EU to award human rights defenders

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The European Union will Thursday, May 2, 2024, award a human rights defender who has made an outstanding contribution to the advancement of human rights in their community over the past twelve months.

Every year, the EU awards a human rights defender who individually or with others, acts to promote and protect universally recognized human rights and fundamental freedoms.

These include civil and political rights as well as economic, social and cultural rights.

“The work of HRDs has a positive impact on a country’s development and is essential for encouraging the respect for human rights as recognized by international human rights standards and agreements,” reads a statement on the EU website.

This year, the EU shortlisted three nominees, following a review of dozens of nominations received from members of the public.

The nominees are as mentioned below:

Dr. Jimmy Spire Ssentongo, a Ugandan professor, academic, columnist, portraitist, author, and editorial cartoonist. In the past year, Ssentongo has used his social media platform to highlight issues of accountability through “exhibitions” on social media.

This has earned him significant praise but also threats due to his exposure of wrongdoing in public life. Despite the risks, he has continued to share information and take part in public debates aimed at improving the quality of public service in Uganda.

Jesca Ruth Ataa is a human rights defender from Kotido, Karamoja. She leads Nakere Rural Women Activists (NARWOA), an umbrella community-based organisation for women’s groups. NARWOA responds to humanitarian crises and addresses cross border and inter-ethnic political instability, the rise of warlords, domestic violence and discrimination of women in society. NARWOA has reached over 15,000 women and 250,000 children through programmes aimed at appropriate and viable income-generating activities.

Doreen Kyazze is a lawyer and human rights activist. She holds bachelor's and master’s degree in law and a Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the Law Development Center Kampala.

During the past fourteen years, including her time at Penal Reform International, Doreen has campaigned against the death penalty and worked hard to secure the rights of women in detention.

She has worked across the region to push for a model law on crime prevention in Africa and has also trained police, prison staff and others in the justice sector. She has also been active in drafting progressive laws and policies in Uganda.