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Human Rights Violations in Uganda

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Human Rights Violations in Uganda
Human Rights Violations in Uganda According to Article One of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights set forth by the United Nations, “all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.” The interconnectedness in the world produces a new agenda of international issues which affect both powerful and less powerful countries. The doctrine of human rights aspires to provide the contemporary, allegedly post-ideological, geo-political order with a common framework for determining the basic economic, political, and social conditions required for all individuals to lead a minimally good life (Bova). The effectiveness of promoting and protecting human rights is significantly aided by individual nation-states’ legally recognizing the doctrine. The moral justification of human rights is thought to precede considerations of strict national sovereignty (Bova). For many of its supporters, the doctrine of human rights aims to provide a fundamentally legitimate moral basis for regulating the contemporary geo-political order. The issue of human rights violations has been prominent in many societies and states for centuries. Uganda, in particular, has faced both national and international backlash over their multiple human rights abuses over the years. For nearly two decades, Northern Uganda has been ravaged by conflict. Thousands of civilians have been subject to brutal attacks, rape, torture, extra-judicial execution and destruction of homes and communities (amnestyusa.org). The two most notable offenses that have received much media attention are the controversies of children being forced into the military and the persecution of homosexuals. The issue of child soldiers can be traced back to Joseph Kony, the head of a Ugandan guerrilla army called the Lord’s Resistance Army. Initially, this group was an outgrowth and continuation of the


Cited: 2012, the end of, and Uganda&. "Uganda Passes “Kill the Gays” Bill." Patheos | Hosting the Conversation on Faith. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2012. . "Full Text of H.R. 2478 (111th): Lord’s Resistance Army Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act of 2009 - GovTrack.us." GovTrack.us: Tracking the U.S. Congress. GPO, n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2012. . "Global Policy Forum." Global Policy Forum. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2012. . "JURIST - Paper Chase: Uganda must end anti-gay human rights violations: AI." JURIST - Legal News and Research. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2012. . "KONY 2012 | Invisible Children." Invisible Children “ Home | Invisible Children. Jason Russell, n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2012. . "Uganda Human Rights | Amnesty International USA." Amnesty International USA | Protect Human Rights. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2012. .

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