Uganda’s Compliance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child: Children of Women in Detention
Country: Uganda
Partners: Foundation for Human Rights Initiative (FHRI), World Coalition Against the Death Penalty
Issues: Children's Rights, Detention
Mechanism: UN Committee on the Rights of the Child
Report Type: Shadow/Parallel Report
This report discusses Uganda's compliance with its international human rights obligations
regarding children of people under sentence of death in Uganda and other children whose
parents live in Uganda's prisons. Although there are currently no women on death row who
have their minor children in prison with them, there are from time to time. Uganda does not
fulfil the rights of children whose parents are sentenced to death or otherwise incarcerated, and
authorities violate those children's rights to health, nutrition, education, and an adequate
standard of living, as well as their right to be free from violence. Moreover, the death penalty
is not in the best interests of children of people sentenced to death. Much of this report is based on information that coauthor the Foundation for Human Rights
Initiative (FHRI) has gathered over the last several years when undertaking prison visits,
particularly to prisons where women are under sentence of death. A report from FHRI found
that "children who live in prison with their mother/caregiver are particularly vulnerable to
violations of their rights to development, healthcare, education and recreation."
