Human Rights Defenders Solidarity Network - Uganda

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The Human rights Defenders solidarity Network is a Human Rights community based organization and a local NGO based in Kampala district and working to Defend promote and protect Human Rights and fight against all Human Rights violence.

The HRDS-Network was created in January 2007 and collaborates with both national and international human rights organizations such as Amnesty International, Protection Desk Uganda, East and Horn of Africa human Rights Defenders, Project ,Uganda Human Rights Network, Foundation for human Rights Initiatives, African Centre for Rehabilitation of the victims of torture, Refugee Law Project.

In the experience, we worked with refugees in counseling of refugee women victim of sexual and gender based violence, referring them to local institutions such as African Centre for Rehabilitation of the victims of torture(ACTV), Refugee Law Project, Inter Aid (UNHCR),Women First Organization (WOFI), Training in Human Rights has been offered by the Organization and particularly in Women’s Rights, Children rights, minority group like pygmy..., Refugee’s rights and others especially in Human Rights domain. It is a network of human rights activists from different countries of Africa especially from the Central, East and Horn of Africa and work specifically to empower Human Rights Defenders in peace education, capacity building.
It is organized also visit of Human Rights Defenders in prison.It is composed of more than 6 human rights activists representing their respective NGOs operating in Uganda and in their countries of origin such as People for Peace and Defense of Rights, Intervention for Human Rights in Danger in the Great Lakes Region, Collectifs des Organizations de Jeunes Solidaires du Congo Kinshasa, WOFI and Protection of Rights of the Child. Gender desk of this network advocates and defends refugees and other marginalized people. The HRDS-Network works on Urgent Action and other Special attention to women in danger.
It is a network of human rights activists from different countries of Africa especially from the Central, East and Horn of Africa and work specifically to empower Human Rights Defenders in peace education, capacity t is organized also visit of Human Rights Defenders in prison.It is composed of more than 6 human rights activists representing their respective NGOs operating in Uganda and in their countries of origin such as People for Peace and Defense of Rights, Intervention for Human Rights in Danger in the Great Lakes Region, Collectifs des Organizations de Jeunes Solidaires du Congo Kinshasa, WOFI and Protection of Rights of the Child. Gender desk of this network advocates and defends refugees and other marginalized people.
The HRDS-Network works on Urgent Action and other Special Appeals.
Our mission is To protect, Promote and defend human rights and peace in Uganda and worldwide its is mission

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 bio diversities.

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, bio diversities 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 Arua, Masaka, Masindi, Gulu.

We are also called upon to give human rights training 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.