6 research outputs found
Social identities and human rights: A contribution to the conceptual debate
No Abstract. East African Journal of Peace and Human rights Vol. 12 (1) 2006: pp. 133-14
Human rights dimensions of food, health and care in childrenâs homes in Kampala, Uganda â a qualitative study
Background
More than 14Â % of Ugandan children are orphaned and many live in childrenâs homes. Ugandan authorities have targeted adolescent girls as a priority group for nutrition interventions as safeguarding nutritional health before pregnancy can reduce the chance of passing on malnutrition to the offspring and thus future generations. Ugandan authorities have obligations under international human rights law to progressively realise the rights to adequate food, health and care for all Ugandan children. Two objectives guided this study in childrenâs homes: (a) To examine female adolescent residentsâ experiences, attitudes and views regarding: (i) eating patterns and food, (ii) health conditions, and (iii) care practices; and (b) to consider if the conditions in the homes comply with human rights standards and principles for the promotion of the rights to adequate food, health and care.
Methods
A human rights-based approach guided the planning and conduct of this study. Five childrenâs homes in Kampala were included where focus group discussions were held with girls aged 12-14 and 15-17 years. These discussions were analysed through a phenomenological approach. The conditions of food, health and care as experienced by the girls, were compared with international standards for the realisation of the human rights to adequate food, health and care.
Results
Food, health and care conditions varied greatly across the five homes. In some of these the girls consumed only one meal per day and had no access to clean drinking water, soap, toilet paper and sanitary napkins. The realisation of the right to adequate food for the girls was not met in three homes, the realisation of the right to health was not met in two homes, and the realisation of the right to care was not met in one home.
Conclusions
In three of the selected childrenâs homes human rights standards for food, health or care were not met. Care in the childrenâs homes was an important contributing factor for whether standards for the rights to adequate food and health were met
Examination of the roles and capacities of duty bearers responsible for protecting the human rights to adequate food, nutritional health and wellbeing in Ugandan childrenâs homes
Background
The majority of Ugandan children face vulnerability and malnutrition. As a State Party to international human rights treaties, Uganda has legal obligations of guaranteeing the fundamental rights and the best interest of the nationâs children. Despite being protected under international and national law, Uganda is not providing adequate child protection, including safeguarding childrenâs food security. Numerous privately owned and unregulated childrenâs homes face this problem. The overall aim of the study was to examine to what extent childrenâs homesâ operations are consistent with the right to adequate food, nutritional health and wellbeing of children.
Methods
We performed a qualitative role- and capacity analysis of duty bearers with human rights duties towards children living in childrenâs homes. We studied three groups of duty bearers: caretakers working in private childrenâs homes, State actors working in government and its institutions, and non-State actors working in civil society organizations. A human rights based approach guided all aspects of the study. An analysis of the roles, performance and capacities of duty bearers was employed, with individual face-to-face structured qualitative in-depth interviews, self-administered structured questionnaires, and a structured observational study, as well as a desk review of relevant literature.
Results
The State of Ugandaâs efforts to respect and realize its obligations towards children living in childrenâs homes is inadequate. There are numerous capacity gaps among the duty bearers, and the concepts of human rights and the best interest of the child are not well understood among the duty bearers.
Conclusion
The efforts of the State of Uganda to realize its human rights obligations towards children in childrenâs homes are lacking in important areas. Hence the State does not fulfill its minimum obligations under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights to ensure all children freedom from hunger. There is a need for capacity development at all levels in the Ugandan state and the international society to delimit capacity gaps in order to realize these human rightsâ obligations