Makerere University don and cartoonist Dr Jimmy Spire Ssentongo and two others have been shortlisted for the EU Human Rights Defenders Award 2024 that are organised by the European Union in Uganda in partnership with the Embassy of Norway.
The awards are now in the 13th Edition and are given to human rights defenders who have made outstanding contributions to the advancement of Human Rights in their respective societies for over a year.
Dr. Ssentongo was shortlisted for using his social media pages like X formerly Twitter to urge the government to be accountability for how they have been using funds.
“In the past year, Spire has used his public platform to highlight issues of accountability through “exhibitions” on social media. This has earned him significant praise but also threats due to his exposure of wrongdoing in public life,” the EU said in a statement issued on Tuesday.
“They say he keeps sharing information and joining discussions to make public services better in Uganda, even though it’s risky.
Jesca Ruth Ataa, from Kotido, Karamoja, is a human rights defender. She leads Nakere Rural Women Activists (NARWOA), a group helping women. They deal with crises, political issues, violence, and discrimination against women. NARWOA has helped lots of women and children with programs for jobs.
Doreen Kyazze is a lawyer and rights activist who fights against the death penalty.
For fourteen years, including her time at Penal Reform International, Doreen has fought against the death penalty and worked for women’s rights in jails. She’s also helped make laws and policies in Uganda.
The EU says the winner of the EU Human Rights Defenders Award 2024 will be announced in Kampala on May 2 during a ceremony hosted by the Embassy of Denmark.
The EU praises all the human rights defenders for their great work.”
