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Posted on Categories Article, Featured

The Importance of Self-Care in Uganda

– Nadia Tedoldi Islam, CEHURD 

Self-care is not merely a trend; it is an essential component of personal health management in Uganda. In a nation where healthcare facilities are often overwhelmed, self-care empowers individuals to take control of their well-being. This proactive approach encompasses health promotion, disease prevention, and effective coping strategies for illnesses, regardless of the availability of healthcare providers.

The necessity of self-care in Uganda is underscored by the country’s high population growth rate, which places tremendous strain on the healthcare system. Long wait times and exorbitant out-of-pocket expenses have become commonplace. By adopting self-care practices—such as maintaining good hygiene, engaging in regular physical activity, practicing self-medication responsibly, and fostering mental health awareness—individuals can alleviate some of the pressure on healthcare resources while enhancing their overall health.

However, several barriers hinder effective self-care practices. A significant challenge is the lack of access to vital information and resources that facilitate self-care. Additionally, misconceptions surrounding self-care—especially regarding self-testing and treatment—can lead to hesitation or misuse of available tools.

To overcome these obstacles, enhancing health literacy is crucial. This can be achieved by educating communities about simple self-care practices, including home-based health monitoring, proper nutrition, and stress management techniques. Providing accessible resources such as instructional videos, mobile applications, and community health education sessions is essential to ensure that everyone, particularly the most vulnerable populations, can engage in effective self-care.

Focusing on self-care allows individuals to prevent diseases and manage their health proactively. It empowers them to lead healthier lives while contributing to the sustainability of the healthcare system. By prioritizing self-care education and resources, Uganda can cultivate a culture of health that benefits both individuals and the broader community.

Posted on Categories Article, Featured

Voices Silenced: Battling Inheritance Injustice for Women and PLHIV in Otuke District, Northern Uganda

– Compiled by Nakalembe Judith Suzan | CEHURD

In the heart of Northern Uganda’s Lango sub-region, Otuke District’s predominantly rural communities are grappling with severe challenges surrounding cultural practices, land inheritance, and access to justice. This is particularly true for women, elderly widows, and persons living with HIV (PLHIV), who face escalating violence and exclusion as their rights to inherit family property are systematically denied. 

Despite Uganda’s Constitution and Succession Law guaranteeing equal inheritance rights, deeply entrenched cultural norms in Otuke continue to marginalize these vulnerable groups. Widows, especially those whose husbands died from HIV-related illnesses, are often unjustly accused of infecting their spouses, leading to eviction from their homes and denial of inheritance. Jannifer, a widow in Orum Subcounty, recounts, “When my husband died of HIV, they said I was the one who killed him and threw me out of our home,” highlighting the cruel intersection of stigma and property rights violations. 

Women who have only daughters face similar injustices. Once their daughters are married, these women and their children are frequently disinherited. Juliet from Agwete Subcounty, forced off her land by a brother who claimed sole ownership, laments, “They tell us we no longer belong here,” emphasizing the systemic denial of property rights. 

Elderly widows suffer additional brutality. Grandsons often resort to violence, including rape and arson, to seize control of property, while childless elderly women are accused of witchcraft to justify their eviction. These inheritance violations targeting especially women, girls and persons living with HIV, stand in stark contrast to Uganda’s legal protections, which affirm that all children, regardless of gender, and widows are entitled to inheritance. 

The failure to enforce these laws has intensified the plight of women and PLHIV in Otuke District, perpetuating a cycle of marginalization and injustice. Access to justice is further complicated by the district’s limited judicial infrastructure. Otuke has only a Grade One Magistrate’s Court, which presents significant jurisdictions barriers for victims seeking legal redress  

CEHURD, supported by TASO and the Global Fund, is spearheading efforts to combat these injustices. By implementing robust legal education programs, raising community awareness, providing free legal aid, and advocating for effective law enforcement, CEHURD is challenging harmful cultural practices and striving to bridge gaps in legal protections. They are also addressing the challenge of court accessibility, helping victims navigate the complex legal system and overcome barriers to justice. 

These initiatives are crucial in empowering vulnerable groups to claim their rights and promote a more just and equitable society. However, without enhanced enforcement of existing laws and improved access to judicial services, women, girls, and PLHIV in Otuke District will continue to face severe discrimination and injustice, remaining at the mercy of discriminatory cultural practices that deny them their rightful place in society. 

Compiled by Nakalembe Judith Suzan, Center for Health, Human Rights, and Development, Community Empowerment Programme. 

Posted on Categories Article, Featured, News

Utilizing the Legal tool in advancing SRHR among young people in West Nile and Eastern Regions

– by CEHURD’s Community Empowerment Programme | Stand Up project – Oxfam

Teenage Pregnancy rates are still high in West Nile Region and these have come with many challenges among adolescent girls and young women in the region. With support from Oxfam-Uganda under the Stand UP project, CEHURD is employing different strategies to avert the situation in the two regions.

Among the strategies employed by CEHURD include; Utilizing the Legal tool in advancing access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) among the adolescents and young people. As such, CEHURD conducted consultation engagements with different stakeholders in the two regions with an aim of documenting insights and recommendations from community stakeholders, on possible remedies including development of By Laws and Ordinances to guide the advancement of SRHR among the communities.

CEHURD intends to work with the District Local Governments and revive the Education Ordinance as well as the Child Protection Ordinance in Arua and Namayingo respectively. The enactment of the Ordinances with effective implementation will help to mitigate challenges faced by young people among which include; child marriages, sexual gender-based violence, teenage pregnancies, child labour, and school drop outs. This will therefore lead to an increase in the enjoyment of SRHR among adolescent girls and young women in the two regions, particularly in light of the rising cases of early marriage and teenage pregnancies.

During the consultations, some of the key concerns were raised included the following;
1. Leaders expressed frustration over past ordinances that were not effectively enforced and hoped for the new ordinances to address the shortcomings of the earlier laws that were not effectively implemented due to budget constraints and lack of awareness among local leaders among other factors.

2. There was a strong focus on the rising cases of child marriages and SGBV with leaders highlighting the urgency to address these issues through the new ordinance.

3. The consultations stressed the importance of community engagement in developing, implementing and monitoring the ordinance to ensure it meets local needs and protects children’s rights.

4. The need for increased awareness strategies to educate the community about children’s rights, their responsibilities towards implementation and the implications of the ordinance were highlighted.

The outcomes of these consultations will be instrumental in shaping the ordinance, reflecting the community’s needs and aspirations while promoting sustainable educational practices in the communities.

The district leaderships are concerned about the situation at hand, according to the Arua District LC5 Chairman Alfred Okuonzi, ❝The district has recorded alarming statistics including cases of teenage pregnancies and school dropouts which is attributed to poor parenting and moral decay affecting children’s ability to attain education.❞ He pledged to ensure law enforcement is proactive once the ordinance is enacted.

On the other hand, the Health in Charge of Sigulu health Center III appreciated CEHURD and partners for supporting the initiatives aimed at advancing access to SRHR as well as addressing SGBV in the region.

❝I have seen many cases of teenage pregnancy resulting from this night fundraising in the community. The girls are vulnerable, naive and due to difficulties, they cannot access reproductive health from health facilities. These also in most cases present with HIV/AIDS at a later date of their antenatal leading to a high rate of HIV transmission,❞ he noted.

Posted on Categories Article, Featured

CEHURD Media Fellows Shine at the 2024 Uganda National Journalism Awards

Congratulations to the CEHURD media fellows who excelled at the 2024 Uganda National Journalism Awards, presented by the African Centre for Media Excellence (ACME). The awards recognized outstanding journalistic contributions within the Ugandan media landscape, with CEHURD fellows taking home several prestigious accolades.

Sam Ssebuliba, a CEHURD fellow, won the award for Best Health Reporting. Daniel Lutaaya was recognized in the Public Accountability category, while Rhonet Atwiine placed second in Health Reporting. Julius Odeke, a runner-up for Traditional and Cultural Reporting from the New Vision, and Hafiz Bakhit from Arua One FM, a runner-up for Community Reporting, also demonstrated their excellence.

In an interview, Daniel Lutaaya, CEO of News 247 Uganda, attributed his success to the trainings provided by CEHURD on reporting about injustices in Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR). He stated,

❝Trainings by CEHURD on reporting about injustices in SRHR have spurred my interest in documenting poor public healthcare services, especially in rural communities. One of the winning stories was about a health centre in Terego, West Nile, where midwives were using phone lights and torches to deliver babies at night because the region isn’t connected to electricity. CEHURD has trained me on how best to seek out and tell the health angle of stories. This has become a vital skill for me in my reporting, and I believe it played a great part in winning this award.❞

Samuel Ssebuliba, a Spark TV journalist, expressed his gratitude to CEHURD for supporting him in producing a story that won him an award. He said,

❝The story that CEHURD supported me to do has won me an award. You have really impacted my journalism career. Through CEHURD’s media fellowship, I became aware of numerous under reported SRHR issues that silently impact people, particularly women in remote areas. For instance, in Bagwe Island on Lake Wamala in Kassanda district, where I conducted my story, mothers are dying during childbirth due to lack of access to hospitals.❞

Hafiz Bakhit, another CEHURD fellow, attributed his success to the support received from the organization. He stated,

❝The CEHURD-supported story titled ‘We got pregnant in search for food’ is among the four stories in the body of my submission that earned me this place. The other is also a health piece titled ‘tobacco companies reap trillions as unsuspecting consumers dig own graves,’ which was also inspired by CEHURD after the fellowship. Thank you so much CEHURD for the wake-up call, inspiration, and support.❞

These achievements showcase the positive impact of CEHURD’s efforts in empowering media practitioners and promoting impactful journalism in Uganda. Through the annual media fellowship program, CEHURD has played a crucial role in enhancing journalists’ understanding of reporting on health and human rights issues nationwide.

❝CEHURD’s media fellowship gave me a direction on story angles and pitching impactful stories that change behavioral patterns. The experiences during and after the training put me on a journey to enroll for a human rights course.❞ ~Esther Bridget Nakalya from the Daily Monitor.

The fellowship covers topics such as the Sexual & Reproductive Health & Rights (SRHR) of young people, mental health, Values Clarification & Attitude Transformation, human rights-based approach to SRHR, strategic communication, story pitching, and effective advocacy techniques.

Journalism is a powerful tool for creating change through raising awareness, sparking conversation, and inspiring action, ultimately contributing to a more informed and empathetic society. CEHURD’s media fellowship program continues to equip journalists with the necessary skills and knowledge to produce impactful stories that make a difference in the lives of Ugandans.

Compiled by CEHURD’s Communications Department.

Posted on Categories Article, Featured

Self-Care is not Selfish, It is Necessary!

CEHURD together with the Ministry of Health joined partners to Celebrate International Self-Care Day in Kayunga

By Paul Webs

On Friday, July 26, 2024, I had the honor of joining CEHURD Uganda in the vibrant town of Kayunga to celebrate International Self-Care Day—a day dedicated to health, well-being, and, above all, self-love. This event highlighted the importance of self-care for individuals and communities, making it a day to remember.

Held on July 24 each year, International Self-Care Day (24/7) is a global observance symbolizing that self-care should be a continuous priority—24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines self-care as the ability of individuals, families, and communities to promote health, prevent disease, maintain well-being, and manage illness with or without the support of a healthcare provider. It’s a vital component of healthcare, especially in communities with limited healthcare resources.

The event in Kayunga was packed with activities designed to make everyone feel empowered as the guardians of their health, with sessions that encouraged a sense of mindfulness, techniques to handle daily stress, helping attendees embrace a holistic approach to wellness.

Exhibition stalls set up by local health advocates, wellness brands, and CEHURD showcased a wide range of products and tools for self-care. From herbal teas and organic skin-care products to demonstrations on meal prepping and stress-relieving exercises, there was something for everyone. A particular highlight was the “Nutrition and Health Talks” booth, where experts shared insights on maintaining a balanced diet and incorporating nutrient-rich foods into everyday meals.

Health Talks on Nutrition, Mental Health, and Lifestyle

Another key feature of the day was a series of engaging talks covering crucial aspects of self-care: nutrition, mental health, and lifestyle maintenance. Nutritionists discussed the importance of balanced diets and shared practical tips on achieving wellness without drastic dietary changes. Mental health professionals led discussions on recognizing signs of stress and burnout, offering guidance on coping strategies to keep mental health in check.

One of the event’s most compelling moments was a discussion on “Maintaining Health for a Happier Life,” which provided a fresh take on achieving wellness without the pressure of extreme fitness or diets. Participants learned about integrating exercise into daily routines in enjoyable ways that don’t feel like a chore.

The celebration in Kayunga served as a joyful reminder that self-care is an essential aspect of a healthy lifestyle. With support from CEHURD, the event reflected how simple acts of self-love—taking time for a mindfulness break, opting for nutritious food, or embracing a positive outlook—can make a difference in overall well-being.

Remember: Self-care isn’t selfish; it’s necessary! Take time for yourself, embrace kindness, and live healthier every day.

About the Author

Paul Webs is the Founder and CEO of Touchvert Uganda Limited, specializing in digital communications, brand influencing, content creation, digital strategy, storytelling, and digital marketing. He’s a tech-savvy blogger and the creator of the “Twitter Barbecue Party,” bringing together online communities for lively discussions.

#SelfCareDay #NationalSelfCareDay #SelfCare4UHC

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