African Union Fourth Judicial Dialogue
Kampala:Uganda will be host of the African Union Fourth Judicial Dialogue (AUFJD), which brings together the Judiciaries of the African Union member states represented by their Chief Justices/Court Presidents.
The three-day residential conference will be hosted at the Commonwealth Resort Hotel at Munyonyo, Kampala, from October 30 to November 1, 2019 under the theme: "Tackling Contemporary Human Rights Issues in Africa".
President Yoweri Museveni is expected to preside over the official opening of the Dialogue on October 30, 2019.
The African Court on Human and Peoples'Rights (AfCHPR) under the auspices of the African Union (AU) is organizing the fourth African Judicial Dialogue.
The Dialogue is expected to highlight experiences, challenges and best practices towards better administration of justice and sound protection of fundamental human rights and freedoms in their respective countries.
450 delegates will attend the Dialogue from AU member states (250 international and 200 local participants). They include Chief Justices, Presidents of Supreme and Constitutional Courts from the 55 AU member states, as well as regional and international judicial bodies and local participants from the Ugandan Government.
Funded by both the African Union and Uganda Government, the Dialogue will make Uganda the second country to host the Dialogue, after Tanzania held the first, second and third biennial Dialogues in 2013, 2015 and 2017.
A training of Chief Justices and Justices on the freedom of expression organized by UNESCO from 28th October to 29th October, and a training of the media representatives from all over African on 29th October will precede the Dialogue.
There will be expert presentations on some of the sub-themes as well as sharing experiences from different jurisdictions at national, regional and continental levels.
The Dialogue will result in the adoption of the "Kampala Plan of Action on the Tackling of Contemporary Human Rights Issues by the African Judiciaries".
The Chairperson of the National Organizing Committee, HW Esta Nambayo, says the overall objective of Uganda hosting the dialogue is to "enhance international judicial cooperation through sharing of Judiciary challenges and best practices among states across Africa and beyond."
On January 11, 2019, the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights (AfCHPR) called on the African Union member states to express interest in hosting the African Union Fourth Judicial Dialogue(AUFJD).
The Uganda Government, February 8,expressed the interest through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' letter to AfCHPR,and the opportunity was granted to Uganda on April 5, 2019.
AfCHPR is a continental Court established by the member states of the African Union, to ensure the protection of human and peoples' rights in Africa. The Court commenced its operations in November 2006, and has its permanent seat in Arusha, Tanzania.
The Court was established under the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People's Rights, which was adopted on June 9,1998 in Burkina Faso, but came into force on January 25, 2004. Uganda ratified the Protocol on February 16, 2001.
Article 20 of the Constitution of Uganda(1995), provides for the protection and promotion of human rights. These rights are inherent to all human beings, regardless of race, sex, nationality,ethnicity, language, religion, or other status. These include the right to life and liberty, freedom from slavery and torture, freedom of opinion and expression, the right to work and the right to education.
Uganda has ratified several international protocols on human rights, including the 1948 Universal Declaration on Human Rights, the 1966 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the 1981 Convention on the Rights on The Child and its attendant Protocols.
Governments and Civil Society are striving to promote human rights and are collaborating with multilateral institutions to do so. Together, these players have achieved marked success,through the institutionalization and implementation of the different rights is progressing at varying stages.
Uganda has exhibited commitment to promote and protect human rights as evidenced in the legislation and creation of institutions that promote human rights.
The Uganda Human Rights Commission established by Article 50 (1) of the Constitution is the lead institution in ensuring that human rights are protected. In its Report of 2018 on the State of Human Rights in Uganda, several aspects of human rights are highlighted that still require the intervention of all stakeholders. These include pre-trial detention, freedom of expression, sexual and gender-based violence and access to proper housing in Uganda.
AfCHPR is at the center stage of the continent in ensuring the promotion and protection of human rights. Through strategies like the Judicial Dialogue, it offers the continent hope for sustainable and universal enjoyment of human rights.
The hosting of Judicial Dialogue underpins Uganda's commitment to promoting and protecting human rights. The Judicial Dialogue is intended to enhance the protection of human rights on the African Continent.
The Dialogue will be consultative as well as participatory to facilitate exchange of information and sharing of experiences. There will be expert presentation on some of the sub-themes as well as sharing experiences from different jurisdictions at national, regional and continental level.
At the end of the Dialogue, it is expected that member states will adopt a plan of action to enhance collaboration by African judiciaries in the protection of human rights on the continent.
Expected AUFJD benefits to Uganda
a) Getting a better understanding of AfCHPR and the nature of its business;
b) The Judges, through interaction at the Dialogue, will share experiences and challenges and improvement in handling issues concerning human rights;
c) There will be international publicity of Uganda as a country and this will market and promote inter-state relationships with other countries and promote tourism;
d) Local investors will benefit from the expenses locally incurred by the delegates;
e) Collaboration with African Courts and International bodies to enhance the protection of human rights;
f) Enhanced international cooperation through sharing of judiciary challenges and best practices among the member states across the continent and beyond.
Expected AUFJD benefits to member states:
a) Enhanced international judicial cooperation through sharing of judiciary challenges and best practices;
b) Portray improved judicial accountability in the protection of human rights in Africa;
c) Have enhanced participation of their citizenry in the work of the AfCHPR.
For further information:
Kampala Uganda: Tel. +256 414233420/1/2/3 | Email: info@judiciary. go. ug | www.judiciary.go.ug Arusha,Tanzania: Tel. +255 732 979506/9 | Email: president@african-court.org |www.african-court.org
Posted 25th, October 2019
