Uganda – UAB Institute for Human Rights Blog

International Peace Day vector poster background with pigeons and planet. (Source: Alamy Stock Vector)

Human Suffering at the World Trade Center Bombing -September 11, 2021

https://www.gettysburgflag.com/blog/iconic-911-flag/ — World Trade Bombing September 11, 200. A fireman stands amid rubble with a 911 flag on his helmet. (Source: Gettysburg Flag Works Blog )

On September 11^th, the world acknowledged the 22nd Commemoration to honor the loss of life of thousands of humans after the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York and also at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. on September 11, 2001. At all of these sites of tragedy, memorials, and monuments have been erected to honor the lives of the deceased, as a site of memory for the families left to mourn, and for the world to remember the human cost of the tragic violence and the urgent need for peace.

Human Suffering in September – Birmingham, Alabama- September 15, 1963

On September 15^th, the city of Birmingham, the 16th Street Baptist Church acknowledged the 60th year since a racially motivated terrorist attack by the Klu Klux Klan who bombed their church and left “four little girls” to die in the rubble.

Provided by CNN The family of Carole Robertson, a 14-year-old African American girl killed in a church bombing, attend graveside services for her, Sept. 17, 1963, Birmingham, Ala. Seated left to right: Carol Robertsons sister Dianne and parents, Mr. Alvin Robertson Sr. and Mrs. Alpha Robertson. The others are unidentified. (AP Photo/Horace Cort) - Horace Cort/AP — The family of Carole Robertson, a 14-year-old African American girl killed in a church bombing, attend graveside services for her, on Sept. 17, 1963, in Birmingham, Ala. Seated left to right: Carol Robertsons’ sister Dianne and parents, Mr. Alvin Robertson Sr. and Mrs. Alpha Robertson. The others are unidentified. (Source: CNN; AP Photo/Horace Cort)

https://www.al.com/news/birmingham/2014/09/scholarship_fund_in_honor_of_4.html — These four innocent girl children, pictured below, Denise McNair, Cynthia Wesley, Addie Mae Collins, and Carole Robertson, were killed in the bombing. (Source: Al.com)

Why do We Need an International Day of Peace?

“United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said, “Peace is needed today more than ever. War and conflict are unleashing devastation, poverty, and hunger, and driving tens of millions of people from their homes. Climate chaos is all around. And even peaceful countries are gripped by gaping inequalities and political polarization.”

Looking at our current political climate, there is unrest around the world from the war in Ukraine, the anti-gay laws of Uganda, to the racially motivated murder of three African Americans in Jacksonville, Florida. As humanity, our individual, collective and national peace humans are under threat.

Many humans are suffering under the umbrella of structural violence and actively fighting against oppressive, racist, homophobic, sexist, misogynist, classist, and religiously intolerant systems and regimes. Human rights are being violated and for many, peace feels like as author Langston Hughes would call it a “dream deferred.” Many would agree with Secretary Guterres that “…Peace is needed today…” and many more would argue that looking back through the historical record, peace has been needed for quite some time now.

Violence in Numbers

Beyond the devastation of the loss of life, according to National Today, since 2015 there has been $13.6 trillion dollars spent related to violence in 2015, 9,800 terrorism websites containing violent material, 11% of ceasefire agreements between 2015 and 2019, which included gender provisions, 15.9 million – the estimated number of people in Yemen’s population hit by the world’s worst food crisis, 135 million – the number of people in 2019 living with acute hunger, 60% of people struck with acute hunger living in conflict countries, 88 countries that had national action plans on women, peace, and security by October 2020, 417 policy measures enacted by national governments in response to the COVID-19 crisis and 408 million youth living in areas of armed conflict in 2016.

If we are to address the myriad of ways violence affects humanity, we must look at peace as a process, according to Peter Verbeek, Ph.D., associate professor and Graduate Program Director of the Master’s Program in the Anthropology of Peace and Human Rights in the UAB College of Arts and Sciences. Verbeek and co-editor Benjamin A. Peters state, “Peace is not a passive state but an active behavioral process that can and must be studied in science like any other behavior.”

September 21st is International Day of Peace or World Peace Day

So today, on September 21st, we acknowledge the need for peace through the commemoration of the International Day of Peace, also referred to as World Peace Day. Sanctioned by the United Nations in 1981 and observed annually on September 21st, this day is dedicated to world peace and the absence of war and violence and “might be occasioned by a temporary ceasefire in a combat zone for humanitarian aid access. It is commemorated by many nations, political groups, military groups, and people around the world.” Established through a resolution passed by the United Nations General Assembly, this resolution was sponsored by Costa Rica and the United Kingdom.

The Peace Bell

To inaugurate the day, the United Nations Peace Bell is rung at UN Headquarters in New York City. The bell was “…was a gift from the United Nations Association of Japan, as “a reminder of the human cost of war”; the inscription on its side reads, “Long live absolute world peace”.

2023 Theme-“Actions for Peace: Our Ambition for the #GlobalGoals”

This year’s theme highlights our individual and collective responsibility to ensure that peace is maintained. This call to action works to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and through attaining these goals, it is believed that peace will be acquired by all. To learn more about the SDG’s, watch this video: Do you know all 17 SDGs? – YouTube

IHR in Actions for Peace – May 2023

Mrs. Waltina Josephat, IHR Admin Assistant (Source: Photo by Chadra Pittman)

This past summer, May 4-6th 2023, UAB’s Institute for Human Rights partnered with the Rotary International and the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute for the International Peace Conference. Leaders from around the world came to Birmingham to present, share ideas, and learn effective ways to achieve peace. Tina Kempin-Reuter, Ph.D. Director of the IHR and Social Science and Justice Research (SJSR) spearheaded the way for UAB in this collaboration which brought together diverse communities working for human rights and peace efforts.

IHR Pictured with IPC Founders, Will and Carolyn Ratcliff, Rotary Club Members, Past and current UAB Anthropology of Peace and Human Rights with Graduate Director, Dr. Peter Verbeek, IHR staff and interns, and Dr. Rev. Bernice King. To learn more about IPC 2023, click here.

International Peace Conference 2023 Birmingham, Alabama. (Source: Photo by Chadra Pittman)

75th Year of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights & the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide

As we work towards peace and reconciling with our past, the year 2023 marks the 75th anniversaries of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide. We must work together to build paths to peace, eradicating systems of oppression and centering our shared humanity. With all the disturbances to our peace throughout human history, we must remember those who were slain, those who sacrificed, and honor those who fought a noble battle in the pursuit of freedom and justice.

In the words of Congressman John Lewis, “Not one of us can rest, be happy, be at home, be at peace with ourselves until we end hatred and division.” Let us work to end the division and hatred, work towards peace and pave a new way forward together.

For more information about the International Day of Peace, you can visit here.

UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, delivers his 100-day countdown to the International Day of Peace message. https://www.un.org/en/events/peaceday/100days.shtml

Uganda has a controversial history regarding its stance on homosexuality. In 2014, the country passed the Anti-Homosexuality Act, which imposed harsh penalties on individuals engaging in same-sex activity, including life imprisonment for “aggravated homosexuality.” The law also criminalized the promotion of homosexuality and made it a crime to not report homosexual activity to authorities. Recently, policymakers in Uganda have proposed new legislation that would prohibit even identifying as LGBTQ. Parliament passed the new bill in order to crack down on homosexual activities. Gay people living in Uganda face life in prison and even the death penalty. The proposed bill has been widely criticized by human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, as well as many countries around the world. The international community has called on Uganda to respect the human rights of LGBTQ individuals and to repeal the proposed legislation.

Criminalization of Homosexuality

Violations include “aggravated” homosexuality which involves gay sex with people under 18 years old or when a person is HIV positive, according to the law. The penalties are significantly steep resulting in death penalty. Failure to report homosexuality is a crime. As well as making merely identifying as gay illegal for the first time, friends, family and members of the community would have a duty to report individuals in same-sex relationships to the authorities. It bans media from publishing queer advocacy or promoting homosexuality. People found guilty of “grooming” children for purposes of engaging them in homosexual activities face life in prison. This can include discussing sexuality in classrooms or teaching about same sex relations in sexual education courses.

Impact on Society

The deeply regressive bill endangers gay people who live in Uganda and will have negative repercussions in society. The UN’s High Commissioner for Human Rights urged Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni not to sign the bill calling the Anti Homosexuality Bill 2023 “draconian”. The passing of this extremely discriminatory policy will result in families betraying their own, friends turning in friends, and communities turning their back on the LGBTQ. There will be severe psychological and mental effects for queer people in Uganda. They are condemned for simply existing. Legislation like this will only grow the anti-gay sentiment in Uganda making it much more difficult for change. The anti-gay bill will damage Uganda’s international reputation, leading to criticism from the international community and the potential for economic sanctions and aid cuts. The bill has been condemned by many western countries and organizations, including the United States and the United Nations. Overall, the anti-gay bill has had a devastating impact on Uganda’s LGBTQ community, civil society, and international reputation, and has further entrenched discrimination and violence against marginalized groups in the country.

What Can We Do

There are several strategies that can be employed to prevent anti-gay attitudes and actions in Uganda. To start, we must continue to support and organize with LGBTQ organizations in Uganda as well as globally. Education and awareness is key. Activists and advocacy groups can target awareness campaigns in schools, universities, and community centers. However, this is not possible without our continues support. NGOs to look into are Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG), the United Nations, and Human Rights Watch. The international community can exert pressure on the Ugandan government to promote LGBTQ+ rights and to repeal discriminatory laws. This can include diplomatic pressure, economic sanctions, and other measures. They can also foster support networks and safe spaces for LGBTQ+ individuals to provide them with a sense of community as well as a means of protection against discrimination and violence.

Tag: Uganda

Commemorating the International Day of Peace on September 21, 2023