7.5. UGANDA HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION (UHRC

The Uganda Prisons Service scaled out human rights committees; for both inmates and staff, within prisons and human rights desks to counter abuse and impunity. The human rights committees are an oversight and accountability mechanism within prisons. The Uganda Prisons Service maintains a 100% coverage of human rights committees in all its 259 prison units.98

Nonetheless, there is also a glaring disparity between policy and practice. Despite the establishment and said functionality of these committees, none of the inmates that alleged torture within prison had reported to the committee members. As discussed above, many opted to keep quiet because they felt there was no one to report to, while for those who did report, it was usually to the Officer in Charge, or prison warders. This may partly be due to fear for reprisal or general lack of awareness of the mandate of the human rights committees.

7.5. Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC)

Article 52 (1) of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda, 1995 mandates the Uganda Human Rights Commission to visit jails, prisons, and places of detention or related facilities with a view to assessing and inspecting conditions of the inmates and make recommendations to the government.99

In 2018, the Uganda Human Rights Commission conducted 962 inspection visits to places of detention that comprised of 409 police stations, 384 police posts, 163 government prisons, 5 remand homes and one military detention facility.100 There is however need for the UHRC to develop a legal pathway with legal aid service providers to ensure timely referral and response to human rights issues especially considering that UHRC has free access to detention facilities.

In addition to inspecting detention facilities, the Uganda Human Rights Commission also provides tailored sensitization of the detainees and inmates about their rights, duties and responsibilities,101 during which we tell them about their rights, duties and responsibilities and in so doing we create awareness to them training to security officers on the Prevention and Prohibition of Torture Act, 2012. An interview with the Uganda Human Rights Officer in Arua district confirmed this. ‘We provide annual capacity building sessions to both police and prison officers where we get to sensitize them about the Torture Act and the need to respect and promote human rights.’102 This was reiterated in all prisons visited.

Conclusion

While non-state actors have creatively enhanced access to justice for many, there has been no standardized method of practice resulting in an ad hoc approach. With the limited funding, there is need for improved coordination among LASPs to ensure wider coverage. Challenges within Access to Justice Sub Programme of the Governance and Security Programme (former JLOS are inter linked and require a multi-pronged approach. For instance, increasing number of judges without addressing the staffing gaps within police and the Office of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions runs counter to addressing accessing to justice challenges.