The role of Human Rights Organisations in the promotion and protection of women’s domestic rights in Uganda: A case study of Uganda Human Rights Commission.

Abstract

The study sought to examine the role of human rights organizations in promotion and protection of women’s domestic rights in Uganda with a case study of Uganda Human Rights Commission. Human rights organization role was the independent variable where as promotion and protection of women’s domestic rights were the dependent variables. The study specifically examined human rights advocacy role, protection and remedial roles in promotion and protection of women’s domestic rights. The study used cross sectional descriptive survey design where both qualitative and quantitative methods were employed. Data was collected from UHRC employees, women complainants, women activists and ordinary women from Rubaga and Central division, Kampala District. From the findings, over all human rights advocacy role has a significant influence on the promotion and protection of women’s domestic rights. Therefore creating awareness on human rights roles and making sure that the constitution of the country is functionalized as well laid out determines the manner in which women’s domestic rights are promoted and protected in terms of having their rights to property, marriage and economic independence well respected. The protection role played by the Human Rights Commission has a significant influence on the manner in which women’s domestic rights are promoted and protected. When cases are well inspected, assessed, investigated and facts established as they were, then women’s domestic rights are largely protected from any one in intention to violate them. The remedial role the commission does in terms of deciding how the offended is compensated determines much of the promotion and protection of women’s domestic rights since offenders are likely to fear if they learn of what one is likely to pay on violation of women’s domestic rights. It was therefore concluded that over all remedial role plays a significant function in promoting and protection of women’s domestic rights since compensation is facilitated by this role. Specifically, human rights advocacy role greatly contributes to the promotion and protection of women’s domestic rights as awareness created helps them to know where to go and what action to take. The protection roles help in the identifying, assessment and investigation of violations of domestic rights which helps to draw appropriate recommendations. The remedial role however is not very effective as the process takes too long to be effected. It was therefore recommended that more awareness on women’s domestic rights is needed especially in rural areas, need to reduce on the procedures followed when handling women’s domestic rights violations, need for a women’s domestic rights violation desk to be established at the commission and smaller cases also need to be compensated.