Staff Reporter
Human rights defenders in Kabale District have urged stakeholders to advocate and lobby the government to end the use of detention as a method for managing migration.
This appeal was made during a one-day stakeholder training on migration and human rights, organized by the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) Kabale Regional Office, with support from GIZ. The event, held on Wednesday at Cephas Inn Hotel in Kabale Municipality, aimed to address migration challenges using a human rights-based approach.
Twembi Theopista, head of the UHRC Kabale Regional Office, explained that the training sought to empower stakeholders with knowledge on the difficulties faced by migrants and ways to address them.
Kyomugisha Judith Caroline, a human rights officer at the Kabale Regional Office, highlighted that strict enforcement measures create fear of detention and deportation among migrants, discouraging them from asserting their rights. She emphasized the need for protective measures, such as firewalls, to allow migrants to claim their fundamental rights. Kyomugisha also stressed the importance of stakeholders examining the circumstances under which migrants are arrested and ensuring they receive appropriate support.
She noted that such measures would facilitate better interaction between migrants and public servants, including police officers, labor inspectors, social workers, and healthcare professionals. Kyomugisha underscored that upholding migrants’ human rights is a shared responsibility among all stakeholders.
Theopista added that while migration can be a positive and empowering experience for many, the absence of human rights-based migration governance at global, regional, and national levels contributes to human trafficking and the violation of migrants’ rights. She noted that Uganda currently hosts 1.7 million refugees and asylum seekers.
Soter Kabyogamu, a senior migration officer at the Katuna border in Kabale District, shared concerns about the management of Sudanese refugees crossing into Rwanda through porous borders. He noted that these refugees are often repatriated to Uganda by the Rwandan government. Kabyogamu warned that the situation could lead to human rights violations due to insufficient assistance from the Office of the Prime Minister and the UHRC. He called on the commission to step in and provide necessary support.
In response, Hope Bagota, a senior human rights officer in the Directorate of Monitoring and Inspection at UHRC, assured stakeholders that the issue would be raised with top management and GIZ, with the aim of including the Katuna border in ongoing projects to offer support.
