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Reclaiming Our Stories: How Art and Activism Are Reshaping Human Rights in Uganda

Reclaiming Our Stories: How Art and Activism Are Reshaping Human Rights in Uganda

In Uganda’s ever-tightening civic space, where dissent is criminalized and visibility can be dangerous, the fight for human rights is taking on a new form—art as resistance, storytelling as survival, and community as a sanctuary.

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Reclaiming Our Stories: How Art and Activism Are Reshaping Human Rights in Uganda

Reclaiming Our Stories: How Art and Activism Are Reshaping Human Rights in Uganda

In Uganda’s ever-tightening civic space, where dissent is criminalized and visibility can be dangerous, the fight for human rights is taking on a new form—art as resistance, storytelling as survival, and community as a sanctuary.

Announcing the Theme for the 2025 Festival: "DEFEND"

Announcing the Theme for the 2025 Festival: "DEFEND"

The Human Rights Are Universal Festival is excited to announce "DEFEND" as the theme for our 2025 edition, focusing on climate change, discrimination, democracy, and freedom of expression.

Artist Spotlight: Amara Okoro's Journey Through Visual Storytelling

Artist Spotlight: Amara Okoro's Journey Through Visual Storytelling

Meet Amara Okoro, a talented visual artist whose work combines traditional techniques with contemporary themes to tell powerful stories about human rights.

Climate Change and Human Rights: The Intersection

Climate Change and Human Rights: The Intersection

Exploring the critical relationship between climate change and human rights, and how artists are addressing this intersection in their work.

The Role of Art in Advancing Human Rights: A Historical Perspective

The Role of Art in Advancing Human Rights: A Historical Perspective

Throughout history, art has been a powerful tool for challenging oppression, raising awareness, and inspiring action. This article explores this rich tradition and its relevance today.

Youth Voices: How Young Artists Are Shaping the Human Rights Conversation

Youth Voices: How Young Artists Are Shaping the Human Rights Conversation

Young artists from across Uganda are bringing fresh perspectives and innovative approaches to human rights advocacy through their creative work.

Why Narrative Change is the New Frontier for Human Rights

Why Narrative Change is the New Frontier for Human Rights

"We are in a world where narrative change is the key to human rights freedom, changing the narrative." The problem, however, is that "anti-rights movements have a lot of space, a lot of platforms to spread their message." This unhindered propagation of harmful narratives isn't just about state-sanctioned oppression; as powerfully stated, "the harm doesn't only come from the states. It also comes from the communities."

Beyond the Brush Art as an Engine for Human Rights

Beyond the Brush Art as an Engine for Human Rights

For marginalized communities, art becomes an even more vital tool. Often denied platforms and silenced by dominant narratives, their stories are frequently distorted or erased. Art provides an unmediated space for self-expression, allowing these communities to reclaim their narratives, assert their identities, and share their truths on their own terms. It empowers them to become creators of meaning, rather than passive subjects of someone else's story.