By Jay Tumwesige
The Center for Health, Human Rights & Development (CEHURD), an indigenous non-profit research and advocacy organization, continues to solidify its position as a trailblazer in advancing the justiciability of the right to health in Uganda and beyond.
With financial and technical backing from The AIDS Support Organization (TASO), CEHURD is currently implementing a nationwide intervention dubbed “Supporting Uganda’s Response to HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis Reduction Strategic Plan.” The initiative spans 30 districts, targeting vulnerable and hard-to-reach communities with a dual focus on human rights awareness and access to essential health services.
Bridging The Gap Through Mobile Legal Aid Camps
At the heart of this intervention are free mobile legal aid clinics, strategically deployed in remote areas where access to both legal and healthcare services remains critically limited. These outreach camps serve as vital platforms for community engagement, offering legal counsel, health rights education, and referrals.
Through these engagements, communities are sensitized on their fundamental right to health—emphasizing that every Ugandan is entitled to the highest attainable standard of medical care. Particular attention is given to Persons Living with HIV (PLHIV), who are reminded that life-saving antiretroviral drugs must be accessed free of charge at government health facilities.
While CEHURD’s core mandate revolves around health rights advocacy, field interactions have unveiled a broader spectrum of human rights violations affecting vulnerable populations. These include land and succession disputes, domestic violence, and alarmingly underreported cases of defilement.
In response, CEHURD extends pro bono legal services, offering immediate legal advice and structured referrals through established pathways. For cases involving violations of the right to health, the organization undertakes strategic litigation at no cost. Criminal matters are handled in collaboration with key stakeholders including the Judiciary (State Attorneys), the Attorney General’s Chambers, the Police, and the Office of the Probation and Social Welfare Officer (PSWO), ensuring comprehensive protection—especially for children under the Children Act framework.
Districts currently benefiting from this intervention include Nakapiripirit, Amuru, Buyende, Otuke, and Kotido, among others.
Leveraging Media For Wider Impact
In a bid to amplify its sensitization efforts, CEHURD has expanded its outreach to local media platforms. During a recent engagement in Buyende District, CEHURD representatives were hosted on Kamuli Broadcasting Service (KBS) alongside the Resident District Commissioner (RDC), where they engaged the public on critical health and legal rights issues.
Such media engagements are proving instrumental in extending CEHURD’s reach beyond physical camps, ensuring that even more Ugandans are informed, empowered, and equipped to demand their rights.
Founded with a mission to advance social justice, CEHURD operates at the intersection of health and human rights, using research, advocacy, and strategic litigation to influence policy and practice. The organization has gained recognition both regionally and globally for its role in shaping discourse and legal frameworks around the right to health. 
