PROJECT PROPOSAL

PROJECT TITLE:

CAPACITY BUILDING AND

AWARENESS ARISING

LOCATION:

BUSEGA KAMPALA (U).

DURATION:

3 YEARS

PROJECT ESTIMATED BUBGET:

Ugshs; 77,480,000/=

IMPLEMENTING AGENCY PERSONS;

UGANDA PUBLIC RESCUE

FOUNDATION (for human rights)
P.O BOX 980
KAMPALA UGANDA
TELEPHONE: O414-670954
0752-527405
0702-527405

EMAIL: ugandapublicrescuefoundation@gmail.com
WEBSITE: www.uprf.webs.com

Prepared for; MINISTRY OF FINANCE

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.0

Background ............................1

2.0

UPRF Profile .2

3.0

THE CURRENT SITUATION ..5

4.0

METHODOLOGY ....10

5.0

FINANCIAL PROPOSAL 14
SUMMARY BUDGET ..15
DETAILED BUDGET . .16

Annex 1:

Organizational Chart and Management Structure

Annex 2:

Scope of Work of UPRF

Annex 3:

Capacity Building Application Guidelines and Awareness A rising

1.0

BACKGROUND
The Uganda Public Rescue Foundation (UPRF) is a non-government organization
that has its major objectives of fighting for Human rights of Minorities and
indigent persons, improving access to justice for all those charged with criminal
offences in fulfillment of constitutional requirements fight for childrens, men,
Disabled, and women rights that has been infringed and sensitization of masses
against HIV/AIDS infection in Uganda. The foundation strives to realize this
important goal by offering legal services to poor people, especially those charged
with serious and complex criminal offences in the higher courts and the chief
magistrates courts.
The jurisdiction for UPRF is based on evidence that the majority of people who
are held in Ugandas prisons charged with criminal offences and those in police
cells on suspicion of having committed crimes are not only indigent but also
ignorant of their rights. Many of those on remand lack knowledge of how to
apply for bail. In some instances police investigations are allegedly carried out
for unnecessarily and often unconstitutionally long periods. The living condition
of many prisoners leaves a lot to be desired. These prisoners are poorly fed and
lack uniforms and blankets. They are subjected to have labour and other forms of
violation of prisoners rights like living in congested cells. To be assured of
justice under the above circumstances, the prisoners need legal services.
However, available legal services from the private bar are expensive and therefore
beyond the means of these poor people.
In setting the agenda for its humanitarian work, UPRF has prepared a logic
framework that identifies 8 specific results to be achieved over a period of 3
years. The overall goal, purpose and results set in that strategic framework are
presented in the table of the design of UPRF below:
Table 1:

Design of the Uganda Public Rescue Foundation

OVERALL GOAL
o Fight for human rights and Access to justice for all those charged with serious criminal
offences improved in fulfilment of constitutional requirements.
o

Fight for human rights of unprivileged persons like Minorities, children, women, men
and disabled.

PROGRAMME PURPOSE
Effectiveness of legal services for disadvantaged people charged with serious criminal offences
improved and their rights are infringed.
RESULTS
1. Uganda Public Rescue Foundation offices established and quipped in a sustainable manner
2. Cadre of motivated Rescue foundation established
3. Awareness of disadvantaged people charged with serious criminal offices of their legal
rights increased.
4.
Awareness of stake holders of rights of disadvantaged people charged with serious criminal
it is envisaged
that the achievement of the results in the above table will
offences increased
contribute
significantly
to the observance of human rights by enhancing it
5. Networking
with partners and key stake holders improved
is6.envisaged
that
the
achievement
of the results in the above table will
UPRF activities in association with chain-linked initiative programmes developed
7. Financial sustainability of public defence system assured
3
8. Evaluation after 2 years.

contribute significantly to the observance of human rights by enhancing the

ability of the poor and the marginalized, especially defendants in criminal cases to
realize their rights.
UPRF has over the years built an administrative framework based at a secretariat
in Kampala. The profile of the foundation is indicated below.
2.0

UPRF PROFILE
The organizational arrangement for the Uganda Public Rescue Foundation
comprises of member advocates, a management committee, and a secretariat.
Member Advocates: These are lawyers from the Uganda law society. They offer
voluntary services on behalf of the foundation.
The Management Committee: This is the policy body of the foundation that
monitors the implementation of UPRF projects. These include judicial officers,
lawyers from the private bar and from Civil Society Organizations dealing with
Human Rights.
The Secretariat: The members of staff of the secretariat are involved in executing
the day today activities of the foundation. The Coordinator and Staff Advocates
are lawyers. Other members include an accountant, a secretary, clerk and other
support staff.
The organizational Chat and Management Structure of UPRF are attached as
Annex 1
The scope of work, and management structure UPRF are indicated in Annex to
this proposal.
Justification and Context
UPRF activities respond to initiative in the Justice Law and Order Sector (JLOS)
to reform the criminal justice system as part of the effort to ensure safety security
and access to justice for all people and legal protection of human rights. They
also supplement government effort to fulfill the constitutional requirement that all
people facing charges that carry a maximum sentence of death or imprisonment
be represented at the expense of the state.
Ordinarily Government offers legal aid to the poor through the state brief scheme.
Under this scheme a Registrar or a Chief Magistrate assigns a case to a lawyer of
the private bar. The lawyer then offers legal services to the defendant.
However, lack of resources by government, absence of advocates in some
magisterial areas, and lack of a strong tradition of pro-bono volunteer advocacy in
the legal profession comprises the quality of legal services offered to poor people
through this scheme. More specifically, in some cases in involving certified
defendants, lawyers may fail to turn up as they lack the commitment and
4

motivations to offer effective legal services. This forces the courts to adjourn
cases. As a result defendants remain on remand for long periods of time. This
contributes substantially to the backlog in the High court and the Chief
Magistrates courts and leads to congestion in prisons.
In addition to the above, a Baseline Survey of Prisons conducted by the Uganda
Public Rescue Foundation has revealed that the congestion in prison is
exacerbated by the presence in prison of poor defendants facing less serious
charges, but are unable either to apply for bail, cause their cases to be fixed for
hearing or whose cases have lost position due to missing files and are thus facing
long periods on remand in violation of human rights principles.
The survey found that other factors leading to congestion in prisons include the
presence in custody of convicted prisoners who wish to appeal and are unable to
do so due to ignorance of their rights, lack of communication and poverty which
constrain the capacity of the defendants to engage and pay for legal services. The
above factors justify the intervention of UPRF to mitigate human rights violation
s that may occur.
3.0

THE CURRENT SITUATION

AS indicated in the foregoing section of this proposal, UPRF has intervened to
address disparities in the observance of the rights of poor people in conflict with
the law with the initiative to create a cadre of committed lawyers to offer legal
services.
In November 2006, UPRF received a start up grant of over 100,000,000 Uganda
Shillings from stakeholder strengthening of the Judiciary Project. This enabled
UPRF to secure office premises, recruit secretariat staff, and secure office
equipment and other facilities necessary to operate as a law firm. The grant was
also used to finance court related activities for 11 months from November 2006 to
September 2007. This period has since been extended twice with supporting
extension budgets. In addition UPRF received a grant of 25,000,000 to handle
cases in Jinja Magisterial areas. This has enabled UPRF sustain an outreach
office Masaka. The office has one advocate and an office messenger.
Since UPRF was inaugurated as a law firm in February 2006, members and staff
advocates have handled a total of 385 cases in 2006 and 162 cases as at 19 th April
2007 involving indigent defendants in addition to 160 before January 2006. The
cases have been handled in different courts such as High Court Kampala, Mpigi
Nakawa, Jinja, Mbale and the chief magistrates courts at Buganda Road, Jinja,
Mpigi, Luweero, Entebbe, Mukono. Other courts include Supreme Court, Court
of Appeal, Court Martial, magistrates court at; Makindye, City hall and Nabweru
others. In this way UPRF has facilitated defendants in criminal cases to realize
the right to effective legal representation.
However, the task of offering effective legal services to the poor ie, disabled,
vulnerable e.g. women, men children faces a number of challenges. One
5

significant challenge is the lack of awareness of the rights of poor people charged
wit serious offences by stakeholders, communities and the disadvantaged people
themselves. This challenge was identified at the outset of the foundation and
addressed in result 2 and 3. Activities to achieve these results were also identified
and set down in activity plans under these two results with relevant explanations.
They are presented below;
RESULT 3
Awareness of disadvantaged people charges with serious criminal offences of
their legal rights human rights infringement
The majority of people who are held in prisons charged with criminal offences and
those in police cells on suspicion of having committed crimes are not only indigent
but also ignorant of their rights. Many of those on remand lack knowledge of hose
to apply for bail. In some instances police investigations are allegedly carried out
for unnecessarily and often unconstitutionally long periods. The living condition of
lack of uniforms and blankets. They are subjected to hard labour and other forms of
violation of prisoners rights like living in congested cells. The Uganda Public
Rescue Foundation will ensure that its officials make visits to the different prisons in
order to:i. Sensitize prisoners in order to: ii. Sensitize Prison staff on the need to inform prisoners of their rights
iii.
Assisting indegent prisoners with completion of Uganda Public Rescue Foundation
iv. Counseling and representation of prisoners.

Armed with knowledge about their rights, prisoners will be able to demand for
legal representation. It is a well-known fact that the presence of a lawyer on a
case can facilitate speedy investigations and prosecutions.

Result 3
INDICATORS
MEANS OF VERIFICATION
By the end of project year 3 Uganda
o Uganda
Public
Rescue
Public Rescue Foundation is receiving
Foundation
requests for legal advice and/or
disadvantaged people charged with
o Public Media feedback
serious criminal offences and human
rights infringement
By the end of project year 3 at least
o Sample survey of disadvanted
75% of disadvantaged people charged
people charged with serious
with serious criminal offences are
criminal offences and those
aware of their constitutional rights to
human rights infringed.
Public defense
Result 3 Task schedule for Result Three
ACTIVITIES

SCHEDULE

Year 1

RESPONSIBILITY

Year 2

Q Q Q Q Q1
1 2 3 4

C Q3
2

Year 3
C C
4 1

C
2

C
3

3.1 Carry out prison

Visits

Coordinator
Member

3.2 Conduct workshops

and seminars
3.3 Hold visual and
Audio shows
3.4 Organize media
programmes

Coordinator
Member
Coordinator
Member
Coordinator
member

3.5 Provide legal literature

Coordinator
Partners
Coordinator
Secretariat

3.6 hold meetings with prison

officials
and
other
representatives
of
disadvantaged
people
charged
with
serious
offences
3.7 Carry out counseling of
disadvantaged with serious
criminal offences and their
families
3.8 Sensitize people on
Human rights awareness

+
+

Coordinator +
member
and
outsourcing
Executive
Director
+
Partners
Member and
staff Advocate

3.9 Offer legal services,

representation
and
technical
support
to
disadvantaged
people
charged
with
serious

offences

RESULT 4

Awareness of stake holders of the rights of disadvantaged people charged with

serious criminal offences increased.
In many instances, people charged with the custody of criminal offender lack
awareness of prisoners rights. As a result they subject them to human rights
violations such as labour, long stay on remand, prolonged investigations and trials,
sometimes leading to outright denial of justice.
The Uganda Public rescue Foundation will hold workshops in order to sensitize
stakeholders on the rights of disadvantaged people charges with serious criminal
offences, highlighting the problems they face in the courts, the prisons and police.

RESULT 4
INDICATORS
MEANS OF VERIFICATION
By the end of project years 3 awareness
o Lists and profiles of key stake
and understanding demonstrated by key
holders
stakeholders (including police, courts, and
prisons) of the legal and human rights of
o Baseline and repeat sample surveys
accused and convicted persons has
of key stakeholders.
significantly increased.
By the end of project year 3 prison
o Baseline and repeat samples
authorities, officers and staff are
knowledge,
attitude,
practices
demonstrating increased knowledge of
(KAP) surveys of prison authorities,
prisoners rights, improved attitudes
officers and staff
towards prisoners and willingness to
counsel prisoners.
o Sample survey of prisoners

Result 4
ACTIVITIES

SCHEDULE

Year 1

RESPONSIBILITY

Year 2

Year 3

C C C C C C C C C C C C
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
4.1 Prioritize stakeholders

Management
Committee + Exec
Director
Exec
Director
+
Partners
Secretariat

4.2 Hold training sessions

with priority stakeholders
4.3
Plan
appropriate
awareness tools
4.4 Produce and publish
awareness tools
4.5

Disseminate and
distribute
awareness
materials
4.6 Conduct workshops
(prisoners)
4.7 Carry out surveys on
Rights observance

Coordinator
member

Coordinator
Partners

Coordinator
+
Secretariat
Coordinator
+
member
and
outsourcing
Executive Director +
Partners
Staff and Member
Advocate

4.8 Obtain and maintain

Human Rights observance
4.9 Disseminate findings of
baseline survey and data
on legal and human rights
observance

The need for the implementation of the rights awareness programme has been made more
urgent by the following reasons i) addresses human rights violations by communities and
stake holders of the rights of suspected criminal offenders ii) also addresses the special
vulnerability of disadvantage people charged with criminal offences.
i.

Human rights violations by communities and stakeholders

In April 2007, conducted 3 awareness raising workshops in Masaka, Luwero and
Kayunga. The report of those workshops shows how incidents of mob justice
directed against suspected criminal offender were perpetuated among other
reasons by lack of awareness of rights or the means by those whose rights are
violated to have the violations addressed in a manner that they understand.
(Footnote) the report also indicates criminal offense, ill feelings leading to
accusations of corruption when the rights of suspected criminal offenders, such as
the right to bail are observed. This increases the tendency to resort to mob justice
and other unconstitutional measures to settle scores arising as a result of criminal
matters.
9

ii.

Vulnerability of disadvantage people charged with criminal offences

Over the years UPRF has been facilitated to conduct prison visits and surveys.
Reports from the baseline survey of prison and prison visits, including visits to
police cells shows the Human rights violations that offenders suffer that could
otherwise be avoided if communities and stakeholders were made aware of the
rights of htise offenders. These include;
o
o
o
o
o
o

Illegal detention in police cells

Inability to seek legal assistance
Long remand
Subject to inhuman and degrading treatment
Protracted trials
All these have resulted in gross miscarriages of justice;

The above factors have created an urgent need for awareness raising workshops that
should target selected stakeholders, community members and disadvantages defendants
in criminal offences. The urgency is due to the fact that lack of awareness.
This document contains a financial proposal for human rights awareness workshops.
Such
Prison visit
Some provisions were availed in the start budget to cover the activities to achieve these
results
Described
Tasks to be performed
4.0

METHODOLOGY:In performing the tasks to achieve the result that is the subject of this proposal,
UPRF follow the methodology described below.
Phase 1: Preparatory Phase.
During this phase, UPRF will engage a programme officer who will serve for six
months. The programme officer will assist the coordinator to design instruments
fro capturing statistical and other information pertaining to the rights of prisoners
and other relevant documents and programmes for the implementation of the
assignment. During this period UPRF will prepare brochures and a newsletter for
literature provision. This phase will last for 2 weeks beginning with 1 st June
2010.
Phase 2: Prison Visits.
The Coordinator and Members/staff Advocates will visit both local and central
government prisons in the pilot districts of the project. These are Bugiri, Iganga,
Jinja, Mukono, Luweero,Gulu,fortportal, Kampala, Mpigi, Masaka, Masindi,
10

Entebbe. They will collect statistical information and other human rights issues,
such as long stay on remand, missing files, counseling and others will be
addressed during the visits where possible. Where this will not be possible,
strategies will be laid to have the issues addressed as soon as possible. This phase
will be executed in Three months.
Phase 3: Workshops, Seminars and consultations.
During this phase, the programme officer and the coordinator will study existing
awareness tools and will modify them, where necessary, to suit the programme.
They will also prepare workshop presentations on the basis of information
collected during prison visits. They will then conduct awareness raising
workshops with prisoners and the community and disseminate literature,
thereafter; they will prepare reports of the workshops. During this phase audio
and video shows will be conducted. For this purpose, the programme officer will
prepare media briefs and programmes before winding up his/her assignment.
UPRF will then hold audio and visual sessions on radio and television. This
phase will last for a period of 4-6 moths.
Phase 4: Evaluation;
Once all the tasks have been executed, UPRF will conduct an evaluation of the
project and will come with an evaluation report. This will be done in the 12 th
month of the assignment.
It is envisaged that the programme to raise awareness of disadvantage people of
their rights will last for a year.
The tasks, time allocation and expected results for each task are indicated in the
table below:-

11

12

TABLE 3:

Task, time allocation and expected outputs for awareness raising of disadvantaged people of their rights
Phase

Task

Phase 1:

i.

Prison visits
ii.
Meeting,
support

counseling

Phase 2:

and

legal

Instruct Advocates to;

a)
b)

Conduct counseling
Offer legal services to address /avert
human rights violations.

i.

Contract and engage programme officer

ii.

Design instruments for capturing statistical

and other Human rights related
information from prison and community

i.

Workshops/seminars

Study existing awareness tools and modify

or design tools for prisoners and
community members
Prepare workshop materials for prisoners
and community in selected areas.

iii.

Conduct workshops with prisoners and in

the communities
Publish
and
disseminate
brochure
Newsletter
Prepare brief for radio and T.V

iv.
v.

Phase 4:
Monitoring & Evaluation

Prepare brochure and newsletter

ii.
Literature provision
Video and Audio shows

Visit local community and Central

Government prisons within the pilot areas
of the project and prepare a report/s of the
prison visits/community
Hold
meetings
with
prisons
officials,vulnerables and community

iii.

iii.
Phase 3:

Time allocation

Conduct evaluation

13

Expected output

September-December 2011

Programme officer

October 1st -15th 2011

Statistical
questionnaires,
applications

forms,
and

September
Copied of
news letter

brochures and

16th sept -11th December

2011
August Sept 2011

Report of Prisons

August 2011

Statistical Report

11th Sept 2011

February 2012

-20th Awareness tools/workshop

materials

August December 2011

Workshop Reports

January 2012

Copies supplied

February 2012

Number of video and audio

shows

September 2012

Evaluation Report

5.0

FINANCIAL PROPOSAL
It is envisaged that the grant for capacity building will be applied to the capacity
needs of UPRF to cover the items indicated in the budget proposal below.

BUDGET FOR A RIGHTS AWARENESS PROGRAMME AND LEGAL

REPRESENTATION FOR MARGINALIZED INDIGENT PERSONS IN THE
AREA OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE.
SUMMARY BUDGET
Item
1
2

3
4
5

6
7

Time

Prison visits
12 months
Needy Fund scheme:
(Counseling/bail
applications/court
sessions)
Develop & Supply
Literature
Conduct
Workshops
with prisoners and
community members
Needy Fund Scheme:
Counseling/bail
applications/Court
sessions)
Stationery /Telephone 12
calls/Postage
Media
&
Audio 3
schools and literature
provisions
TOTAL

Cost per unit

Amount
Uganda
Shillings
300,000/=
3,600,000/=
2,400,000/=
24,000,000/=

4,000,000/=
10,500,000/=
2,400,000/=

24,000,000/=

300,000/=

3,600,000/=

3,000,000

9,000,000

48,000,000/=

14

THE UGANDA PUBLIC RESCUE FOUNDATION POOR PERSONS FUND

BUDGET FOR 1 YEAR
ACTIVITY

MONTHS
/NUMBER
UNITS

COST
OF UNIT

PER TOTAL

Poor Persons Fund

1

Court And Prison Visits

12

200,000/=

Court Fees & Related

Expenses
Lawyers
fees
and
facilitation
Administrative
assistance
a) Project
Manager
b) Accountant

12

100,000/=

12

960,000/=

11,520,000

200,000/=

8,800,000

Stationery
12
/communication/office
roaming
Contribution to office 12
space
Typing services
12

80,000/=

960,000

200,000/=

2,400,000

150,000/=

Supervision
monitoring
Evaluation

50,000/=

1,800,000
200,000

3
4

5
6
7
8
9

2,400,000
1,200,000

12
12

& 4
1

TOTAL

15

200,000/=

200,000

920,000/=

29,480,000/=

ANNEX 1
ORGANIZATIONAL CHART OF THE UGANDA PUBLIC RESCUE FOUNDATION
THE UGANDA PUBLIC RESCUE FOUNDATION
MEMBERS

MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

SECRETARIAT

ADVOCATES

FINANCE AND
ADMINISTRATION

HEAD OF
DEPARTMENTS

DISTRICT BRANCH
OFFICES

16

THE UGANDA MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE OF THE UGANDA PUBLIC

RESCUE FOUNDATION
MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Chairperson
Secretary
Treasurer
10 members
The board may co-opt up to 4 other
members

SECRETARIAT
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Coordinator
Advocates
Finance and Administration
Head of Departments
Administrative Staff

DISTRICT BRANCH

17

Annex 2
THE UGANDA PUBLIC RESCUE FOUNDATION
SCOPE OF WORK
The Scope of work of the foundation covers litigation, offering legal advice, prison visits,
sensitization, human rights and counseling, research, advocacy/lobbying and other
activities pertaining to the situation of poor people in conflict with the law who might be
facing curable disadvantages within the criminal justice system. The different activities
that UPRF is designed to implement are detailed below;
Litigation:

Under this activity, members and staff of the Foundation offer legal
representation to persons charged with serious offences and others
whose cases, though not very serious, warranty legal aid due to
complexity of the matter, gender or age of the person involved. It
also includes Public Interest Litigation and in matters of Human
Rights Protection.

Legal Advice:

UPRFs offices are open to all people who have legal problems for
which they require legal advice. In cases that are outside UPRFs
mandate, the foundation works hand in hand with other legal Aid
providers and refers cases accordingly. UPRF also assists poor
people to execute technical tasks affecting their situation. For
instance where a person has a relative who has overstayed on
remand due to a lost file or whose case, for one reason or another
has lost position, UPRF ensures provision of technical assistance to
address a situation that would otherwise lead to a miscarriage of
justice and amount to a violation of human rights.

Prison visits:

UPRF makes periodic visits to prisons in an effort to identify

persons in prison for whom the enjoyment of rights are constrained
in one way or another due to ignorance, poverty or any
circumstances arising as a result of imprisonment.

Sensitization:

one of UPRFs objectives is to sensitize members of the

community with regard to their rights under the law especially
where an offence has been committed, the foundation seeks to
create the capacity of civil society to appreciate legal
representation as a value in the effort to enhance the observance of
Human Rights even for people who are accused of committing
offences. This is done through workshops, seminars and other
means including literature provision and media.

Research:

UPRF has as one of its objectives to conduct research on laws and

other legal issues. Thus creating preconditions for the enjoyment
of Human Rights.
18

Counseling:

Many people in conflict with the law need counseling in order to

overcome stigma and other adverse effects arising because of their
situation, UPRF offers counseling to assist such people to lead a
happier life

Advocacy/lobbying: In addition to work focusing on people in conflict with the law,

UPRF seeks to lobby for improvement in the level of pay for

lawyers involved in executing Uganda Public Rescue Foundation
aims of enhancing the observance of human rights in the agencies
that enforce the law.
MANAGEMENT
The Uganda Public Rescue Foundation has a management structure comprising of a
general assembly, a management committee, and a secretariat.
The General Assembly
The Genera; assembly is the supreme body of the foundation. Currently it has 58
members. This body approves all policies of the foundation.
The Management Committee
This is the policy committee and overall administrative body that is responsible for the
quality of service of UPRF. The Management is comprised of 10 members.
1.
2.
3.
4.

Chairperson
Secretary
Treasurer
7 members

The board may co-opt up to 4 other members

The Secretariat
The secretariat is charged with the day to day implementation of the Schemes activities.
Its current composed is indicated below.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Project Co-coordinator
Staff Advocates
Administrative staff (including heads of desks and accounts)
Clerk
A driver/messenger

The Management structure described above is reflected in annex 1.

19