Human Rights Defenders Solidarity Network's Profile

Thu, 25 Oct 2012 12:39:43 +0100

HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS SOLIDARITY NETWORK UGANDA (HRDS-NET)

The HRDSNet is an apolitical and non profit organisation. It was founded on the 1^st June, 2007. Its mission is to protect, Promote and defend human rights and peace in Uganda. Our headquarters is in Kampala-Uganda. Our vision is to extend to the entire country by 2017.

The Goals of the organization are the following:

1) To strengthen and build the capacity and capabilities of human rights defenders for effective advocacy, and training of members by local, national and international human rights associations and peace based movements.

2) To support youth and development activities.

3) Urgent intervention on behalf of individuals at risk of torture, degrading situation and humiliation on Uganda territory

4) To collaborate with existing human rights organizations, peace associations, and youth groups at international, regional, and local level.

5) To defend and protect the rights of human rights defenders and give them moral, social and medical support in case of arrest in connection to human rights works or activities.

6) To give a special attention to women rights and gender balance.

7) To support and assist indigenous people, and protect and promote ecology and biodiversities.

The organization has the following objectives:

1. Promotion and empowerment of human rights and peace in Uganda.

2. Training of members by local, national and international human rights associations

and peace based movements on human rights activities and development.

3. Collaboration with existing peace - based associations, youth groups and human

rights organizations at international, regional and local level.

4. Participation in forums relating to Human Rights and conducting conferences relevant to human Rights in Uganda.

5. Protection and promotion of Ecology, biodiversities and supporting of indigenous

people in all matters.

6. Fighting corruption and promoting transparency, state of rights, democracy and good governance.

7. Fighting misery, HIV/AIDS and promotion of human rights/women rights and human values.

The achievements from inception to date

We carry out community dialogue sessions and interactive drama shows which are facilitated by the Africa Human Rights Education network, members of the HRDS Network, ACCORD and working partners.

We train at least 500 urban refugee women in Kampala on how to claim their rights against Sexual and Gender Based Violence.

We use participatory techniques that involve community dialogues, drama dance and songs.

We have been engaged in capacity building of local leaders from selected communities from Rubaga and Mengo divisions Kampala district in sessions on the existing redress and response mechanisms in place on Sexual and Gender Based Violence and help in fighting and bringing it to an end.

We Conduct sessions of training of trainers on Sexual and Gender Based Violence for selected urban refugee women leaders selected by the network basing on their services in the group and supported by the group members who will continue training in their communities.

We train some selected members of some organisations in Kampala in human rights

We give human rights training to women in some churches in (Arnet’s village)

We are also called upon to give human rights trainings and counselling in some partner organisations both in Kampala and in Cameroon.We partnership with other organisation to train urban refugee women in Rubaga and Mengo in money-saving and in various trades like soap making, tie and die making and beads making

Outcome/Indicators

The number of urban refugee women reached with SGBV awareness messages has increased considerably and they show positive change in their attitudes towards SGBV. These women not only demonstrate knowledge and understanding on SGBV and its dangers but also show skills on how to defend their rights and that of others.

Some of them have become trainers in their communities. They women also testify of making some living out of the trade they learn and the pool together their petty income for capital. The number of trained Human Rights Defenders is growing noticeably, our trained local leaders now show much more awareness of human rights in the way they handle and solve cases in their communities.

The strategic plan of the organisation from 2012 to 2017

In five years we will like to reach all the refugee camps in Uganda with human rights education.

We plan to train the refugees in English language to help them overcome the language barrier. We will also engage in counselling and training them in human rights to assist them overcome their traumatic experiences and help them know their rights and responsibilities in the host country.

We will refer refugees that need to be referred to partner organisations for help. We will partnership with other organisation to train refugees in business skills, and agricultural economy.

We will continue training trainers of trainers in human rights that would go and train in camps and we will form teams to follow up.

In the organisation’s headquarters in Kampala, we will open up a documentary center where we will organize groups for discussing human rights issues.

We will also arrange for adult literacy classes in various life improving short courses and basic computer skills.

We will equip the documentary center with books, documentaries on various aspects of human rights and internet services in addition to a TV set for showing documentaries among others.

Work plan for a period of September 2012 to September 2017

We will conduct adult literacy for refugees in Kampala and in Nakivale camp in English language, human rights including gender and sexual based violence, business skills, basic computer skills and book keeping. We will do general counselling and teach and counsel on HIV/AIDS awareness, prevention and treatment.

We will train trainers of trainers in human rights among the refugees in the headquarters and send to Nakivale camp for training others. We will also have a team of experts that will regularly follow up in the camp.

We will coordinate with other human rights organisations for experts in some fields and refer some cases when necessary.

Human Defender Solidarity Network is a registered and well known organisation both nationally and internationally

We have seven committee members that see to the running of the organisation.

We have many organisations that we affiliate with. The organisation is a member of Civil Society Coalition on Human Rights and Constitutional Law.

We partnership with Amnesty International African Regional Office in Kampala, Amnesty International Senegal, Refugee Law Project, East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project, ACCORD, Health Rights Action Group, African International Christian Ministry , Gulu Women for Education and Development, Tororo Civil Society Network, HURINET and International Rescue Committee PAPER and PADEAP.

We hold and participate in joint meetings with our partners, we refer cases to our when deem it necessary. We do joint activities and organize joint workshop with our partners. We are also called upon to teach human rights in partner organisations.

We receive support from East and Horn of Africa Human Right Defenders Project, ACCORD, Amnesty international Senegal, Refugee Law project, Amnesty International African Regional office

In implementation strategy we use participatory method to train in human rights, in conjunction with other partners we train refugees on how to save money, soap, tie and die and beats making. We also refer some cases to other partner organisation

We have experts in human rights, counselling, accounting and agricultural economy. We will like to have a computer expert, a health expert and HIV/AIDS counselors and a Liberian when the organisation gets bigger. As at now we hire experts from other partnership organisation as we need them. We will like to pay good and competitive salaries to our dedicated staff for their motivation and retention.

The main challenges of the organisation are lack of fund to run our activities and pay workers. Most of the refugees that we deal with need immediate financial help for survival. We need a space, computers, books, magazine, and other materials to equip our documentary center.

The way forward is to continue sustainability strategies at community and network level by continuing training trainers or trainers, continuous involvement of all stake holders and improving on resource mobilization.

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Human Rights Defenders Solidarity Network's Profile