Know Your Rights 27: Getting your voice heard 2

The Ugandan Bill of Rights, Chapter 4 of the Constitution of Uganda, details the rights of all Ugandan citizens. Whether you are a person with a disability (PWD) or not, all these rights are yours, they are protected by law.

If you are a victim of discrimination you can lodge a complaint with the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC). There is no fee but you will need to give full information about the incident.

If you are a PWD and you believe that you have been discriminated against, it is your right to raise a complaint with the EOC. The EOC will review your case and take appropriate action.

Why make a complaint? By law the EOC must post reports on its findings and also report to the government on the state of equal opportunities in Uganda (see The Equal Opportunities Commission Act, 2007) This is a way of getting your voice heard. Your complaint will make the EOC and parliament aware of discrimination in Uganda.

1 in 5 people in Uganda has a disability.

Details about making a complaint are on the Complaints Handling page of the EOC website. 

THE COMPLAINTS PROCESS

One of the functions of the Equal Opportunities Commission as outlined in S. 23 of the Equal Opportunities Commission Act 2007 is to receive, investigate and, as far as possible, conciliate allegations of discrimination.

The Commission therefore has a legal right to investigate a complaint if the subject matter of the complaint falls within the purview of its mandate and the Act.