Uganda

 

Highlights from the reporting period

 In the reporting period, the TFV conducted a project review and consultation process with all five implementing partners, developed together with the partners project proposals for year four and formally extended the programme into its fourth year of implementation. Follow-up missions to visit beneficiaries were conducted in April. In June, the first physical workshop since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic took place to discuss the TFV assistance programme’s impact in Uganda, and the focus of the projects in the coming months. 

I. Context

The ICC investigations in Uganda have focused on alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in the context of an armed conflict predominantly between the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) and the Government of Uganda, in greater Northern Uganda, since 1 July 2002. The situation in Uganda was the first investigation opened by the ICC in July of 2004, the alleged crimes in the situation include:

• war crimes, including murder; cruel treatment of civilians; intentionally directing an attack against a civilian population; pillaging; inducing rape; and forced enlistment of children; and
• crimes against humanity, including murder; enslavement; sexual enslavement; rape; and inhumane acts of inflicting serious bodily injury and suffering.

This situation led the ICC's Pre-Trial Chamber judges to issue the Court's first warrant of arrest in 2005, against top members of the LRA. All suspects remained at large for a decade, until one LRA member, Dominic Ongwen, surrendered himself in January 2015 in the Central African Republic. In 2021, he was convicted of 61 counts of crimes against humanity and war crimes and sentenced to 25 years (conviction and sentence under appeal). The leader of the LRA, Joseph Kony remains at large.

In northern Uganda, the TFV started its work in 2008, shortly after the end of the conflict by engaging with partners in rehabilitation of victims falling within the Court’s jurisdiction. The current cycle of partnerships started in 2019. In 2022, five partners provide physical rehabilitation, psychological rehabilitation, and material support to victims, alongside peacebuilding and reconciliation activities.

II. Reparations: Ongwen

Ongwen (ICC-02/04-01/15)

On 4 February 2021, Dominic Ongwen was found guilty of 61 crimes comprising crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in Northern Uganda between 1 July 2022 and 31 December 2005. He was sentenced to 25 years imprisonment. While the conviction and sentencing decisions of Mr Ongwen have been appealed, the reparation proceedings started in May 2021 with an order of the Trial Chamber directing the parties, participants and the Trust Fund to submit observations on a number of specific points and interested third parties were invited to submit amicus curiae. The deadline for the submission of such observations was extended to 6 December 2021 by the Chamber in its 19 July 2021 decision on requests for extension of time based on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Uganda. 

On 6 December 2021, the Trust Fund submitted its observations on reparations to the Trial Chamber. To prepare this filing, a survey was sent to organisations operational within Northern Uganda to solicit information concerning the types of services available within the region, the cost of various service provisions, and the location of facilities and service providers’ area of operation. A Call for Expression of Interest was launched on 4 November 2021 to create a roster of potential implementation partners. On 7 March 2022, the Trust Fund submitted its final observations on reparations.

The Appeals Chamber held a hearing with the parties from 14-18 February 2022. The Appeal Chamber’s judgment on the conviction and sentencing decisions against Mr Ongwen is expected before the end of the year, at which time the Trial Chamber may move forward with a reparations order.  

III. Assistance programme

Trust Fund assistance programming is conducted in partnership with NGO implementing partners including – Ugandan NGOs, International NGOs, Faith-based Organizations, Cultural Institutions, and Academic Institutions. Over the course of the Trust Fund’s programming in Uganda from 2008 to the present, the Trust Fund has partnered with more than 25 different organisations providing rehabilitative assistance to victims across more than 22 districts of the conflict affected region of greater norther Uganda.

Trust Fund programming is providing rehabilitation assistance to victims across more than 22 districts of the conflict affected region, from Soroti west to Adjumani in the east and from the shores of Lake Kyoga north to the border with South Sudan.

To date, between 2008 and 2021, more than 60,000 Ugandan victims have been rehabilitated and directly benefited from Trust Fund programming. These victims have substantively benefited from Trust Fund assistance programming, including rehabilitation efforts such as surgery and medical treatment, trauma counselling and psychosocial services, and livelihood support. The number of victims that have been rehabilitated through Trust Fund assistance is more than the number of victims that engaged the Court through other avenues – participation, investigations, or witnesses combined. The tangible impact of Trust Fund activities on the lives and wellbeing of victims is tremendous particularly when considering the number of people, the budget, and the size of the Trust Fund in relation to the other organs and entities of the Court.

 

Partner, Project title & Location	Beneficiaries & activities (Q2/22)	Duration & Project amount
AVSI Foundation   Integrated Physical and Psychological Rehabilitation Assistance for Victims in Teso Sub Region and Northern Uganda   Otuke, Apac, Alebtong, Amolatar, Lira, Gulu, Omoro, Kitgum, Lamwo, Kole, Oyam, Agago, Nwoya, Amuru Pader, Dokolo, Kwania, Soroti, Kaberamaido, Kalaki, Amuria, Kapelebyong, and Adjumani Districts.   Total number of direct beneficiaries to date: 2,150.	In Q2/22, AVSI reached 118 direct beneficiaries with assistive devices, trauma counselling, and livelihood support.   AVSI continues to provide medical rehabilitation to disabled victims of war in northern Uganda and Teso sub-region through provision of prosthetics, orthopaedics, and physiotherapy; improve the quality of life and social inclusion for physically disabled victims of war through provision of psychological and psycho-social rehabilitation as well as increase economic resilience of beneficiaries; conduct capacity building of social workers in mental health; carry out community sensitization on social inclusion while conducting identification and assessment of amputees; and conduct patient follow up.	5 year project from April 2019 – April 2024, renewable at annual intervals.   Year four funding, April 2022 to April 2023, is set at €225,000   €300,000 year three funding from April 2021 to April 2022. Previous funding levels were: year two €300,000 April 2020 to April 2021 and year one €200,000 April 2019 to April 2020.
Center for Victims of Torture (CVT)   Treating the mental health needs of Ugandan Victims of war crimes, a direct service approach   Locations: Gulu, Omoro, and Nwoya Districts   Total number of direct beneficiaries to date: 708	In Q2/22, CVT reached 80 direct beneficiaries with mental health counselling services.   CVT provides intensive mental health counselling services to survivors of torture and violent trauma through on site mental health clinical mentoring. CVT continues providing intensive on-going clinical supervision and training to counsellors in partner NGOs; creating a cadre of mental health professionals and  paraprofessionals necessary for sustainability of mental health trauma rehabilitation in northern Uganda. Through its capacity building activities, CVT in 2021 provided 279 hours of formal training in partnership with Makerere University in the Trauma Counselling Diploma Program; 40 external clinical supervision sessions and 274 internal sessions.	5 year project from April 2019 – April 2024, renewable at annual intervals.   Year four funding is set at €100,000. The programme is ending in Autumn 2022.   €300,000 year three funding from April 2021 to April 2022. Previous funding levels were, €300,000 year two April 2020 to April 2021 and €200,000 year one April 2019 to April 2020.
Centre for Children in Vulnerable Situations (CCVS)     Centre for expertise in psychological support services   Locations: Lira, Oyam, Alebtong, and Kitgum Districts   Total number of direct beneficiaries to date: 1,378	In Q2/22, CCVS reached 356 direct beneficiaries through its sensitisation sessions and continued with intake preparations for new direct beneficiaries for the next quarters.   CCVS project aims to offer psychological rehabilitation services to conflict affected children, youth, and adults through providing specialized psychological counselling and supporting the rebuilding of social relationships and networks, and increasing the local capacity and knowledge of key community stakeholders in providing basic psycho-social support within communities, schools, and health centres. CCVS Community Sensitisation activities are made through local radio station programming called “Healing our Wounds”. The organisation conducts mental health sensitization and psychoeducational sessions.	5 year project from April 2019 – April 2024, renewable at annual intervals.   Year four funding, April 2022 to April 2023, is set at €225,000.   €300,000 year three funding from April 2021 to April 2022. Previous funding levels were, €300,000 year two April 2020 to April 2021 and €200,000 year one April 2019 to April 2020.
Health Right International (HRI)     Integrated physical and psychological rehabilitation assistance for victims   Locations: Otuke, Apac, Alebtong, Amolatar, Lira, Gulu, Omoro, Kitgum, Lamwo, Kole, Oyam, Agago, Nwoya, Amuru, Pader, Dokolo, Amuria, Kaberamaido, Soroti, Kapelebyong, and Adjumani Districts.   Total number of direct beneficiaries to date: 8,157	In Q2/22, HRI reached 635 direct beneficiaries with medical and surgical care, counselling services, and livelihood support.   Comprehensive medical treatment including reconstructive and corrective surgeries, pre and postoperative care and physiotherapy, medical care to victims with chronic pain and injuries; including survivors of SGBV; provide mental health and psycho-social support to victims as well as provision of livelihood support to the most vulnerable victims accessing Surgical and medical interventions. Patient follow-up remains a key activity of the organisation to ensure victim recovery.	5 year project from April 2019 – April 2024, renewable at annual intervals.   Year four funding, April 2022 to April 2023 is set at €225,000.   €300,000 year three funding from April 2021 to April 2022. Previous funding levels were, €300,000 year two April 2020 to April 2021 and €200,000 year one April 2019 to April 2020.
Transcultural Psychological Organisations (TPO)     Provision of integrated physical and psychological rehabilitation assistance to war victims in northern Uganda   Locations: Gulu, Pader, and Agago Districts   Total number of direct beneficiaries to date: 9,627.	In Q2/22,TPO reached 513 direct beneficiaries with medical treatment, psychological rehabilitation including cognitive behavioural therapy, and livelihood support.   Provide physical rehabilitation through mobilising & transporting patients to hospital for medical treatment; Psychological  rehabilitative services through procuring and distributing psychotropic drugs to remote health centres accessible to victims of war experiencing mental health challenges; facilitated trauma healing groups through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), provide psycho-social support using the Problem Management Plus model including support for SGBV. The project promotes reconciliation, peaceful coexistence, and participation of victims through community led initiatives which promote peace & tolerance among communities affected by conflict.	5 year project from April 2019 – April 2024, renewable at annual intervals.   Year four funding, April 2022 to April 2023, is set at €225,000.   €300,000 year three funding from April 2021 to April 2022. Previous funding levels were, €300,000 year two April 2020 to April 2021 and €200,000 year one April 2019 to April 2020.

 

Activities & results from Q1&2 of 2022

In the first quarter of 2022 the Uganda programme conducted a project review and consultation process with the five implementing partners. Following the annual review process, year four project proposals were developed with the five partners and the projects were formally extended for a fourth year of implementation.

In April, TFV Uganda together with a photojournalist (under contract to produce promotional materials in Uganda) conducted a follow up mission to visit clients who received surgical operations in November 2021 in their communities. The Trust Fund used this opportunity to also visit other project beneficiaries in Pader district; the clients visited expressed the positive impact of the services they have received through TFV funding. The TFV also met with district local government officials in the Gulu and Pader districts to discuss TFV programming and interest them to join the partners in ensuring sustainability of TFV achievements in their respective areas.

In May and June 2022, TFV Uganda conducted two financial verification checks of two implementing partners. The verification checks were remotely conducted; partners were requested to drop all supporting documents at the Country Office in Kampala where TFV staff could review the materials. Follow-up and clarification of matters was performed by tele-conference and physically in Gulu during the programming workshop. At the conclusion of the verification checks, the findings and observations were discussed with partners in a video teleconference and report acknowledgement and signatures were completed through email and scanning.

In June, TFV Uganda held a physical workshop in Gulu with the implementing partners in Uganda to discuss programming coordination matters. This was the first in person workshop with partners since the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak in 2020. The programme workshop discussed the TFV’s legacy in northern Uganda, the focus of the projects in the next 22 months, sustainability strategies and linkages where available with Government initiatives. During the same period, TFV staff and some partners conducted a radio programme on Mega FM to discuss its assistance programs and explain how victims can benefit. TFV met with several local government officials in Gulu and Nwoya districts to inform them of the upcoming joint Trust Fund-Irish government monitoring visit planned for September 2022.

In quarter two, implementing partners HRI, and TPO submitted budget realignment request to indicate how and where funds carried over from year two of the project would be utilised in year four. The realignment requests were examined by the Trust Fund and discussed with partners before approvals were issued to each partner organization.

Challenges

Following the extension of all five projects by 4 April 2022, the disbursement of project funds only occurred by June and July 2022. Implementing partners reported that the prolonged delay of the expected project funds disbursement hampered their ability to pursue victim rehabilitation services and to maintain operational tempo as well as managing administrative costs and obligations. The TFV is working to improve the internal work processes to avoid such delays to the projects.

Given the reduced funding available for 2022, one of the projects is in the process of closing in October 2022 (CVT). Securing funding for the last year of the programme cycle is essential to ensuring that the projects can continue. 

What’s next

The Trust Fund and the Embassies of Ireland in The Hague and Kampala are jointly organising a monitoring visit to Uganda in September 2022. The joint monitoring mission will provide the visiting delegation with a first-hand experience of the rehabilitation activities of Trust Fund assistance projects; and to use the monitoring mission as an opportunity to generate awareness and support for the Rome Statute’s unique and unprecedented dimension of actively redressing the harm suffered by the victims of the most serious crimes. This joint monitoring mission will highlight the Trust Fund’s unique imprint and track record of delivering reparative value to victims and their communities.