(Kotido). The 45th session of the Karamoja Regional Protection Meeting (KRPM) took place on 4 November 2021 in Kotido District to discuss among others, the human rights situation in the sub region.
In his remarks, the OHCHR Country Representative, Mr Robert Kotchani highlighted the continued role played by the UN agencies in the protection and protection of human rights in the Karamoja region. Mr. Kotchani said that OHCHR provided financial and technical support for 45 regional protection meetings rotated across the districts of the sub-region.
The 3rd Division of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) in Moroto has charged soldiers who have been found to commit human rights violations in Karamoja. In November 2021, at least 22 soldiers were in detention awaiting to appear before the court-martial for their involvement in various human rights violations. He re-assured the meeting of uninterrupted access to UHRC and OHCHR to inspection detention facilities by the army and police and of unfettered cooperation from the UPDF on human rights matters.
The Karamoja Regional Protection Meetings (KRPM) are a form of a local peer review mechanism enabling protection actors to discuss and assess the human rights situation and concerns in the Karamoja sub-region. The meetings enhance the capacity of government institutions and the Civil Society to report and provide timely and appropriate interventions in support of victims of human rights violations, including access to timely redress. The meetings are also a gradual measure to enable District Local Governments and the Justice, Law and Order Sector (JLOS) institutions to institutionalize the mechanisms into their annual plans.
Since the departure of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs - OCHA from Karamoja in 2010, OHCHR has provided leadership, coordination, and secretarial functions to the Working Group, together with UNICEF, UN Women, and UNFPA.”