants engaged in practical case scenarios to distinguish between eligible, non-eligible, and fabricated cases. They learned the value of evidence, verification, and ethical assessment, as well as the need to document digital violations with screenshots, links, and police references.
Field Visit: Mining and Environmental Rights
On the second day, WHRDs visited Lukales Gold Mining Site in Karita, where Christine, chairperson of the Kyangaliya Women Group, shared her advocacy journey against harmful mining practices. Despite threats and attempts to silence her, Christine’s documentation and digital advocacy led to government intervention and eventual closure of the company. Her resilience inspired fellow defenders and highlighted the power of safe advocacy and digital tools in amplifying community voices.
Key Learnings and Way Forward
WHRDs must continue documenting violations and strengthening digital security.
Partnerships with local government and commissions such as the Equal Opportunities Commission are vital.
Training in safe advocacy and digital tools remains a priority to empower women defenders.
Successes and Challenges
The meeting successfully built solidarity among WHRDs, enhanced their knowledge on violations, and strengthened their documentation skills. However, cultural norms and fear of isolation remain significant barriers, with many violations still going undocumented.
Twenty women leaders from structurally silenced organizations came together at Protea Skyz Hotel in Kampala for a two-day residential gathering organized by the Women Human Rights Defenders Network-Uganda (WHRDN-U). The convening created a vital space for safety, solidarity, and resilience-building among women human rights defenders (WHRDs) who often face isolation, legal threats, and community backlash.
Purpose and Objectives
The gathering was designed to:
Enhance practical understanding of how current laws are applied in Uganda.
Support women leaders to adopt safer daily work practices.
Reduce isolation through peer connection and solidarity.
Strengthen inclusive protections within the WHRDN-U network.
As one participant expressed, “This gathering is a space of connection, a place to reflect on safety and protection mechanisms, and to recognize the power within.”
Key Sessions and Insights
Understanding the Law: Facilitators highlighted the challenges of Uganda’s legal environment, where compliance requirements often target civil society organizations. Litigation was discussed as a tool for change, though participants noted that court decisions frequently remain unimplemented.
Safety Strategies: WHRDs shared practical approaches to staying safe, including choosing advocacy spaces strategically, collaborating across regions, and leveraging collective action. “It’s better to be a living WHRD than a dead one,” one reminder emphasized.
UPR Consultations: Participants identified pressing issues such as restrictions on freedom of association, digital surveillance, economic insecurity, and cultural stigma. Recommendations included strengthening legal frameworks, ensuring inclusive participation, and restoring access to financial resources for NGOs.
Experience-Based Panel: Leaders shared survival strategies such as rebranding organizations, building cross-movement partnerships, promoting social enterprise, and minimizing office-based risks.
Building Resilience and Connection
Beyond technical sessions, the gathering emphasized self-care, gratitude, and solidarity. Dancing and reflection exercises symbolized resilience and the determination to “shake off whatever structure or form limits women’s progress.”
Moving Forward
The gathering concluded with practical opportunities for continued support, including access to legal expertise, counselling, and digital resources. Most importantly, it reaffirmed the collective strength of WHRDs in Uganda.
This event was more than a meeting, it was a declaration of resilience, a reminder that even in silenced spaces, women leaders continue to stand strong, protect one another, and push forward for justice.
Pictorial of the convening
A moment of reflection, connection, and growth.A moment of reflection, connection, and growth.A moment of reflection, connection, and growth.A moment of reflection, connection, and growth.
The Women Human Rights Defenders Network–Uganda (WHRDN-U) convened a powerful two-day counselling and social enterprise training for invisible Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRDs) from suspended organizations. The initiative aimed to restore hope, provide psychosocial support, and equip participants with practical tools for financial resilience and sustainable livelihoods.
Day One: Healing Through Counselling
The opening session, led by WHRDN-U Team Lead Brenda Kugonza, encouraged participants to embrace the safe space for healing and solidarity. Madam Ruth Matoya from Healing Talk Counselling Services facilitated group psychosocial support, guiding WHRDs through reflective conversations on loss, trauma, and resilience.
Participants shared deeply personal experiences of anxiety, grief, and identity loss following organizational suspensions. Through exercises connecting emotional pain to physical sensations, they realized how trauma manifests in the body. The session emphasized intentional living, holistic self-care, and reclaiming one’s voice.
One participant reflected, “I have learnt that grief is ok as long as it’s normal and manageable.” Another added, “This session helped me realize I have been living in survival mode. Now I need to slow down and prioritize my wellbeing.”
Day Two: Building Financial Resilience Through Social Enterprise
The second day, facilitated by Dr. Joyce Tamale of Capital Solutions Limited, focused on entrepreneurship as a pathway to resilience. Under the theme “Appreciating Entrepreneurship for Financial Resilience,” WHRDs explored mindset change, intrapreneurship, and the “5 D’s” of financial resilience—Discipline, Death, Divorce, Debt, and Disease.
Dr. Tamale emphasized the importance of starting small, adopting a growth mindset, and aligning business ventures with social impact. Participants brainstormed enterprises addressing issues such as gender-based violence, unemployment, menstrual poverty, and child neglect.
One inspiring example was the proposal to establish day care centers offering counselling support for neglected children. Others shared lived experiences of running small businesses, highlighting both successes and challenges.
Key Lessons and Action Points
Over the next six months, WHRDs committed to:
Testing small-scale business ideas with minimal resources.
Strengthening personal and business branding.
Leveraging networks and community assets for growth.
Practicing structured time management to balance employment and entrepreneurship.
The training reinforced the need to shift from donor dependency to market-oriented thinking, embrace resilience, and build sustainable ventures that respond to real community needs.
Conclusion
This two-day initiative provided WHRDs not only with therapeutic healing but also with entrepreneurial skills to reimagine their futures. By combining psychosocial support with social enterprise training, WHRDN-U continues to strengthen the resilience of women defenders navigating uncertainty, ensuring they remain empowered voices for justice and equality.
Pictorial of the workshop
Building resilience through shared experiences and support.Building resilience through shared experiences and support.Building resilience through shared experiences and support.
At the 85th Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) held in Banjul, The Gambia, the Women Human Rights Defenders Network Uganda (WHRDN-U) raised concern over the shrinking civic space and the growing repression faced by women human rights defenders in Uganda.
Through a panel discussion on “Civic Space Under Threat” and an oral statement delivered to the Commission, WHRDN-U shared firsthand testimonies showing how women defenders across the country—journalists, lawyers, environmental activists, and community organizers—are being silenced for speaking truth to power and demanding accountability.
During the panel discussion, WHRDN-U highlighted that governments, security agencies, and corporations, as well as certain community actors, are using criminalization, surveillance, intimidation, and public shaming to suppress women who defend human rights. Anti-gender movements have intensified these attacks, seeking to erase feminist voices and delegitimize the struggle for gender equality.
Examples shared included women who have been arrested for documenting corruption, environmental activists humiliated for protesting forced evictions, and human rights defenders threatened online or censored for their advocacy. Others have been targeted under discriminatory laws, accused of promoting ideas contrary to traditional norms, or punished for providing support to vulnerable groups.
As Uganda moves toward another election cycle, women defenders continue to face heightened state harassment. Female journalists report censorship, lawyers representing detainees are followed and threatened, and activists documenting abuses are accused of being politically motivated. In northern Uganda, women organizing peace dialogues have faced intimidationnder new security laws that allow military courts to try civilians.
The oral statement delivered by WHRDN-U to the African Commission emphasized that between 2020 and 2024, the network verified over 260 attacks against women defenders in Uganda, including arbitrary arrests, online harassment, sexualized violence, and public defamation. These are not isolated incidents but a systemic effort to silence women’s participation in public life and close civic space.
WHRDN-U called upon the African Commission to urge the Government of Uganda to recognize and protect women human rights defenders as essential actors in democracy and peacebuilding, to end the criminalization of legitimate advocacy, and to safeguard freedoms of expression, association, and peaceful assembly. The organization further called for the adoption of a gender-responsive Human Rights Defenders Bill aligned with international standards, a comprehensive study on the situation of WHRDs across Africa, and the implementation of holistic, feminist protection measures that ensure safety, psychosocial well-being, and freedom from reprisals.
In both interventions, WHRDN-U stressed that the struggle of women defenders is not only about individual safety but about the future of civic life and democracy in Uganda. When women defenders are silenced, entire communities lose their voice. When they are protected, democracy and justice thrive.
Despite growing risks, women defenders across Uganda continue to organize, educate, and protect others. Their resilience is a reminder that protecting women defenders is not an act of charity, it is an act of justice and a moral imperative for governments and society at large.
@WHRDNU joined the 85th Ordinary Session of the ACHPR: (1) Panel on the state of WHRDs (2) Oral statement on Ugandan WHRDs under Item 7. Gratitude to Hon. Janat Sallah Njie (SR on Women’s Rights) & Hon. Remy Ngoy Lumbu (SR on HRDs in Africa) for their support. pic.twitter.com/ivYHi6x0jj
— Women Human Rights Defenders Network- Uganda (@WHRDNU) October 23, 2025
Warm greetings from the Women Human Rights Defenders Network Uganda (WHRDN-U)!
We are pleased to share with you (a) the key highlights from our activities and achievements during the second quarter of 2025 (July to September). We share the contex of crisis in Uganda between January and September 2025 and (b). We also take this opportunity to reflect on the current situation in which Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRDs) continue to operate in Uganda. Your continued solidarity and support have enabled us to make progress in creating safe spaces, amplifying voices, building capacity, and promoting the protection of WHRDs across the country.
WHRDN-U in Action: July to September 2025
Amid national situation, the third quarter of 2025, Our network sustained vital work in protection, advocacy, and movement-building thereby centering defenders’ safety and strengthening collective resilience.
July: Grounded in Action and Governance
Albertine Region WHRDs Engage the Equal Opportunities Commission WHRDs from the Albertine region held a dialogue with the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC), presenting evidence of discrimination and advocating for inclusive government policies that address gender and regional disparities. https://x.com/WHRDNU/status/1940455930124292360
Batwa Women Lead Environmental Justice in Bundibugyo. Indigenous Batwa women defenders mobilized their community for a clean-up campaign, collecting plastics and raising awareness on environmental conservation as part of preserving their heritage and land rights. https://x.com/WHRDNU/status/1940862323759239659.
September — Amplifying Voices, Building Resilience and Solidarity
Regional Engagement and Cross-Border Solidarity WHRDN-U contributed to regional feminist dialogues, reinforcing partnerships across East Africa on the theme ‘Defending Democracy and Safety in Times of Repression.
Community-Level Protection Strategies. Local WHRD clusters expanded peer support circles, deepening awareness on digital security, legal risk mapping, and safe reporting mechanisms.
National Forum for Women Human Rights Defenders at Esella Country Hotel. On 29/08/25, from every region of Uganda, women human rights defenders gathered Esella country Hotel, for a national forum, reflecting on digital threats, shrinking funding, trauma & gendered attacks.https://x.com/WHRDNU/status/1961791097853595680
Annual Convening for the Consortium of WHRDs Protection Network for Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. Annual Convening in Nairobi bringing together the consortium of WHRDs protection Network from Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.https://x.com/WHRDNU/status/1970668189072646208
WHRDNU attended a live pod cast on the International Day for Democracy at the Swedish Embassy. On 16th September WHRDN-U participated in a live podcast on the International Day of Democracy hosted by Embassy of Sweden in Kampala and Grab A Coffee pod, with media practitioners, scholars, CSOs and Development Partners. https://x.com/WHRDNU/status/1967949390783582609
Meeting with the Swedish Embassy Kampala and Civil Rights Defenders team from Stockholm WHRDNU`s meeting with the Swedish Embassy in Kampala and Civil Rights Defenders team from Stockholm in solidarity with human rights defenders and civil society actors in Uganda. https://x.com/WHRDNU/status/1971198067169952207
Quarter o3 (August- September): Cases reported & Documented for Evidence, Advocacy, and Collective Care
We are pleased to share with you the highlights from our Quarter 03 Case Registry Report, reflecting the resilience, challenges, and progress of Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRDs) across Uganda. This quarter’s data offers critical insights into the nature of violations, the scope of activism, and the support mechanisms mobilized through our network. Interms of caseoverview we documented a total of 15 cases (Individual WHRDs: 14 and Group WHRDs: 1). We provided support to all 15 WHRDs received psychosocial support, security tips, and solidarity visits.
The following tables below illustrates the nature of violations, the scope of activism, and the support mechanisms mobilized through our network.
Nature of Activism Targeted The most affected areas of human rights include:
Type of Activism
Cases Reported
Gender-Based Violence GBV)
4
Enviromental Rights
3
Child Rights
2
Other Areas (eg land, indegenous,Economic rights)
1 each
The prominence of GBV activism highlights both the courage of defenders and the risks they face in patriachal settings
Violations Faced
Type of Violation
Cases
Threats, Surveillance, Intimidation
6
Slander,Smear Campaigns, Assault
Moderate
Death Threats,Hate Speech,Arrests
Low
These violations span physical , emotional , and reputational jarm, undersoring the multifaceted risks WHRDs endure.
Perpetrator Categories
Perpetrator Type
Cases
Community Members
4
Government Actors
Moderate
Family Members
Low
Community -liked threats remain the most reported , while state involvement continues to raise serious concerns about misuse of authority.
Recommendatons:
(b ) The contex of crisis in Uganda bwtween January and September 2025
Uganda is currently experiencing a significant deterioration in human rights, characterized by increasing repression of dissent, shrinking civic space, and state-sanctioned impunity (WHRDN-U Jan–Mar 2025, WHRDN-U Jan–Jun 2025). Against this backdrop, Uganda’s human rights climate remained restrictive in the first half of 2025, with authorities targeting critics, environmental activists, and political opponents through arrests, intimidation, and legal measures that shrink civic space (HRW, Freedom House). In the LGBTQ+ sphere, the 2023 Anti-Homosexuality Act (AHA) still imposes severe penalties despite court interventions; while judges struck certain provisions in 2024 and affirmed that people cannot be denied medical care because of sexual orientation, most of the law remains in force and abuses have escalated, as documented in May 2025 by Human Rights Watch (HRW, AP News, Freedom House; see also The Guardian).
As the January 2026 general elections approach, press freedom groups reported a “troubling crackdown” on journalists covering a March 2025 Kampala by-election, spanning assaults, detentions, equipment seizures, and broadcast suspensions across multiple outlets (CPJ). Parliament also advanced, and on June 16, 2025 the president signed legislation allowing military courts to try civilians, despite UN warnings in May that the bill is incompatible with international law (UN/OHCHR, Reuters; see also HRW). These measures signal the broader militarization of governance and politicization of institutions, with WHRDs often labelled “oppositional” during electoral periods and exposed to harassment, raids, threats, police summons, and arbitrary detention, undermining civic education and election monitoring (WHRDN-U Jan–Mar 2025, WHRDN-U Jan–Jun 2025, Chapter Four-students protest).
Civic space is tightening under a dense thicket of laws and arbitrary enforcement: the NGO Registration framework facilitates suspensions and funding blocks; the Anti-Terrorism Act (2015) is used to intimidate HRDs around funding; and statutes like the Public Order Management Act, Computer Misuse Act, and Anti-Pornography Act criminalize protest, speech, and digital activism. The anti-gender movement’s narratives have translated into policy, most visibly the AHA, fueling stigma, cutting funding, and catalyzing violence against those working on gender, sexuality, or equality (HRW World Report-Uganda, Freedom House, HRW-AHA abuses). These dynamics have also produced diplomatic frictions, as authorities accused Western diplomats of “subversion,” drawing denials from Germany and broader concern about democratic backsliding (AP News, DW, BBC).
Environmental rights defenders opposing the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) faced continued harassment and arbitrary arrests. In April, police detained 11 StopEACOP activists during a peaceful action in Kampala, and rights groups documented broader patterns of arrests and judicial harassment against green activists into June (BankTrack, FIDH/OMCT). Reporting in March and April also underscored inadequate compensation and displacement linked to the oil project, and the mounting risks for communities and protest leaders (Washington Post, The Guardian). Beyond EACOP, land and resource conflicts, such as militarized evictions, have amplified danger for women land and environmental defenders; security-force responses have included raids, arrests, and gendered violence, exemplified by the public humiliation of a female police commander ordered to undress (Observer, WPI, Daily Monitor-women & climate).
Economic pressures further weaken civil society: grant closures, intensified scrutiny, and funding restrictions limit WHRDs’ operational capacity, leaving defenders under-resourced to navigate legal-bureaucratic risks and more vulnerable to state and non-state attacks (WHRDN-U Jan–Mar 2025, Independent-EU concern, US CRS). The directive of President Donald Trump to halt the USAID funding has affected the work of women human rights defenders in Uganda, especially those focused on health issues; some U.S. conservative groups are pushing African countries to follow stricter rules on sexual and reproductive health. As a result, some women’s health programs have been cut, with local projects supporting abortion rights, maternal care, and LGBTQ+ health closing and activists facing heightened threats and public attacks, forcing many to scale back for safety and lack of resources.
Social drivers compound risk: entrenched patriarchal norms, policing of women’s bodies, and stigmatization of LGBTIQ+ communities create layered vulnerabilities for Indigenous women, young feminists, and defenders with disabilities. Gendered attacks and public shaming, including the case above, illustrate pervasive threats even within institutions meant to protect; at the same time, youth-led activism and women’s visibility in environmental and civic advocacy are rising, albeit met with intensified repression (Freedom Hive, Observer, Daily Monitor-women & climate, WPI).
A parallel refugee-support crisis compounded vulnerabilities. Uganda, Africa’s largest refugee-hosting country, counted ~1.8–1.9 million refugees by mid-2025, but funding lagged; by April, the inter-agency plan had received just 9% of required Q1 funds, with warnings of service cuts and deteriorating conditions (education, nutrition, protection) for refugee women, children, and LGBTQ+ asylum seekers (UN, UNHCR).
Taken together, the key drivers are consolidation of authoritarian power, militarization of governance, impunity within state institutions, patriarchal norms, and the targeted criminalization of women’s activism, as manifest in civilian prosecutions before military courts, politically motivated cases against opposition leaders, and threats against WHRDs supporting political prisoners (HRW-military trials bill, Observer-opposition bail, Chapter Four-threats, Agora CFR). Peaceful assembly has been criminalized as well, illustrated by the 9 January 2025 arrests of journalist-lawyer Agather Atuhaire and six others during a march to the Supreme Court (Daily Monitor).
Despite relentless pressure, organizing persists. CSOs face surveillance, deregistration threats, and constrained funding, yet grassroots networks, cross-border solidarity, and decentralized organizing are building resilience. With elections ahead, predictable spikes in risk include arbitrary detentions and abductions, fabricated finance-related charges, NGO suspensions, violent crackdowns, disappearances, protest-related deaths, surveillance, office raids, movement restrictions, and weak accountability (WHRDN-U Jan–Mar 2025, WHRDN-U Jan–Jun 2025, Chapter Four-criminalization & delays). WHRDN-U and allied feminist groups have engaged in advocacy and solidarity, through press conferences during the Pan-African Conference on Family Values, joint regional statements, and convenings for structurally marginalized WHRDs, while monitoring threats and offering practical support. The urgent need is for initiatives that strengthen WHRDs’ legal navigation, risk-mitigation and safety planning, advocacy capacity, and solidarity networks so they can continue vital work amid shrinking civic space (WPI presser, WHRDN-U joint statement, WHRDN-U “Breaking Isolation”).
Positive, though limited, developments were also noted: the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) resumed tribunal sessions in February 2025, potentially widening access to remedies for some victims (UHRC annual context). Uganda also continued engagement around its National Action Plan on Business & Human Rights, an existing framework that includes gender-responsive remedies and protections for marginalized groups (UNDP baseline-Uganda NAP). That said, these steps coexist with systemic restrictions and legal changes that heighten risks for minority groups and WHRDs, especially those working on SOGIESC issues, land and environment, and election-related accountability (WHRDN-U Jan–Jun 2025).
Looking Ahead: Strengthening Feminist Protection for 2026 and Beyond
As Uganda approaches the 2026 elections, the safety and participation of women defenders remain critical to democratic resilience. WHRDN-U will continue to:
Expand the reach of its Protection and Rapid Response system;
Deepen partnerships for legal, psychosocial, and advocacy support;
Strengthen regional solidarity and feminist movement-building;
Strengthen protection for WHRDs in GBV and enviromental sectors
OHCHR (UN Human Rights). “Uganda: Türk urges president to reject bill allowing trials of civilians in military courts.” UNTV briefing, May 23, 2025. https://media.un.org/unifeed/en/asset/d340/d3400371 UN Media
The Women Human Rights Defenders Network Uganda (WHRDN-U) successfully concluded a three-day residential capacity building workshop that brought together 25 Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRDs) from Eastern and West Nile regions. The workshop, held at Esella Country Hotel from March 5-7, 2025, focused on improving reporting mechanisms, strengthening evidence-based advocacy, and building stronger alliances among defenders.
Opening Remarks Set the Tone for Solidarity
Executive Director Brenda Kugonza opened the workshop by acknowledging the courageous work of, who advocates for marginalized groups despite facing significant challenges. “We have individuals like her, but we have chosen to render them invisible,” Kugonza noted, emphasizing the need to identify and support active human rights defenders who lack organizational backing.
The opening session also featured powerful testimonies, including Agodo Joroline’s account of being attacked for defending the health rights of sex workers, highlighting the real dangers WHRDs face in their work.
Institutional Engagement: Building Connections with National Protection Mechanisms
Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) Partnership
Director Ruth Ssekindi from UHRC provided comprehensive training on engaging with national protection mechanisms. She emphasized fundamental principles: “Human rights are entitlements that every person has by virtue of being human, such as the right to food, life, speech, worship, water, and the right to receive information.”
The session covered UHRC’s mandate, which includes:
Conducting civic education and sensitization
Visiting detention facilities
Receiving and investigating complaints free of charge
Monitoring human rights situations nationwide
Reviewing parliamentary bills for human rights compliance
Importantly, WHRDs learned they can lodge complaints through multiple channels: walk-ins, phone calls, written complaints, and interactions with investigation officers, with all services provided at no cost.
Monica introduced the Equal Opportunities Commission to participants, with Peace Anirwath from EOC presenting her colleagues, including Counsel Miragi Musena, the Acting Head of Legal Department and Investigations, and Ms. Loyo Susan, who handles EOC inquiries.Counsel Musena provided a comprehensive overview of EOC’s mandate, emphasizing its role in eliminating discrimination and inequalities based on sex, age, race, disability, and other grounds. He clarified an important distinction: EOC is a government statutory body, not an NGO.
The session included concrete examples of EOC’s work addressing unequal treatment:
Property discrimination cases
Gender-based inheritance issues
HIV-related employment discrimination
A case involving a young girl with albinism who faced discrimination from a school headteacher
Participants inquired about the difference between UHRC and EOC, Counsel Musena explained that while UHRC handles human rights violations (particularly police brutality cases), EOC specifically focuses on discrimination and unequal treatment issues.
EOC’s comprehensive services include issuing court summons, providing mobile legal clinics in underserved communities, offering alternative dispute resolution (ADR) services, conducting public inquiries, reviewing laws, and making policy recommendations. Counsel Musena also highlighted upcoming mobile legal clinics planned for Mityana and Bulisa districts.
Evidence-Based Advocacy: Understanding the Challenges
The workshop examined WHRDN-U’s comprehensive report documenting attacks on WHRDs from 2020-2024. The findings revealed alarming statistics:
Types of Attacks:
82% faced cyber harassment including hacking and targeted online violence
52% experienced arbitrary arrests in 2020, with 20% in 2024
39% received threats and intimidation
21% encountered gender-based violence and sexual harassment
Perpetrators Identified:
Community members (57%) – residents, business owners, and community leaders
Family members and local leaders (41%)
Government institutions and private corporations (32%)
Security forces (26%)
Participants role play how to engage in policy advocacy
Wellness and Collective Care: Nurturing the Nurturers
Recognizing the emotional toll of human rights work, the workshop included dedicated wellness sessions. Executive Director Kugonza personally acknowledged each defender’s contributions while highlighting their challenges:
Emily Drijaru’s community support work despite facing criticism
Namaganda Lydia’s dedication to supporting HIV-positive mothers amid financial constraints
Maimuna Mami’s resilience after being beaten, arrested, and isolated for supporting marginalized communities
Stella Biryema’s defense of GBV survivors despite personal safety risks
Practical Skills Development
Risk Assessment and Security Planning
Monica led comprehensive security training covering:
Office Security:
Visitor management procedures and identification protocols
Physical security measures including cameras, locks, and lighting
Emergency contact maintenance
Trustworthy personnel hiring practices
Digital Security:
Strong password protocols
Avoiding public Wi-Fi for sensitive work
Regular file backups
Mobile phone security measures
Policy Advocacy through Role-Playing
Sarah Namogolo facilitated role-playing exercises where WHRDs practiced presenting reports to policymakers. The simulation included testimonies from defenders about online abuse and unfair arrests, with “policymakers” responding with commitments to support and collaboration.
Network Strengthening and Alliance Building
The workshop emphasized alliance-building as crucial for amplifying WHRD voices. Strategies discussed included:
Storytelling: Sharing personal narratives to increase visibility
Social Media Mobilization: Using digital platforms for mutual support
Media Outreach: Engaging journalists to highlight human rights work
Eastern Region Engagement: Alubo Annet will lead Eastern region members in engaging with UHRC using WHRDN-U policy briefs
Arua District Outreach: Emily Drijaru will meet with district committee members during a Swedish ambassador visit on March 19, 2025
Enhanced Security: All WHRDs committed to improving workplace security through stronger passwords and visitor management
Documentation: Continued case documentation for sharing with the Urgent Action Fund
Network Expansion: Identifying new WHRDs in communities for database inclusion
Follow-up Success: UHRC Soroti Engagement
The workshop’s impact was immediately evident when Eastern region WHRDs successfully engaged with UHRC’s Soroti regional office on April 11, 2025. Commissioner Akello Josephine welcomed the partnership, acknowledging that she had been unaware of WHRDs in the community and expressing willingness to provide support, especially for vulnerable groups who cannot afford legal representation.
Moving Forward Together
This capacity building workshop represents a significant milestone in strengthening the network of Women Human Rights Defenders across Uganda. By combining institutional engagement, practical skills development, wellness support, and alliance building, WHRDN-U has equipped defenders with essential tools to continue their vital work while better protecting themselves and supporting each other.
The testimonies, learning, and commitments from these three days demonstrate that when WHRDs come together, share experiences, and build collective knowledge, they become more effective advocates for human rights and more resilient in the face of challenges.
As the network continues to grow and strengthen, the impact of this workshop will ripple through communities across Eastern and West Nile regions, ultimately benefiting the marginalized populations these brave defenders serve.
The Women Human Rights Defenders Network Uganda (WHRDN-U) successfully conducted a three-day residential regional capacity-building workshop at Esella Country Hotel in Kampala from April 2nd-4th, 2025. This landmark event brought together 25 Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRDs) from the Acholi region (Pader, Aleptong, Nwoya, Omoro, Kitgum, Gulu, and Lamwo districts) and Rwenzori region (Kabarole, Kasese, Bundibugyo, Kisoro) to strengthen their resilience, protection mechanisms, and advocacy impact.
Addressing Critical Challenges through Cross-Regional Learning
The workshop addressed the significant challenges faced by WHRDs in Uganda, including threats, violence, and systemic inequalities that hinder their advocacy efforts. Participants work on diverse human rights issues including Land Rights, Economic Rights, Disability Rights, Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights, HIV/AIDS Rights, Sex Workers Rights, Indigenous Rights, and Teenage mothers’ rights.
Setting Clear Expectations
The workshop began with participants sharing their expectations and aspirations. Gorreti Kajumba expressed her desire to “learn as WHRDs how can they engage with Uganda Human Rights Commission in their communities, nations and at nationwide level.”
Ataro Juliet highlighted specific challenges: “I expected to learn how to report complaints where they have been attacked because of defending Human Rights, for example women Human Rights Defenders who has been attacked for arresting clan leaders who has defiled a 09-year-old child, and men attacking GBV shelter managers in Gulu because they have given shelter to women who are trying to run away from abusive men domestic violence.”
Auma Sindy raised critical questions about evidence requirements: “If we are to report attacks against us the WHRDs for the good work we do of defending rights, what facts, what evidence and what details about this incident from WHRDs so that we receive support from Uganda Human Rights Commission?”
Day One: Institutional Engagement and Risk Assessment
Engaging with Uganda Human Rights Commission
Ms. Ruth Ssekindi, Director of Monitoring and Inspections at Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC), delivered a comprehensive session on institutional engagement. She responded directly to participants’ concerns, outlining practical ways WHRDs can engage with UHRC through regional offices, writing requests, and building rapport through regular visits.
The session covered the mandate of UHRC as a constitutional body with 24 offices across Uganda, emphasizing that “As a woman human rights defendant, you have a right to speak up. If you see an injustice, speak up.”
Powerful Testimonies of Lived Experiences
Participants shared deeply personal experiences that highlighted the urgent need for protection mechanisms. Happy Paskezia shared a harrowing testimony: “A woman who had independently purchased a piece of land faced accusations from her husband that she was involved with other men who were purchasing the land for her. In a violent act driven by these allegations, he proceeded to cut off her hands.”
Another participant recounted childhood trauma: “There was a case of a child rights violation. A child was locked up in a pit latrine. At that time, I was also a child of 9 years old. When I went to UHRC regional office in Fort-Portal, I had the worst experience. The 1st day, the gate keeper chased me away. The next day I entered the gate, the staff did not believe in me and neither did they act on my case.”
Risk Assessment and Security Planning
Through interactive role plays, participants learned crucial security planning skills. The exercises demonstrated the stark difference between operating with and without proper risk assessment, covering scenarios including office break-ins, land rights demonstrations, and online media engagement.
Day Two: Equal Opportunities and Evidence-Based Advocacy
Understanding Equal Opportunities Commission
Counsel Musema from the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) explained the commission’s mandate to eliminate discrimination and marginalization. He shared compelling case studies, including: “A lady from Lamwo district, works in the US and she was the only surviving child. When her father died, the uncle said that she was not going to inherit her father’s property because she was a girl. The lady made a telephone call to the commission, a response was very swift… The case was resolved.”
Addressing Cultural Discrimination
Participants highlighted various discriminatory practices across regions. Halima Nasaka from Kasese testified: “Every recruitment favoured Bakonjo than other tribes. Most recruitment and high cadres jobs were for one ethnicity. That was a systemic issue. EOC through the directives of the tribunal, intervened.”
Other testimonies included:
“In Tooro, a woman legally married cannot own the property upon the death of her husband”
“Among the Bakonjo, if the girl gets a chance to go to school and thereafter becomes pregnant, she gets neglected”
“Basongola ladies do not get education. If they reach the age of marriage, they kidnap them, and bring them back to the family to be married off”
Evidence-Based Advocacy Training
WHRDN-U staff disseminated findings from their assessment on violence against WHRDs in Uganda (2020-2024). Through role plays with media and policy makers, participants learned to present compelling evidence-based arguments for WHRD protection.
Day Three: Documentation and Moving Forward
Understanding WHRD Identity and Work
The final day focused on documentation and reporting violations. A facilitator emphasized that “this is the first report that showed that women human rights defenders were attacked for doing good work of defending human rights.”
Participants learned that being a WHRD requires no specific qualifications – they are found everywhere from community homes to online spaces, hospitals to markets, doing crucial work including counseling survivors, advocating for policies, providing shelter services, and fighting harmful cultural practices.
Network Protection Services
The workshop highlighted WHRDN-U’s comprehensive protection approach:
One participant testified: “I received a rapid response when our office was broken into. The network enhanced the physical security. I also received a referral for protection. The network also wrote to frontline human rights and they supported me with money for office relocation.”
Another shared: “I received 500,000 for wellness and self-care when I was attacked online that I was promoting sex work.”
Key Successes and Participant Feedback
The workshop achieved remarkable success in building capacity and fostering solidarity. Participant feedback was overwhelmingly positive:
Day One Feedback: Ataro Juliet Olal reflected: “Participants increased their awareness on risk assessment and security planning and learnt computer security.”
Fiona Ladwar shared: “Before the workshop I was not minding about my body and my mental health, now I feel more rejuvenated.”
Tuhaise Marygrace noted: “This workshop has opened my eyes to how connected our well-being is to our human rights work.”
Final Reflections: Ataro Juliet Olal concluded: “It was a great initiative to make me part of the Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRDs) to attend the 3 days Workshop. I will continue to play a crucial role in advocating for WHRDs that often face significant risks in their work. Especially the training on case incidence reporting that equipped me with the necessary skills to document violations effectively, referral to seek justice, and amplify their voice.”
Mulhumbira Dinah emphasized: “After attending the session on documenting and reporting violations, now feel equipped to document and report threats safely.”
Murungi Beatrice captured the spirit of solidarity: “I have learnt that we cannot work in isolation, we need each other and that there is strength in numbers.”
Gorret Kajumba shared a powerful lesson: “Some of us as WHRDs our advocacy initiatives do not lead to positive actions because all along we never used data collected to share recommendations to engage in advocacy… I remember in my village 15 women activists we held a meeting with our Member of Parliament to help us deal with increasing child marriage. He denied our message because she asked how many girls were out of school, which sub counties and who the perpetrators were and we did not have the facts right.”
Action Plan and Moving Forward
The workshop concluded with concrete commitments:
UHRC Commitments:
Include partner organizations in regional offices
Strengthen collaboration with WHRDs across regions
WHRDN-U Actions:
Official partnership requests to UHRC and EOC
Regional dissemination of the assessment report in Acholi (Pader) and Rwenzori (Kabarole)
WHRD Commitments:
Regular engagement with UHRC regional offices
Improved documentation and reporting of violations
Continued advocacy with evidence-based approaches
Looking Ahead
This workshop represents a significant milestone in strengthening the capacity and protection of WHRDs across Uganda. By bringing together voices from diverse regions and backgrounds, fostering institutional partnerships, and building concrete skills in risk assessment, advocacy, and documentation, WHRDN-U has created a foundation for more effective and safer human rights work.
The testimonies shared throughout the workshop underscore both the challenges faced by WHRDs and their unwavering commitment to justice. As they return to their communities equipped with new knowledge, stronger networks, and enhanced protection mechanisms, these defenders continue the vital work of promoting human rights for all Ugandans.
The path forward requires sustained collaboration between WHRDs, institutional partners like UHRC and EOC, and continued investment in capacity building. Through such efforts, the vision of a Uganda where all human rights defenders can work safely and effectively moves closer to reality.
Published by Brenda Kugonza
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