The Center for Health, Human Rights and Development (CEHURD) is currently implimenting a 12 month project funded by KIOS on intellectual property and human rights. The program seeks to build the capacity of journalists from the mainstream media with interest in reporting on the ongoing reforms in intellectual property laws in Uganda and elsewhere.
Intellectual Property and Human Rights – Uganda
The IP and commercial law reform process is both an opportunity and challenge; an opportunity to promote technological progress while also protecting human rights, but also a challenge because of an unhealthy combination of lack of sufficient knowledge at the population level and a weak negotiating position vis-à-vis other countries and negotiating blocs.
The current laws and draft laws are not even taking advantage of the limited opportunities available through the TRIPS flexibilities, and a lot is at stake, including public health, food security and education. How well media influences the ongoing reform process will depend, among other things to their own capacity to understand, interpret and inform their audiences about all important developments in the IP and commercial law reform process.
Download Full Report here: Intellectual Property Rights and Human Rights
CEHURD files constitutional petition NO. 16 of 2011
CEHURD was able to file the constitutional petition which seeks to secure among others a Declaration that non provision of essential maternal health commodities in a government health faculties leading to the death of these persons is an infringement on the rights to life and health. The court is set to hear the petition on 20th July 2011
About CEHURD
The Center for Health, Human Rights and Development (CEHURD) is an indigenous, non-profit, research and advocacy organization which is pioneering the justiciability of the right to health in the East Africa Region. CEHURD realizes this through a comprehensive set of programs including a public health law resource center; litigation, both strategic and pro-bono representation; research, analysis and publications; capacity building; and public policy.
CEHURD concentrates its efforts on vulnerable populations and critical issues affecting the health systems in the region such as women, children, orphans, sexual minorities, HIV/AIDs, persons with disabilities, refugee populations, and issues surrounding trade and health and medical ethics.
CEHURD’s mission is to work towards an effective, equitable, people centered public health system that ensures the full realization of the right to health and promotes respect for human rights in health care policy and practices. Our vision is to realize social justice in these systems in East African Region
Organizational description
CEHURD is a non-profit research and advocacy organisation. CEHURD was founded to contribute towards ensuring that public health laws are used as principle tools for the promotion and protection of public health of the vulnerable populations in Uganda and in the East African region.