Report of the African Commission's Working Group on Indigenous Populations/ Communities. Research and Information Visit to the Republic of Uganda, 14 - 17, 24 - 29 July 2006

The visit was designed to update the Working Group on the human rights situation of the Batwa Pygmies of Western Uganda as well as that of the pastoralists in the north and north-eastern parts of the country. It also sought to identify the challenges faced by these communities and by the government and other stakeholders in addressing the human rights situations of indigenous communities. The report from the visit gives an account of meetings held with government authorities, civil society organizations, indigenous communities and other stakeholders, it describes the situation of the indigenous populations in the Republic of Uganda and it makes recommendations to the Government, civil society organizations and the international community. This report has ten key sections: background and social demographic features, history, constitutional/legal and policy framework and the indigenous question, the Ugandan human rights record, a conceptualization of indigenous peoples in Uganda, the Batwa Pygmies, the Benet, the Ugandan pastoralists, the State’s responses to addressing development challenges, and recommendations.This report of the mission to Uganda was adopted by the African Commission on Human and People's Rights at its 43rd Ordinary Session, 7-22 May 2008.

Published in English and French.