The Journey of Litigating Reproductive Justice Cases; Lessons from Uganda

The Center for Health, Human Rights and Development (CEHURD) has been a trailblazer in using litigation as a strategic tool to promote reproductive justice (RJ) in Uganda. It has actively engaged with courts and quasi-judicial bodies since its inception to advance the protection of the right to health, particularly Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR).

CEHURD has employed Strategic Litigation (SL), or impact litigation, to challenge reproductive injustices in Ugandan courts. Unlike traditional litigation that focuses on individual client interests and winning specific cases, SL aims to bring about broader social, political, or legal changes for the benefit of a larger population.

Despite its proactive use of SL, CEHURD recognized the need to comprehensively document its litigation journey on RJ. In turn, CEHURD engaged a consultant to conduct a critical analysis of selected RJ-related cases and create a knowledge product, addressing the lack of sufficient documentation in this area. This initiative underscores CEHURD’s commitment to leveraging legal avenues for positive societal impact in the realms of health, human rights, and development.

Download paper;