Political

On the political side, key issues tackled include human rights, good governance and anti-corruption, democratisation, elections, conflict resolution, and the rule of law. Support to advance these issues in Uganda is provided to civil society organisations and key governmental and independent institutions through direct programmatic funding and coordination with other development partners to ensure a coherent approach to development in this field. The Section also acts as a bridge between the EU and local partners in Uganda for the practical implementation of EU policies such as the range of EU guidelines on human rights.

Funding Programmes

European Development Fund (EDF)
9th EDF – The 9th EDF, running from 2007-2011, is currently drawing to a close. In Uganda it consisted of four components, the EUR 7 million Human Rights and Good Governance Programme (HRGGP), end date 31 December 2010, the EUR 10 million Support to Decentralisation Programme (SDP), end date 31 December 2010, the EUR 7.9 million Civil Society Capacity Building Programme (CSCBP), which ended in December 2008 and the EUR 1.95 million Commercial Justice Reform Programme, which ended in December 2008. In respect to the two components which are still being implemented: the HRGGP supports projects enhancing the respect for human rights in justice and law and order institutions as well as grass roots projects, through civil society organisations, aimed at improving good governance and human rights across the country. Through the SDP, support was provided to projects focussing on accountability and effective access to services at local level through grass roots civil society organisations and key institutions in the decentralisation process in Uganda.

10th EDF – The 10th EDF, running from 2009-2013, consists of one major component, the 12 million EUR Democratic Governance and Accountability Programme (DGAP) and comprises both democratic and social accountability aspects. The aims of the DGAP are to help civil society and media organisations to build their capacities to be effective advocates and monitors of good governance and social justice while also improving institutional capacity in government to engage in dialogue on key accountability issues at national and local level. Support to the process of developing an effective and accountable multi-party democracy in Uganda is at the heart of the programme including programmes around forthcoming elections. The programme builds on the experiences and achievements of the 9th EDF Programmes but with a strategic focus on accountability.

Information on new calls for proposals under the 10th EDF DGAP can be found at: http://www.deluga.ec.europa.eu/en/whatsnew/index.htm

European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR)
The EIDHR is a European Union programme that aims to promote and support human rights and democracy all over the world, including Uganda. The programme supports non-governmental organisations' (NGO's) activities in specific human rights issues selected on the basis of both local and global calls for proposals.

More information and the latest news on EIDHR calls for proposals can be found at: http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/how/finance/eidhr_en.htm

European Instrument for Stability (IfS)
The IfS is a strategic tool designed to address a number of global security and development challenges in complement to geographic instruments. The long term component of the IfS has three main priorities - fighting and protecting against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction; strengthening response capacities of non-EU member countries to cross-border threats such as terrorism and organized crime, including the illicit trafficking of weapons, drugs and human beings; and enhancing pre- and post-crisis preparedness capacity building.
More information and the latest news on IfS calls for proposals can be found at: http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/how/finance/ifs_en.htm

Related Policies
The European Union has developed a number of human rights guidelines which provide a strong framework for the activities of the EU and its Member States in third countries, including Uganda. The EU guidelines are not legally binding, but because they have all been adopted at ministerial level, the guidelines represent a strong political signal that these are priorities for the Union. These guidelines are practical tools to help EU representations in the field better advance our Human Rights policy:
1. Death penalty
2. Torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
3. Human Rights dialogues with third countries
4. Children and armed conflict
5. Human Rights Defenders
6. Promotion and Protection of the Rights of the Child
7. Violence against Women and Girls and combating all forms of discrimination against them
8. International Humanitarian Law