SEATINI Uganda and other Stakeholders Discuss How to Harness Uganda’s investment laws, policies and agreements to prevent business related human rights violations in land-based investments:
SEATINI Uganda in partnership with Open Society Initiative for East Africa organized a CSO engagement on human rights in land-based investments under the theme “Harnessing Uganda’s investment laws, policies and agreements to prevent business related human rights violations in land-based investments”. The purpose of the meeting was to share knowledge on investment frameworks and the provisions therein; the link between Human and environmental rights and Investment policies.
While opening the meeting, Ms. Brenda Akankunda Program Officer, Investment for Sustainable Development at SEATINI-Uganda emphasized the importance of prioritizing the rights of citizens as opposed to those of the investors. She noted that women have been the most affected by the investment projects. Especially land based under which they are not involved in decision making and most of the work done by them affects their health. She called upon stakeholders to build strong coalitions that can advocate for the incorporation of women rights within the investment frameworks at all levels.
Brenda Akankunda informed participants that SEATINI-Uganda is undertaking a campaign dubbed “Life before Profit” that aims at influencing policy makers and Government to front the life of citizens within the negotiated investment projects and policies.
Ms. Jane Nalunga, Executive Director, SEATINI Uganda noted that Developing Countries have been turned into hubs for Foreign Direct Investment “FDI importers” while FDIs extract raw materials from the low developed countries which are taken to their home markers, add value and export them back to the low developing countries at a higher price. The presentation also clear revealed that FDI has increased because of the way it has been promoted in our countries.
Ms. Agnes Kirabo noted that the Constitution of Uganda acknowledges that land belongs to the citizens of Uganda. However, many of the citizens have lost their land.
Ms Agnes also made an observation that cases to do with land are not prioritized and, in many instances, people have died without receiving the need justice. She was very concerned on “How do we make sure that cases on land are had fastened than other cases such as celebrity marriage cases.”
Ms Pheona Nabasa Wall, President Uganda Law Society noted the need to ensure that we have human rights regulations for the investment code. She underscored the need to strengthen public policy to ensure that the activities of companies do not contribute to human rights abuses is very critical. She stated that in order to ensure this, critical policy makers and institutions need to be engaged. Among the critical ones is the judiciary because in some instances, they are influenced to pass judgements to evict people from land.
Furthermore, she stated that that in Uganda, we have failed to protect and respect human rights. It was important that as CSOs, we need to enlarge our territory. It was noted that its high time we engage The Attorney-General’s officer, the minister of justice so that they can make a difference. She also called upon stakeholders to share with the Chief Justice and advise him on were to allocate the newly appointed judges.
