Ugandan Police Officers participate in a Training on Human Rights and Gender Equality in Counter-Terrorism

In a significant step toward strengthening their rights-based counter-terrorism (CT) practice, 20 officers from the Uganda Police Force (UPF) completed a 1.5-day training on human rights and gender equality in countering terrorism on 12 and 13 June 2025, at the newly inaugurated “CT Resource Centre” of the UPF in Kampala.

Co-developed by the UPF and Uganda’s Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), with the support of the EU-UN Global Terrorism Threats Facility, the training addressed three key aspects of the work of police counter-terrorism practitioners in Uganda: 

1. the constitutional “48-hour rule” for presenting suspects before a judge
2. the “72-hour rule” for returning seized digital devices
3. the complex intersection of terrorism and human trafficking

Through expert-led sessions, discussions on legal frameworks, and scenario-based tabletop exercises, participants explored practical solutions that uphold human rights and gender equality while enhancing operational effectiveness.

In his opening remarks, the UPF Director of Counter-Terrorism, Assistant Inspector General of Police David Waswa Ssengendo, emphasized the importance of knowledge and community trust. 

The Chairperson of the Uganda Human Rights Commission, Ms. Mariam Wangadya, urged participants to uphold justice and dignity, reminding that “a nation’s greatness is measured by how it treats the vulnerable—even those accused of terrible things.” 

Representing the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), Ms. Sylvia Kabaki emphasized the importance of grounding counter-terrorism efforts in legality and legitimacy, while Ms. Joycelynn Karungi of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) highlighted the nexus between terrorism and human trafficking, calling for a proactive, victim-centered approach. 

Finally, Ms. Zulaika Nanfuka, of the civil society organization Prospects Initiative, urged participants to address community concerns, including the impact of mass arrests and discrimination.

The workshop also spotlighted the need for gender sensitive approaches. Participants examined how caregiving responsibilities, stigma, and sexual violence can impact counter-terrorism operations. They called for institutionalizing gender-sensitive practices such as providing women police officers with tailored body armor, expanded parental leave, formalized training and establishing related Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

Participants agreed on concrete follow-up actions to the workshop, including formalizing recommendations into SOPs, integrating human rights and gender equality into internal training and deepening interagency collaboration.

Since July 2023, the EU-UN Global Terrorism Threats Facility has supported Uganda through tailored advice, mentoring, and training aimed at strengthening national coordination and enhancing the capacity to investigate and prosecute terrorism-related cases. This support is designed to ensure that Uganda’s counter-terrorism efforts are effective and firmly grounded in international human rights and rule of law standards.