UN’s Human Rights Mission in Kampala to Close as Uganda Ends Mandate.
After 18 years of operation in Kampala, the UN’s human rights mission is set to close on Saturday as the Ugandan government terminates its mandate. The sub-offices in Gulu and Moroto, located in northern Uganda, have already ceased their operations.
This development comes in the wake of Uganda enacting some of the world’s strictest anti-LGBT laws, despite advice from local and international rights groups, including the UN.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, expressed concern and urged the government to ensure the effective and independent functioning of Uganda’s national human rights body. The latter is essential as the primary institution tasked with human rights oversight in the country.
Mr. Türk highlighted that a significant number of 54 NGOs, which were suspended arbitrarily in 2021, remain closed. Additionally, Uganda’s amended computer misuse law poses a potential threat to freedom of expression.
Looking ahead, the run-up to the 2026 elections raises further concerns. Human rights defenders, civil society actors, and journalists in Uganda face an increasingly hostile environment, as stated by Mr. Türk.
In explaining its decision to end the UN’s human rights office’s mandate earlier this year, Uganda’s foreign ministry reassured the UN of its commitment to protecting and promoting human rights. They cited the presence of robust national human rights institutions and a vibrant civil society. Nonetheless, the closure of the UN’s human rights mission marks a significant development in the country’s human rights landscape.
