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Elevate Your Legal Skills: Why You Should Start Mooting Today!

It is no coincidence that I begin this article by recalling the words of one of my lecturers during a conversation we had after his successful completion of a Post-Graduate Diploma at the Law Development Centre. My name is Tumwesige Jay, with “Ateenyi” as my “empaako,for those unfamiliar, empaako is a cultural naming tradition, and mine is a clear indication of my roots in Tooro. However, for the past 15 years, I have been immersed in the vibrant, bustling life of Kampala. I am currently pursuing a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) at Uganda Pentecostal University in Kampala.

The concept of mooting is well-known within the legal community, familiar to lawyers, advocates, judges, and other professionals. However, as a first-year law student, I found the term entirely foreign. One of the most embarrassing moments of my life was when someone mentioned it and it was something i had never heard before. In retrospect, I do not blame myself; at least, I learnt about mooting and eventually participated, which helped me understand the concept of mooting. Unlike a lawyer or advocate who may have gone through law school without engaging in moots, I now consider myself fortunate to have that experience. According to Black’s Law Dictionary[1], a Moot Court is a fictitious court held usually in law schools to argue moot or hypothetical cases. As the definition suggests, students are presented with fictitious facts, which they research before drafting submissions that are later presented as their arguments in court. Through this process, students replicate what occurs in the Courts of Law as they go about their business of dispensing justice.

Guided by Court decorum and professional etiquette, students proceed to make out their case under the guidance of judicial officers before whom they appear. One may ask, but what is the import of all this? Well, I’ve got you covered! The learned author and lecturer from Deakin University – Mr. Christopher Kee in his guiding material on mooting[2] at page 4, lists a few reasons why it is important for law students to moot. At the top of his list is job opportunities. According to Mr. Kee, participating in international moots can be a significant boost to your resume. While his perspective is international, it is important not to overlook the impact of local competitions, which also play a crucial role in creating job opportunities. To dispel any doubt, I am a living example, my experience with CEHURD stands as a testament to how mooting has shaped my career.

Teamwork is another important skill highlighted by Mr. Kee. He emphasizes the importance of learning how to work effectively in a team that you did not choose. This is something that is not always easy but is invaluable for one’s future career because employers hold this kind of experience in high regard. Mooting also involves intensive training, as students prepare repeatedly, nurturing skills that will serve not only in law school but throughout their professional lives. Lastly, international travel is a perk that comes with some moot competitions, although it speaks for itself, all these opportunities are available to students who choose to engage in mooting.

Not far away from my senior’s submission, on my part, I hold the view that the most critical aspect of mooting is that it equips students with a practical understanding of court processes. My argument stems from the fact that, during law school, we often become deeply entrenched in the theoretical analysis of the law, without gaining a clear picture of its practical application. From the first year through to the fourth, we are constantly engaged in theoretical discussions even in essential subjects like Criminal Procedure and Civil Procedure. Schools are hesitant to help and/or introduce practical sessions where students can be taken through hands-on experience of the Law. This is a threat since we end up giving birth to theoretical lawyers and advocates whereas, the community would best appreciate lawyers and advocates that are well rooted in both. I should not be misunderstood to mean that we give up on theory, no, but rather if we could have a blend of both, it would be great. On top of what a student has learnt theoretically, spice them up with the practice as well.  No wonder, there are times when stories of advocates make headlines in newspapers over litigation in Court. Moot court competitions condense years of academic study into practical, real-world experience within just one week, so to speak. Moot competitions enhance one’s drafting skills which skills like drafting are reserved for the Post Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice offered at the Law Development Centre. This presents an opportunity for students to embrace and better their drafting skills.

Oratory skills is another invaluable benefit gained from participating in mooting. How about composure while in Court? Have you ever wondered why those impeccably dressed men and women in suits and robes seem to panic when it’s their first time to moot? I speak from personal experience; during your first moot, the moment their Lordships instruct the clerk to call out the case file especially in a criminal law moot, is the moment you suddenly remember all the cases you did not read! A rush of thoughts floods your mind, and before you know it, you hear the judge’s voice asking, “State, why are we here?” It’s a nerve-wracking experience at first, but as time passes, the old adage rings true, practice makes perfect. Eventually, even if you’re ambushed, you can step up confidently and argue your case.

While the beginning is always intimidating, the results of consistent mooting are worth the effort. You gain practical experience in drafting documents, making oral arguments and developing persuasive skills. Additionally, mooting teaches you courtroom decorum, builds your composure under pressure and helps you expand your network because, in today’s world, your network is indeed your net worth. The lack of these essential skills has deprived many senior counsel of true satisfaction in their practice and on tough days, some have even left the courtroom embarrassed. Mooting provides a strong foundation that helps avoid such pitfalls and equips you for a successful career in law.

The purpose of this article is to share my journey and experiences from last year’s CEHURD 10th Annual Constitutional Law Moot Court Competition and I hope that it inspires my colleagues who are still striving in the legal field, as well as those considering law as their career path.

In October 2023, I, along with my colleague Mr. Kigozi Herbert, had the honour of representing our university in the 10th Annual Constitutional Law Moot Court Competition organized by the Center for Health, Human Rights and Development (CEHURD).

Center for Health, Human Rights and Development is a renowned non-profit research and advocacy organization which is pioneering the justiciability of the right to health. CEHURD’s constitutional law moot competitions are anchored on creating awareness to the general public that Article 45 of Uganda’s Constitution[3] is an extensional provision of other rights that aren’t explicitly catered for under Chapter 4. The constitutional provision is couched in a language that guarantees full realization of other rights not explicitly mentioned under the Constitution which buttresses the fact that their realization is not moot in Uganda’s legal landscape. Some of these rights include the right to health attendant thereto is Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, Comprehensive Sexuality Education among other rights. CEHURD has had to institute suits against the Attorney General of Uganda pursuant to Article 250[4] in a bid to hold the government accountable over allegations of gross violation of these rights. In effect, the realization, promotion and full enjoyment of these rights has been through a tunnel of court decisions that CEHURD has won. It is through its commitment that we can now mount platforms and discuss these rights. Moot court cases have been one of its strategies through which though hypothetical in nature, brilliant students of law have shown potential in articulating legal principles to bring out the gist of the point that there’s a gap in Uganda’s systems towards the full enjoyment of these rights.

As CEHURD marked 10 years of organizing the Annual National Inter-University Constitutional Law Moot competition, Uganda Pentecostal University – Kampala campus went bare knuckles with Cavendish University in the final rounds at Hotel Africana. These rounds were presided over by distinguished justices of the Supreme Court of Uganda who amongst others included His Lordship the Hon. Justice Mike Chibita, Hon. Justice Flavian Zeija, the Principal Judge among others. Being a competition, Cavendish University emerged the winner and walked away as the champions of the 10th Annual Inter-University Constitutional Law Moot Court Competition while my university emerged as the 1st Runner’s up.

I cannot help but proudly reflect on my own success, how could I not? After careful individual assessment, the Lordships of the Supreme Court announced me as the Overall Best Oralist of the competition. Now, let me explain what that means. CEHURD has a standing offer for internship placement for the overall best oralist at the moot competition. I emerged as the Best Oralist and I was awarded an internship placement at CEHURD. Since I was in my third year and about to embark on a three-months holiday, I eagerly anticipated joining the organization to claim what I believed was rightfully mine. The Human Resource Manager kept me updated throughout the whole process, confirming that my internship placement was secured.

As the saying goes, “If you hang around the barbershop long enough, you will eventually get a haircut.” On the morning of 28th June 2024, at around 9:15 AM, I received a phone call from CEHURD asking me if I was ready to start my internship the next day. I excitedly responded that I could even begin immediately!

Well, I joined the organization and started on my assignments as handed over to me by my supervisor. My greatest experience while at the organization was my engagement in community work. During our community engagements, we travelled to distant districts of the country to conduct mobile legal aid clinics. I alongside other CEHURD staff were constantly in the field sensitizing community members on their rights in areas such as Health and the Law, Health and Human Rights, the Law of Succession, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, referral pathway for cases of Gender Based Violence. We received and documented several cases of human rights violations both criminal and civil in nature. We supported clients to access justice through the referral pathways, mediating and settling some of the civil complaints and enhancing harmony in families and communities. This was done in partnership with officers from Uganda Police, area Courts of Law, Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) and other duty bearers in the districts where we carried out interventions.

Having spent ample time with CEHURD, I did not remain the same. Here are the key pointers that I can share with you.

  • I can boldly state and maintain that at the moment, I have an idea and knowledge on how legal aid clinics are conducted in communities. This is because I was given an opportunity to engage in a number of them and through these engagements, I enhanced my knowledge in this area. Participating in legal aid clinics did not leave me the same and you can trust my word when I say that I was renewed each time I participated in a legal aid clinic because of the diversity in culture, cases registered and interactions with different community members.
  • Entry points in a district; through these engagements, I was able to learn which offices and duty bearers are key for engagements in each district. These key entry points largely determine the success of an organization’s implementation in each district. The organization’s community-based work taught me this and I am very grateful that CEHURD kept engaging me in these outreaches.
  • I cannot keep this to myself; it takes boldness to admit, but I will share it because it may encourage someone out there. Perhaps, when your time comes, you’ll remember this moment. When I joined CEHURD, I had little to no knowledge of how to compose a professional email. Yes, you read that right! I did not know to write a professional email. Now, before you laugh, ask yourself honestly: do you know how to write even one professional email sentence? Well, here is what happened on one of my early days of internship. My Manager and Supervisor asked me, Ateenyi, kindly draft an email.” I don’t recall the exact subject, but she specifically requested that I generate at least two emails. Naturally, I summoned all my courage, drafted two possibly three emails, and sent them to her.

She took time to consider them but finally did and one afternoon after lunch she walked into office, came to my desk and told me But Ateenyi, when I told you to generate emails on the subject matter, I did not tell you to send me an email similar to the ones you send to your classmates at the university. I hastily inquired how those looked like, and she requested me to open my email on my computer and refer to the emails I had sent her. I did this and she requested me to generate an email and that she was going to compose with me for learning purposes. I initiated an email, writing about 3 sentences as she watched and got it wrong because she requested me to erase what I had written saying; “Ateenyi, kindly erase what you have written and let us re-write this email together’. She then humbly led me through the process of writing a professional email right from the email subject, body of the email, spacing to the conclusion. After coming up with that email together, she asked me to send it to myself to act as a benchmark for future emails to be written. She then asked me to look at the email and comment on how it looked, and I confirmed that it looked good and was well organized. She then requested me to re-do all the emails I had sent being mindful of the professional look that they ought to bear. As I speak and write now, I can efficiently and effectively communicate through email because of my supervisor’s professional guidance and support. Perhaps, it has become my main medium of communication because I can confidently generate a professional email, something I was not able to do before I joined CEHURD.

CEHURD is a grooming place, and it is the right place for people that are receptive, accommodative and ready to learn. Are you passionate about getting professional with your life and career, while at your place of work? CEHURD is the right place to be.

  • One of the most valuable lessons I walked away with from my time at CEHURD is the importance of timeliness. Keeping time and executing tasks within given timelines fosters organization, and I quickly learned that being organized is the key to success. I saw firsthand how requisitions that did not comply with the set procedure and guidelines were dismissed and had to be redone before approval. CEHURD gave me a real taste of how life operates beyond university, and because of that, I can confidently say I am ready to face whatever comes my way. Having experienced a professional and efficient working environment, I feel prepared to do the same when my turn comes.
  • Another crucial takeaway was the significance of feedback. At CEHURD, communication was highly valued, and I came to understand just how essential feedback is in today’s world. It can be the deciding factor between staying in business or closing shop. I used to overlook the importance of feedback, but my time at CEHURD shifted my perspective. Now, I see its relevance not only in business but in life too.
  • One of the most rewarding lessons was learning how to take instructions from clients. Although my time at CEHURD was brief, I quickly realized that as law students, we are already considered part of the legal profession, and we must take things seriously. Working in the Strategic Litigation Programme at CEHURD, I had the opportunity to sit in on client interviews, listen to narrations from the clients and help shape those narratives into legal actions we could file in court. This experience allowed me to grasp a process I had long desired to understand; how lawyers listen to clients, unravel the details of their stories/complaints, and find the legal issues that form the basis of their cases. Thanks to CEHURD, I learned in just a few months what might have taken me years to experience. I also discovered the art of asking the right questions to help clients clearly articulate their legal problems, a skill I now hold dear.

As I conclude, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the entire CEHURD team for welcoming me so warmly during my internship. Every department and programme was, and continues to be, incredibly receptive, making me feel at home. A special thank you to the Strategic Litigation Programme that taught me, gave me platforms and allowed me to learn by engaging me in the various programme and institutional activities. Thank you to the Senior Management Team at CEHURD for the internship placement offer that is given to the best moot oralist because it is indeed a life changing experience. To the friends I made at CEHURD, I will always cherish you and you will always remain part of my life.

 I look forward to meeting you all again soon.

[1] 8th edition at 3192 by Bryan A. Garner as the Editor in- Chief

[2] The art of Argument, a guide to mooting Cambridge University Press

[3] 1995 (as amended)

[4] Ibid

Press Statement on the Alleged Sexual Abuse of a 14-Year-Old Girl by a Step Father

Uganda continues to wrestle with alarmingly high rates of sexual abuse, particularly against young girls. Recent statistics indicate a sharp rise in reported cases, with countless more going unreported due to fear, stigma, and lack of access to justice. The case of a 14-year-old girl allegedly abused by her stepfather highlights the urgent need for a collective response to SGBV.

In response, Center for Health, Human Rights and Development (CEHURD), the Islamic Women’s Initiative for Justice, Law & Peace (IWILAP), the Muslim Women Lawyers Alliance (MWOLA), the Muslim Female Lawyers Network on Abortion, and the Uganda Association of Women Lawyers (FIDA-Uganda), convened a press conference to address this incident on Tuesday, 15th October 2024, offering solidarity and support to the survivor and her family. The coalition is committed to ensuring that the survivor’s voice is amplified and her rights upheld.

Download Press Statement; PRESS STATEMENT ON SEXUAL ABUSE OF 14 YEAR OLD GIRL 2 OCTOBER 2024 Final final (1)

Progressive Jurisprudence on Reproductive Justice in Latin America: Lessons from the landmark decision of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights in the case of Beatriz v. El Salvador, 2013

By Seth Nimwesiga | Policy an Advocacy Lawyer | CEHURD

Introduction 

In 2013, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) took the unprecedented step of ordering El Salvador to allow a therapeutic abortion for a woman known as Beatriz, who faced serious health risks from a nonviable pregnancy.1  Beatriz petitioned the IACHR after El Salvador repeatedly denied her requests for the medically necessary procedure under the country’s absolute criminalisation of abortion (IACHR, 2013).The IACHR’s provisional measures represented the first time an international human rights body, intervening to require a state to guarantee access to safe and legal abortion care where it was legally prohibited (IACHR, 2013).   

Although El Salvador did not comply until the last possible moment, the IACHR’s decision set a vital precedent for upholding reproductive rights and exposed the human costs of El Salvador’s extreme abortion ban (Human Rights Watch, 2023). The Beatriz case demonstrated how absolute abortion bans violate international legal protections for women’s lives, health, and freedom from cruel and degrading treatment.  It established that regional human rights bodies can override regressive domestic laws to protect reproductive rights (Human Rights Watch, 2023). Through the provisional measures, the IACHR compelled El Salvador to acknowledge that Beatriz’s rights and well-being took priority over a rigid enforcement of unjust abortion restrictions. 

This article analyses the significance of the unprecedented intervention by the IACHR in Beatriz v. El Salvador as an influential milestone for advancing safe abortion access and reproductive justice in Latin America.  The case created momentum for challenging other states’ restrictive laws and signalled that regional bodies may step in where domestic policies contravene human rights.  

Background to the Beatriz’ Case  

In 2013, Beatriz, a 22-year-old woman living in poverty in El Salvador, was diagnosed as suffering from lupus and kidney disease while pregnant with her second child (IACHR, 2013).  Doctors determined her pregnancy was high-risk and the foetus had a fatal anomaly, anencephaly, meaning it was not likely to survive outside the womb (IACHR, 2013). They warned Beatriz that continuing the pregnancy endangered her health and life. Despite the medical risks, Beatriz’s requests through the country’s legal system for a therapeutic abortion were denied at multiple levels. It is important to note that El Salvador has one of the strictest abortion laws in the world. 

Article 1 of El Salvador’s Constitution recognizes rights to life “from the moment of conception” (Constitution of the Republic of El Salvador, 1983).  Their Penal Code prescribes up to eight years imprisonment for women who induce abortions and for doctors who assist them (Penal Code of El Salvador, 1997, Art. 135).  Beatriz filed a writ of Amparo, arguing the abortion ban violated her constitutional rights to life and health.  However, the Supreme Court ruled against her in May 2013, refusing to make an exception (IACHR, 2013).  With no remaining domestic options, Beatriz’s lawyers appealed to the IACHR to intervene. 

IACHR Provisional Measures 

With Beatriz facing severe risks to her life and health if forced to continue the pregnancy, her lawyers petitioned the IACHR to grant emergency protection. On May 29, 2013, the IACHR issued provisional measures urging El Salvador to “adopt the necessary measures to ensure the protection of Beatriz’s right to life, personal integrity and health” (IACHR, 2013).  This included providing medical treatment and allowing termination of the pregnancy (IACHR, 2013).    

Under Article 25 of the IACHR Rules of Procedure (2009), the Commission can request states to protect individuals facing grave and urgent harm to their human rights.  The IACHR found Beatriz’s situation met the requirements for provisional measures (IACHR, 2013).  It emphasized the risks to her mental and physical health and the inefficacy of El Salvador’s abortion law in protecting a nonviable foetus. The IACHR ordered prenatal treatment along with ending the pregnancy within 72 hours (IACHR, 2013). 

Initially, El Salvador refused to comply, despite international pressure (Human Rights Watch, 2023).  But as Beatriz’s health deteriorated further, the government allowed her to undergo an emergency C-section on June 3, 2013, nearly at the point of renal failure (Human Rights Watch, 2023).  The 27-week anencephalic foetus died within hours. The IACHR’s action compelled El Salvador to prioritize Beatriz’s rights over rigid adherence to unjust laws.  

Importance for International Human Rights Law 

The Beatriz case highlights the severe human rights impacts of abortion bans and the need for evolving legal standards around reproductive rights globally. Laws like El Salvador’s conflict with international treaties protecting women’s lives, health, privacy, and human dignity. The IACHR’s intervention reaffirmed the duties of states to reform restrictive abortion policies that jeopardize women’s rights and well-being. Although domestic sentiment may still favour abortion restrictions in some regions, bodies like the IACHR affirm the primacy of women’s rights over ideological opposition or customary prohibitions. 

The case also demonstrated how blanket abortion bans disproportionately endanger poor and marginalized women alternatives to protecting their rights.  Wealthy women can often evade restrictions by travelling abroad while denial of abortion access harms and stigmatizes disadvantaged groups (Amnesty International, 2014). Liberalizing abortion laws remains essential to the protection of the human rights of all women regardless of socioeconomic status. 

Suggestions for Further Action 

The Beatriz case deserves more global attention and advocacy to catalyse reform of abortion laws contravening human rights standards.  International and regional courts should continue issuing decisions upholding reproductive rights over regressive domestic bans.  Activists must publicize the harrowing consequences of denial of safe abortion and the problem of life-threatening illegal abortions where legal care is banned.  Litigation strategies like Beatriz’s writ of Amparo can challenge abortion restrictions through domestic courts as well.   

Global human rights bodies should also intensify monitoring and pressure on states with harsh abortion laws like El Salvador. Linked aid and trade policies can incentivize legal reform. With persistent activism and leverage of regional and international oversight mechanisms, progress is possible despite deeply engrained opposition to liberalizing safe and legal abortion. The Beatriz case provides a model of multi-level advocacy impacting national policies.  Continued strategic pressure grounded in human rights has the potential to incrementally alleviate abortion restrictions and build regional norms affirming reproductive justice. 

Conclusion 

The IACHR’s unprecedented intervention in Beatriz v. El Salvador represented a landmark moment for the recognition and protection of reproductive rights in Latin America.  The Commission’s provisional measures compelled El Salvador to provide Beatriz with life-saving abortion care despite the country’s complete legal prohibition.  This established that international human rights law can override regressive domestic abortion restrictions when women’s lives and health are endangered.  

The Beatriz case exposed the devastating impacts of abortion criminalization on disadvantaged women and reaffirmed states’ obligations to reform laws contravening women’s rights.  It created momentum for liberalising restrictive abortion policies regionally and globally based on evolving human rights standards.  The IACHR’s willingness to intervene against El Salvador’s ban set a vital precedent for international bodies to counteract domestic abortion restrictions on grounds of women’s dignity and wellbeing.  

The case merits greater global attention and advocacy as a model for challenging other states’ restrictive abortion laws through domestic and international litigation grounded in human rights protections.  With continued strategic pressure, the progress exemplified by the Beatriz case can lead to alleviating inhumane restrictions safe abortion worldwide.  The evolution of international legal norms affirming reproductive rights over ideology or custom remains imperative for protecting women’s lives, health and human dignity. 

 

References 

Amnesty International. (2014). El Salvador: On the brink of death: Violence against women and the abortion ban in El Salvador. Amnesty International. 

Constitution of the Republic of El Salvador. (1983). Article 1.  

Human Rights Watch. (2023). El Salvador: Court Hears Case on Total Abortion Ban. Retrieved from https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/03/23/el-salvador-court-hears-case-total-abortion-ban on 31 October 2023.  

IACHR Rules of Procedure. (2009). Article 25.  

Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. (2013). PM 260/13 – Beatriz, El Salvador.  

Penal Code of El Salvador. (1997). Articles 133-137.   

Bringing Healthcare to the Margins through Reaching Other Vulnerable Populations (OVPs) in Kaberamaido, Soroti, Serere, Dokolo, Apac, and Amolatar Uganda

– Prepared by Jemimmah Adipa | CEHURD

In the quest for universal health coverage, addressing the distinct health needs of vulnerable and underserved populations remains essential. In Uganda, groups such as fisherfolk, truck drivers, and persons with disabilities (PWDs) face significant health challenges, particularly related to HIV, tuberculosis (TB), and malaria. These communities often experience barriers to accessing vital health services due to their mobility, geographical isolation, social stigma, and limited awareness. 

Recognizing these challenges, CEHURD with support from The AIDS Support Organization (TASO-Ugnda), spearheaded a series of targeted hotspot mapping and community outreach initiatives across six districts—Kaberamaido, Soroti, Serere, Dokolo, Apac, and Amolatar. These efforts aimed to bring much-needed health services directly to these vulnerable populations. 

A central element of the initiative was hotspot mapping, supported by local health facilities and community leaders. This strategy was crucial to ensuring that health services reached the right people at the right time. For mobile populations like fisherfolk and truck drivers, traditional, fixed-location health services often fall short of meeting their needs. By identifying high-risk areas—such as landing sites, truck stopovers, and PWD communities—the outreach teams could focus on the locations most in need. This data-driven, targeted approach helped maximize the impact of limited resources. 

The outreach activities had a profound effect on the vulnerable populations in these districts. Hundreds of fisherfolk, truck drivers, PWDs, and others received integrated health services, including HIV testing, TB screening, malaria diagnosis, antenatal care (ANC), and health education. Those who tested positive for HIV were quickly linked to care, while individuals diagnosed with TB or malaria received immediate treatment or were referred to local health facilities. Additional services, such as family planning, immunizations, and STI screenings, were also integrated into the outreach depending on community needs and the availability of resources at health centers. 

These outreach efforts not only improved health outcomes but also increased access to essential services and raised health awareness among these vulnerable communities. However, the long-term success of this initiative hinges on the sustainability of such efforts. Regular outreaches will be critical to ensuring that key populations—like fisherfolk, truck drivers, and PWDs—continue to receive the care they need. 

Sustaining these efforts will require ongoing investment to ensure services remain responsive to the evolving needs of these communities. Effective collaboration between government health systems, local health facilities, and community-based organizations will be essential to streamlining service delivery and ensuring that resources are allocated efficiently and effectively. 

One of the standout successes of these outreach initiatives was the integration of various health services using the test and treat approach, offering HIV, TB, malaria, family planning, antenatal care, sexual and reproductive health (SRH), and immunization as a single package. This holistic approach maximized service uptake, addressed multiple health needs simultaneously, and strengthened the relationship between communities and formal healthcare systems. This is a vital step toward reducing the burden of disease and achieving universal health coverage. 

The writer is a Community Led Monitoring Officer in the Community Empowerment programme at CEHURD 

A Triumph of Justice and Support in Kaliro District, Uganda

– Compiled by Johnson Komagum and Matthew Mwidu – CEHURD

Case file Reference Number: KLIRO059/07/2024. A 50-year-old woman and grandmother residing with her three young grandchildren in Buwologoma LCI, Nansololo Sub-County, Kaliro District. She separated from her husband’s family due to stigma and domestic violence. 

In a compelling case of resilience and hope, the Center for Health, Human Rights and Development (CEHURD) Legal Aid Clinic, with support from The AIDS Support Organization (TASO-Uganda), has significantly transformed the life of a woman in distress who was previously marginalized and struggled to support her young grandchildren following her failure to access her inheritance from her late father’s estate.  

 This denial and violation of her rights was perpetrated by her uncle (a brother to her late father). Despite the fact that she had hope that her own brothers and family would support her, they discriminated and sidelined her causing her untold pain and distress. Her plight was further exacerbated by the lack of support from the local area leaders and law enforcement agencies, leaving her in a seemingly hopeless situation. 

 Upon turning to CEHURD for assistance, her case was met with empathy and determination. CEHURD’s Legal Aid Clinic conducted in July 2024 provided crucial support, helping her navigate the legal system and push for justice. After persistent efforts, including follow-ups with police and family elders, her late father’s estate was divided among his three children, ensuring that she received her rightful share. Despite this progress, her plight still continued upon discovering that part of her inheritance had been leased to a sugarcane farmer. CEHURD continued to support by advising her on eviction procedures and facilitating a resolution.  

 Additionally, CEHURD’s engagement extended to addressing her health concerns. The client, who is HIV positive, had previously hesitated to seek treatment due to stigma. With CEHURD’s intervention, she was connected with local health workers (Village Health Team members) for counseling and support, facilitating her access to necessary medical care. This case highlights not only the challenges faced by women in similar situations but also the profound impact of targeted legal and health support. CEHURD’s comprehensive approach not only restored her access to her late father’s estate but also ensured her health and well-being were addressed, marking a significant victory in her journey towards justice and social stability.