Human Rights In Uganda

We visited The Foundation for Human Rights Initiative in Kampala, Uganda, on May 27, 2019. During our meeting the NGO expressed their self-stated initiative to, "advocate for peace, stability, democracy, social justice and sustainable development in Uganda." Such a cause immediately engaged our group as they identified a direct connection between their work in human rights and sustainable development in their country. But, how? Within such an initiative the NGO has three focuses: social accountability, equality and democratic governance. While they have such universal goals, they identified that a major challenge faced is that Ugandans have become dormant due to feeling powerless against large bodies, such as various organizations and the government regime. They have lost hope, yet, HRI aspires to re-instill it. Such a challenge encouraged them to pursue an active citizenship campaign, among others such as legal support and human rights educational endeavors, to aggravate their constituents to enable more effective change. They conduct research on their community to develop such advocacy strategies. HRI's support extends beyond protecting the dignity of basic citizens, reaching judicial reform, reaching the accused and sentenced. Because human rights is heavily entwined in many aspects of livelihood, their work affects ubiquitous sections of society. Overall, such work contributes to sustainable development because if people are respected, dignified, and are granted their rights (Universal Human Rights and those stated constitutionally), they have the opportunity to pursue their full potential in society. Such an opportunity enables the best contributions and structure to develop sustainably.

It was said that cultural tiredness played a large role in the education, defense, and implementation of Human Rights. How does one combat the cultural attitude of being tired?

Health Care in Uganda

The health care system in Uganda, as we saw, is not up to par with that of many other countries. Overall the system as a whole is lacking. The facilities, the access, and the quality could each use some updating. While we were at the Mukono Hospital, we saw how little the hospital was able to do for the patients. Especially considering they receive many trauma patients and aren’t equipped to handle them. There are only 2 referral hospitals in Uganda, which is not enough to handle all the people in need of attention. The cost is also a barrier for many, including the patients and the hospitals themselves. They are relying on donations and charity not only to pay for treatment, but also to update facilities. This is clearly not helping the country, specifically the health care system, to be sustainable. The one agenda in which they are succeeding would be the fight to end HIV/AIDS. Throughout each of the health care visits, I noticed the emphasis in free access to not only testing, but medication as well.

Discussion Question: How can Uganda provide quality care to people suffering from poverty in a more sustainable way?

Tourism In Uganda

            While in Uganda we visited tourist locations such as the Equator, the Nile, and Murchison Falls. The streets on some of these spots were scattered with craft shops selling clothing, art, bracelets, hats, and many other small hand-crafted items. The shops sold very similar items causing perfect competition, this made it a lot easier to barter with owners resulting in cheap prices of goods. These shop owners make a living off tourism, do you think they could make more profits if each owner specialized in a certain product? Safari and boat tours up the Nile attract many tourists too, these companies need tourism to make a living, but have little guarantee of it. Do you think that selling a good or service to tourist’s is more profitable than selling it to locals?

Prison Systems and Rehabilitation

When we entered Luzira prison, I along with many of colleagues were intimidated by the lack of security we were given. We waited, anticipating aggression and accusatory gazes, but only found curious eyes. Sharon later noted that we were obviously safe: we were visiting the reformed. Sharon's statement brings to light the difference between the American justice system in which the legal process is more through and standardized and the Ugandan system in which many of the inmates were innocent and were judged as guilty due to lack of legal resources. Keeping the difference in proportion for those guilty and innocent, the judgement on such a large group of people becomes more complex.

The inmates are given an opportunity to educate themselves within Luzira prison so they can become their own employers. They encourage business management skills on an entrepreneurship level as well as that of an employer. The reason may be to prevent discrimination when they are looking for jobs by way of being self-employed.

Many of the former inmates do not have the resources to pursue a college degree due to family commitments. What are more optimal careers for those former inmates?

Would the stigma be reduced if former inmates were more open with their identity and shown in positions of power?

Gender Issues with Judge Batema

In his address to us, Judge "Sister" Batema discusses his beliefs on gender issues and the roles that they play in Uganda. By categorizing males and females differently, females in Uganda typically are losing power, status, privilege, and opportunity. He used these key words to describe the categories of discrimination and limitations that are places on women.For example, stereotypes about women working while pregnant, men continuously are the head of finances and the home, and girls are skipped over in passing inheritance.  I was very impacted as to how many ways women in Uganda were suppressed and restricted; it inspired me to want to learn more on the topic. But, with the passing of the 1995 Ugandan Constitution, women's rights are more clearly identified, the first clause being "women shall be accorded full and equal dignity of the person with men." But I was shocked to see how much culture is hindering this development as women are still being taught to be submissive and in a lesser role in comparison to men.

Questions:

How can Uganda effectively move towards sustainable development by addressing gender issues without infringing on cultural traditions?

How much of gender issues are dependent on culture? Do you think that with time the idea and practice of gender equality will progressively develop to match the standards in the US? Why or why not?

Culture: Ndere Centre (Emma Williams)

During my time at the Ndere centre I was exposed to all of the different cultural traditions, dances, and music that are throughout Uganda. The most important thing that I noticed during the performances and the time I spent behind the scenes with the performers was the appreciation and respect that they had for all of the other cultures. Although this was a mainly fun event, it showed how important culture is with sustainable development. Culture remains stable overtime, but sustainable development involves changing and improving many parts of everyday lives. How will culture change, or will it change at all as the nation strives towards sustainable development?

Entrepreneurship and Microfinance in Uganda

While in Uganda I noticed the prevalence of entrepreneurship suddenly. There are so many independently owned shops that sell the same product or do the exact same service. Also, even at the equator the shops placed right next to each other sold the same products and tried to comparatively price their products. The business strategy used by these entrepreneurs in Uganda is to set everything at a “tourist price,” meaning a price in which only tourists would pay. These entrepreneurs know that the standard Ugandan would always bargain, and if we were not partnered with the MUB students we would be overpaying. Microfinance plays a role because to start business- a shop in this case- these individuals could take out a loan. Microfinance is like banking for people who do not have a lot of money. Question: How could entrepreneurs of individual shops make their businesses more original in a sustainable way while still continuing competitive prices?

Uganda's Educational System

Uganda's Educational System


Uganda's education system is very different when compared to the U.S. As we have discovered, based on our visits and MUBS student's personal experiences, culture plays a huge role and it has made an impact on each school.  There's also a great emphasize on providing an inclusive learning environment for all students regardless of educational needs of each student. Two examples of that inclusion was seen as we visited the Luzira Prison and Sure Prospects. In Luzira, we were able to see that many of the prisoners had the opportunity to earn a degree from Makerere University, while serving their time regardless of their convictions or accusations. In Sure Prospects, students with learning needs are supported not only by their teachers, but also by their peers whom have the opportunity to learn sign language along with their deaf peers. Although, the ratio of teachers to students is higher than what's usually seen in the states, I was highly amazed of how well they're able to support each student's needs and the passion teachers have for their students.

1. Knowing that Uganda has a highly inclusive education system, what skills, resources or approaches, might you consider important to implement for Ugandans to obtain quality education, as a goal for sustainable development for all students?

2. Although, the U.S. is a well-developed country, we also know that there's always room for progression. Based on what we have learned and seen throughout our trip and from your own educational experiences, what skills or approaches would you suggest be helpful for improvement in our country or what skills or knowledge are we lacking as American students?

Agriculture in Uganda!

The agriculture community in Uganda is strong, many farmers rely on one another to get through hard times, learn new practices, and outline their community goals. The farmers that we had the opportunity to see diversified their practices by growing things like cocoa, bananas, corn, and raising pigs. When harvesting all of these products they generally all do the same thing, sell or keep for their families and communities. This means they’re making money and reducing the costs to the community and their families by providing them with food.

            The main issues that affect the farmers are climate change and the higher frequencies of droughts, crop failure and destruction, low finances, and low availability of large plots of land. They combat these problems by working as a team, involving government support, and leaning on the community. Agriculture in Uganda is a growing field and one that can have immense positive impacts on the community and Uganda as a whole. When meeting the rural farmers of Uganda, you come to realize that economies of scale and commercializing agriculture isn’t always the best way to do things.

Question: How can Uganda’s agriculture community be improved in a sustainable way, without impeding on the needs and wants of the farmers?

Welcome to Uganda trip 2019

Hi everyone:

Welcome to the Uganda trip blog!  It's great to have all you folks 'aboard' for the trip.  We are very much looking forward to travelling and exploring Uganda with you.

Infrastructure

Infrastructure in Uganda can be broken down into the three general areas of transportation, electricity, and water systems. Roads are the most commonly used form of transportation and as such, deserve the most attention as they are necessary for people to have access to work, groceries, and any other resource outside of their home. Unfortunately, the roads in Uganda are highly congested, unpaved, and sometimes difficult to navigate. This makes travel time in Kampala and other areas inefficient and slows development in little ways on a day to day basis. Access to electricity is inconsistent, and some areas lose power for days or weeks at a time without any means of recovering it without a personal generator. Water sanitation in Uganda is in an equally poor condition, and unlike in America, it is unsafe to drink water from any kind of tap or water fountain. This means a heavy emphasis on water bottles as the only safe access to water, which creates a large amount of plastic waste, often left on the side of the road.

By the way this is Quinn, not Kaitlynn, thanks

Culture

On Sunday, May 27th, we had the amazing opportunity to visit the Ndere Centre and throughout the trip, we experienced handmade art, ceramics, jewelry and more. At Ndere, we were able to participate with the performers whether it was dancing or playing an instrument of choice with traditional music. Stephen, the director, stressed the concept of all of us coming together as one and improvising together while allowing the music to take control. The performance throughout the rest of the night encompassed at least four or five different traditional cultural dances. They embraced the music to the fullest, displaying pride in their culture(s). It’s crucial for us to be proud of what we believe in and embrace our culture whether it’s religion, morals, or values. 

Although exhausted from the day, all of us were eager to dance with everyone on the stage at the very end of the performance. To simply dance with people we did not even know yet finding a connection between us felt reviving and welcoming for all of us. We should take into account that welcoming feeling the dancers gave us and share that with others as well. 

Some questions to consider...
What did you find was the most important takeaway from visiting the Ndere Dance Center?
Do you believe people should embrace their own culture more? Why?
What was your most memorable moment when experiencing the culture?

Hello fellow classmates, this is Michaela under Payton's account and I have some thoughts about our time in the Parliment building speaking with the Speaker of the Parliment. Now, it was fairly difficult for me to hear what she spoke about so I will write about a general experience with going through the process and rules of meeting her.

Personally, I did not find it surprising that we had to go through a lot of security, but, I found it odd that there were three steps of security. Especially because they checked us multiple times throughout the building once we were already cleared. A question that popped into my head due to all of the security steps was, did something occur in the building to cause the need for three stages of security? I wonder, what is security stages like in other countries government buildings? I have gone to the German government building and spoke with a member of their government, but we only went through one step of security. So yes, I am interested in why there are three stages of security here.

Another thing that fascinated me about our time in Parliment was how careful the employees seemed to be around us and around the building in general. There seemed to be a secretive and nervous energy around the building and I wonder if it was because we were there or if the energy in the Parliment building is like that always.

While meeting with the Speaker of Parliment I was nervous. Especially because of how the other employees of the government building were acting. One thing that I was intrigued by was that we all were told to stand up when the speaker entered the room. I thought that made her seem more like a Queen than a government worker.

The last thought I want to share is that I wonder why she agreed to meet with our group. I want to know her motivation for meeting with us and part of me wonders is if it was to try and impress us because we are students from America or if she would be willing to meet with a variety of different students.

So, now that I have shared my thoughts about our experience I have some questions for you about your thoughts on our time in Parliment.

1.) What were your feelings and thoughts about the process of security we went through?

2.) Out of all of the government workers we spoke to on our trip, who did you find to be most interesting? How do you feel about the way the Speaker answered questions compared to the two-panel members we spoke to?

3.) Did you feel that there was a secretive energy in the Government building and/or do you feel we were treated differently because we are American students?

Agriculture

During the agricultural visit, we toured farmer John's land to obtain a more in depth understanding of small-scale agriculture in the rural village. John explained the many challenges that accompany small-scale farming such as issues with lack of payment by the government, and loss of crops due to climate change. Along with those issues, small-scale farming is not a field in which many young people take an interest and talked about a few ways in which that could be a benefit to have them learn more. With the population expanding, more small scale farming will help to improve the economy and maybe even production later down the line. What other issues did anyone observe with small-scale farming?

Media in Uganda

Uganda's media has a dark history that is directly centered around the government. There has been many changes, but many things have stayed the same as well. We were bale to hear from an individual representing a radio station, investigative journalists, and an employee of television news reporting. The panel touched on issues in the media, as well as growths. The discussion was mainly focused on the corruption in the government and how it affects the media. 

The media often struggles with media freedom and the ability to have freedom of speech. During the last political election the government shut down all social media. The panel also discussed no job growth- even explaining how many media outlets hire family members or people connected to them rather than educated individuals. This had led to troubles questioning the economy because many journalists don't understand it. 

Questions:

1. What does the media need to change so that progression can be made towards a sustainable and developed economy in Uganda?

2. Should the government continue to have a role in the media? Is it necessary and if so, how much?

Patrick Bitature: Business and Entrepreneurship

Patrick Bitature is the "Bill Gates" of Uganda. He had some very interesting ideas and his story was inspiring. After learning about his different businesses and what he has done for Uganda I found a theme. He mentioned many times how GOALS are what people need to be successful. It is important to map out your goals and have a game plan. Patrick has gone from telephones, to energy, to property and now to the oil industry. He has been an inspiration to many and his work has not gone unnoticed in Uganda. Based on all of the things he has done what do you think has been the most related to Sustainable Development and why? Also Patrick stated many different things related to culture and how you have to adapt yourself to wherever you are. How has the culture here changed the way you have thought and do you think it will be carried back the U.S.?

Tori Meier's Blog Post

On Thursday, May 31st we visited the Anglican Church of Uganda Diocese and Mukono Hospital. Mukono has approximately four physicians and 32 nurses at their facility and sees upwards on 5000 patients. We toured the hospital and saw patient rooms, the labor ward, the laboratory, the maternal and child healthcare department, the dentistry area, operating rooms, and more. The hospital had a gangrene patient there who was waiting with a painful, rotting foot for a specialist to arrive and perform an amputation. Additionally, students were given the opportunity to peek through the window of an OR and watch surgeons perform a hernia repair.
In America, HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act: provides privacy and security provisions for safeguarding medical information) would restrict much of what we were able to do last Thursday- ie. seeing patients without their consent, watching surgery without signing confidentiality forms, etc. Why do you think Uganda doesn't have these regulations? Do you think they do have them and simply aren't enforced much like other laws and policies in Uganda?
Dr. Simon mentioned that the medical profession in Uganda is not attractive to people for various reasons. In your opinion, what factor causes this unattractiveness most and what do you think can be done to address the issue?
Lastly, Mukono doesn't have epidurals for mothers in labor and only uses local anesthesia in surgeries. Do you think this is an injustice for women and patients or do you think it is not a substantial issue considering they are used to their conditions? 

Thank you for your time, consideration, and smiles. Once again- this is TORI, not Jared. I mean Jarrett. Okay bye love you all.