JUDICIARY Latest Features

The Criminal Justice Health Rights Committee (CJHRC) has held its inaugural meeting in Kampala, formally setting in motion coordinated efforts to strengthen the protection of health and human rights across Uganda’s Criminal Justice System.

Held at Skyz Hotel, the meeting followed the Committee’s establishment in March 2026 and brought together heads and representatives of the Judiciary, Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), Uganda Police Force and Uganda Prisons Service, alongside partners from the Ministry of Health, Uganda AIDS Commission and the Global Fund.

The Principal Judge, Lady Justice Jane Frances Abodo, who represented the Chief Justice, Justice Dr Flavian Zeija, said operationalising the Committee was critical to ensuring that it becomes a permanent and effective mechanism for protecting health rights within justice institutions.

“I am honoured to be here at this inaugural meeting to functionalise the Criminal Justice Health Rights Committee. It is important that the work of the Committee takes off so that it can become a permanent and effective instrument for the protection of health rights within our justice institutions,” she said.

Lady Justice Abodo noted that bringing together the leadership of the core Criminal Justice institutions recognised the shared responsibility for protecting the health rights of people throughout the justice chain; from police custody and imprisonment to eventual reintegration into the community.

She added that the framework must equally safeguard the health rights of officers working within Criminal Justice institutions.

Breaking Down Barriers To Health Services

Lady Justice Abodo said the ODPP, in partnership with the Ministry of Health and with support from the Global Fund, has been implementing the Breaking Down Barriers (BDB) Initiative across the Criminal Justice System.

The initiative seeks to address gender and human rights barriers that prevent detainees and other vulnerable populations from accessing health services, particularly those relating to HIV, tuberculosis and malaria.

She observed that gaps in meeting constitutional and international obligations relating to the right to health demonstrated the need for intensified and coordinated action.

“However, the continued non-adherence to the constitutional and international obligations to protect and promote the right to health highlights the urgent necessity for intensified efforts, and this is where this Committee comes in,” she said.

The Committee’s immediate task, she explained, will be to develop a comprehensive understanding of the BDB Initiative, including its objectives, Global Fund processes, the National Equity Plan and the Key Result Areas expected of each participating institution.

It will then develop practical measures to oversee and institutionalise the initiative across the Criminal Justice System.

Lady Justice Abodo expressed hope that the initiative would eventually move beyond operating as a time-bound project and become embedded within the routine operations of the participating justice institutions.

“From this meeting specifically, I hope we leave with a shared understanding of the challenges, a clear sense of each institution’s responsibilities, and a practical roadmap for the Committee’s immediate work,” she said.

Judiciary Reaffirms Commitment

The Principal Judge reaffirmed the Judiciary’s commitment to the initiative, saying it would provide strategic guidance through the Committee, support continuous capacity building for judicial officers and ensure that judicial processes reinforce health equity, dignity and equality.

“The Judiciary, for its part, remains fully committed. As the guardian of the Constitution and the rights therein, including the right to health, dignity and equality, we shall provide strategic guidance through this Committee,” she said.

She called for unity and a common sense of purpose among participating institutions.

“There is unity of command, discipline and clarity of purpose. This is how I want us to execute this, and this will go beyond being a committee,” Lady Justice Abodo said.

She commended the ODPP for its leadership in establishing the Committee and thanked the Ministry of Health, Global Fund and Uganda AIDS Commission for their technical and financial support.

Committee to Provide Strategic Direction

The Director of Public Prosecutions was represented by Mr George William Byansi, Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions responsible for Inspections, Quality Assurance, Research and Training, who welcomed participants and conveyed the DPP’s apologies for his absence.

Mr Byansi said the Committee was launched on 18 March 2026, when its Terms of Reference were signed by the heads of the core Criminal Justice institutions.

He explained that its principal membership comprises the Chief Justice, Director of Public Prosecutions, Inspector General of Police and Commissioner General of Prisons.

Its core responsibility is to provide strategic direction and supervise the Programme Management Unit (PMU) responsible for implementing the programme.

Mr Byansi noted that although the Committee’s Terms of Reference provide for quarterly meetings, competing schedules had delayed its first sitting following the launch.

He acknowledged Lady Justice Abodo’s contribution to the establishment of the Committee, noting that she had spearheaded the process during her tenure as Director of Public Prosecutions.

According to Mr Byansi, the Committee was created after it became apparent that interventions under the Breaking Down Barriers Initiative needed stronger coordination across Criminal Justice institutions.

“Following the realisation that there were fragmented efforts, mainly in the Police and Prisons, to implement the Breaking Down Barriers Initiative activities, it became necessary to have this umbrella for better coordination,” he said.

He described BDB as a multisectoral approach to addressing the impact of HIV, tuberculosis and malaria among key and vulnerable populations, including people in detention.

From Fragmented Interventions to One Coordinated Response

A major focus of the Committee will therefore be ensuring that interventions do not operate independently within individual institutions.

The meeting provided members with an opportunity to engage with the Programme Management Unit and review progress in implementing activities under the current Global Fund Cycle 7.

The PMU brings together officers from the ODPP, Uganda Police Force, Uganda Prisons Service and the Judiciary and is coordinated by Ms Barbra Masinde, with technical support from the Ministry of Health.

The inaugural meeting featured presentations on the Breaking Down Barriers Initiative; Global Fund structures, systems and processes; Uganda’s equity response and National Equity Plan; and progress in implementing Global Fund Cycle 7 activities.

Members also considered the annual self-assessment of programmes aimed at reducing human rights barriers to HIV, tuberculosis and malaria services, reviewed the Committee’s Terms of Reference and discussed the next steps for implementation.

The Committee is expected to develop a clear roadmap for its immediate work, clarify institutional responsibilities and strengthen coordination across the Criminal Justice System.