By Witness Radio team.
Civil society organizations (CSOs), land and environmental defenders, and the government are convening for the sixth time to reflect on the Business and Human Rights situation in Uganda today. The meeting, running from 4th to 5th November at Sheraton Hotel Kampala, will explore potential ways to promote ethical business practices in Uganda.
The conference will include business owners/representatives, government representatives, development partners, academics, the media, civil society, human rights advocates, community representatives, and any other players looking to further the business and human rights agenda in Uganda and abroad.
It is anticipated that 200 people will attend the main event over the two days, and online participation will be available to encourage further participation from all attendees.
This year’s symposium, which is organized by Resource Rights Africa (RRA) and co-convened by Witness Radio, Ministry of Labour Gender and Social Development (MoGLSD), and DanChurchAid (DCA), among others, has the theme “Emerging voluntary and mandatory frameworks: Strengthening responsible business conduct in Uganda.”
The symposium is organized around five main plenary panel sessions, each of which focuses on a different theme or sector. These include Human Rights Defenders and Civic Space, Emerging Trends in the Oil and Gas Sector, the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), and its implications for Uganda’s access to EU markets, specifically the timber, coffee, cocoa, fish, and floriculture sectors, the Civic Space and Human Rights Defenders, Emerging trends in the Oil and Gas sector, the digital rights in the context of Business and Human Rights and Labour Rights in the context of Business and Human Rights.
The symposium is expected to yield enhanced stakeholder awareness of the implications of new frameworks, including the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement, National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights and the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, enhanced awareness of the impact of transnational Co-operations on human rights especially in plantation agriculture, extractive and digital spaces, increased stakeholder engagement on the responsible business conduct framework, strengthened commitments to effective policies, legislation, regulations and institutional mechanisms for business and human rights.
On Day Two of the symposium, Witness Radio Uganda, a co-convener, will release its latest report on forced land evictions in Uganda. The report will highlight the ongoing struggles faced by poor and marginalized communities. To stay updated on all developments during this year’s symposium, tune in to Witness Radio for full live event coverage.
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