A Critical Examination of Human Rights Institutions in Promoting and Protecting The Economic And Social Rights in Uganda: . The Case Study of Uganda Human Rights Commission (Uhrc)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION ............................................................................................................................. i

APPROVAL BY THE SUPER VISOR ........................................................................................... i

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ............................................................................................................. iii

LIST OF THE OF STATUES AND INTERNATIONAL INSTRUMENTS ............................... iv

ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................. vii

CHAPTER ONE ............................................................................................................................ 1

1.0 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ I

1.1 Background of the study ............................................................................................................ 1

1.2 Statement of the problem ........................................................................................................... 5

1.3 Objectives of the study .............................................................................................................. 5

1.4 Research questions ..................................................................................................................... 6

1.5 The scope of the study ............................................................................................................... 6

1.6 Significance of the study ........................................................................................................... 6

1.7 Limitation to the research study ................................................................................................ 7

1.8 Literature Review ...................................................................................................................... 8 . I. 9 Methodology ............... :: .. ···· ..................................................................................................... 14

I . 9. 1·  1 ntroduction ........................................................................................................................... 14

1.9.2 Research Design ................................................................................................................... 14

1.9.3 Area of the study ................................................................................................................... 14

1.9.4 The study population ............................................................................................................ 15

1.9.5 Sample procedure ................................................................................................................. 15

1.9.6 Data collection instruments .................................................................................................. 15

I. 9. 7 Observation .......................................................................................................................... 15

1.9.8 Interviews ............................................................................................................................ 15

1.9.10 Data processing .................................................................................................................. 16

1.9.1 I Data Analysis ..................................................................................................................... 16

viii

CHAPTER TWO ......................................................................................................................... 18

2.0 Jntroduction .............................................................................................................................. 18

2.1 Definition of Human Rights .................................................................................................... 18

2.2 The Theories of Human Rights and the Philosophers ............................................................. 19

2.3 Nature of Human Rights .......................................................................................................... 20

2.4 Generation OF Human Rights ................................................................................................. 21

2.5 First Generation Rights/Civil and Political Rights/Liberty Rights .......................................... 22

2.6 Second Generation Rights/Social and Economic Rights/Equality Rights/Security Oriented Ri~ts ............................................................................................................................................. 22

2.7 Third Generation Rights/ Solidarity Rights ............................................................................ 23

2.8 The State and the Domestication of Economic and Social Rights .......................................... 23

2. 9 Constitutional Cou11 of Uganda ............................................................................................... 24

2. 10 The constitution of the Republic ofUganda .......................................................................... 25

CHAPTER THREE ..................................................................................................................... 27

3.0 What are Economic and Social Rights .................................................................................... 27

3.1 The social and economic rights in uganda ............................................................................... 28

3.1.1 The Right to Health as a Basic Human Right.. ...................................................................... 28

3.1.2 The Right to Work and the Rights of Workers ..................................................................... 28

3.1.3 The Right to Food .•............................................................................................................... 28

3.1.4 Right to Education ................................................................................................................ 29

3.1.5 Right to Religion .................................................................................................................. 30

3.3 The causes of social economic rights abuses ........................................................................... 31

3.3.1 Unsafe and Unhealthy Working Conditions .......................................................................... 31

3.3.2 Poor Housing Conditions of Workers .................................................................................. 32

3.3.3 Absence of.a Minimum Wage ·····································:························································32

3.3.4 Disparities in Remuneration for Equal Work ....................................................................... 33

3.3.5 Denial of Rights to Rest and Leisure .................................................................................... 33

3.3.6 Absence of a National Employment Policy .......................................................................... 33

3.3.7 Failure to Enforce Labour Laws ........................................................................................... 34

3.3.8Lack of Written Pariiculars of Employment.. ........................................................................ 35 ( IX

. 3.3.9 Physical Abuse ...................................................................................................................... 35

3.3.10 Unlawful Tennination ........................................................................................................ 35

3.3.11 Maternity Leave .................................................................................................................. 36

3.3.12 HIV/AIDS Policy at the Workplace ................................................................................... 36

3.3.13 Trade Unions ...................................................................................................................... 36

3.3.14 Child Labourers .................................................................................................................. 37

3.3.15 Social inequality ................................................................................................................. 37

3.3.16 Corruption ........................................................................................................................... 37

3.3.17 Lack of Education ............................................................................................................... 38

3.4 Challenges facing the human rights commission in the promotion and the protection of economic and social righ_ts ............................................................................................................ 39

3.5The measures that can be undertaken to improve the promotion and protection of Social and J Economic Rights in Uganda ......................................................................................................... .45

CHAPTER FOUR ...................................................................................................................... .47

DATA PRESENTATION ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS ....................... .47

4.0 Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 4 7

CHAPTER FIVE ......................................................................................................................... 53

FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................... 53

5.0 lntroduction .............................................................................................................................. 53

5.1 Findings of the study : ............................................................................................................... 53

5.:2Recommendations and reflections ............................................................................................ 55

5.3 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................... 57

BIBLIOGRAPHY ......................................................................................................................... 59

APPENDICES ............................................................................................................................... 61

APPENDIX I: INTERVIEW GUIDE ........................................................................................... 61

INTERVIEW GUIDE QUESTIONS ............................................................................................

ABSTRACT

The advocating of Human Rights has fuelled different ideologies on its origin, contextualization and consequential documentation. This has been agreed upon in a series of documents such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), The Charter on United Nations (UN), the Africa Charter on Human and peoples' Rights to mention but a few, Human rights have become embedded in the states'ihis research paper seeks to study Human Rights from the perspectives of economic and social rights and Uganda, Non Governmental Organization (NGO) as an agent for promotions and the protection of these rights highlighted above. The inclusion of Social and Economic Rights in the Uganda's constitution has to be seen in the context of the unique history f of the country. a history that was characterised by the gross of human rights violations, denial of social goods and services to the majority of the people and lack of access to economic means and resources. It has to be seen also in the context of the level of widespread of pove11y occasioned by a historically unfair and unjust political and social economic system that created a society of gross inequality described more than a decade ago as a society of "poverty amidst plenty". It was therefore envisioned that including socio economic rights in the constitution would play some role in setting off imbalance and reducing the inequality. Analysis shall be based on the relevant National. International instruments and indicating area of study, the case of Uganda.