MY EXPERIENCE WITH NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR DEMOCRACY IN 2011 WAS SHOCKING

I sent a proposal by the name: DEMYSTIFYING HUMAN RIGHTS (DEHURI) to National Endowment for Democracy (NED) on 21st January 2011. This proposal was by email. However, I sent remainders to get confirmation that my proposal had been received , unfortunately, I was not getting response as expected. The proposal was in time for consideration for the 2nd sitting of the Board of Directors, unfortunately, it is until I sent the email below that I was told my proposal was to be considered for the 4th round of the Board sitting! Mrs. Amanda Phaneuf Vragovich Program Assistant for Africa/Assistante de Programme, Afrique The National Endowment for Democracy Dear Madam, I submitted the attached proposal on 21st January 2011. I have not got information as to whether this proposal was received. Kindly advise, William Kituuka Chairman Good Governance Practice (GOGOP) Dear grant candidate, THE RESPONSE I GOT FROM MICHAEL The National Endowment for Democracy has received your grant proposal and cover page, which was submitted in time to be reviewed at our board meeting on September 9, 2011. At this meeting, our board of directors will review proposals and make decisions regarding funding. Following the meeting, our staff will contact you to let you know the status of your proposal. In the meantime, our Program Coordination Department will contact you in a few months with your proposal reference number. We ask that you take note of this number and include it in all future correspondences with the Endowment regarding this proposal. We will contact you if we have questions regarding your proposal, or if further documents are needed. However, due to the large number of proposals received, we are unable to respond to all inquiries regarding the selection process. Thank you for your submission. Best, Michael Arnst Program Assistant for East and Southern Africa The National Endowment for Democracy Michael Arnst michaelar@ned.org Subject: RE: MY DISSATISFACTION OVER THE WAY MY PROPOSAL WAS HANDLED michaelar@ned.org - www.ned.org M/S NED, I wish to express my dissatisfaction to you over the way my proposal sent to you (DEMYSTIFYING HUMAN RIGHTS) earlier in the year was handled. I would like you to appreciate that though we submit proposals to you, we have some rights which should be observed. It is not news that in some organizations good proposals are diverted. I have a friend by the name of Mr. Thomas Bogere, to whom your organization wrongly sent the information that my proposal had not qualified (as he long resigned as Secretary and member of our CBO and did not feature anywhere in my 2011 proposal submission). I came up with DEMYSTIFYING HUMAN RIGHTS (DEHURI) as shown below very original, having spent a lot of time analyzing the Uganda fake democracy and what I thought was the way forward, it became a real war to get a response from your organization to acknowledge that my application had been received, and it was after I sent my complaint to Amanda that I got a response that my application was to be considered when the Board would sit on 9th September 2011. The question is, Where had my application been put all the time? I had not got a reference number for the application as is the normal procedure. Last year, my application got problems; Amanda informed me that my Cover Sheet had not been received! This time round, it so happened that I had again to follow up and inquire to your organization what the fate of my application was. I sent out two inquiries and to my surprise, a name of Bogere was the addressee to whom the response was made, but Bogere is no where in my submission on the Cover Sheet or in the proposal content. So, I wish to be sincere to you that there is need to ensure much more transparency in the handling of our proposals so that justice is seen done. Many people in this world reap where they have not sown. The disappointment I have got this time with NED would have thrown me out of competitive proposal writing because I see that justice is not seen to be done, but hopefully, after this communication, I think the organization will streamline the procedure in handling our proposals. THE RESPONSE BY (NED) AFTER I INQUIRED ABOUT THE FATE OF THE BOARD MEETING (Imagine Bogere who had long resigned as Secretary and left the organization had the letter addressed to him) Mr. Thomas Bogere Good Governance Practice Kampala Road, P. O. Box 2678 Kampala Uganda RE: NED Proposal No. 20114507 Dear Mr. Bogere: The Endowment has reviewed the above-referenced proposal for consideration at our September 9, 2011 Board Meeting. I regret to inform you that, after careful consideration, your proposal was not approved for funding by our Board of Directors. The competition was keen, and with limited resources available, only a small number of the many proposals received could be approved for a grant. Your interest in the Endowment and its goal of encouraging free and democratic institutions is appreciated. Sincerely, Office of Program Coordination National Endowment for Democracy 1025 F Street, N.W., Suite 800 Washington, D.C. 2004 USA THE PROPOSAL WHICH I SUBMITTED DEMYSTIFYING HUMAN RIGHTS (DEHURI) I. SUMMARY The Late United States President James Madison once said that, “The most popular democracies empower their citizens to acquire information. Such well informed citizens are easier to govern as they understand the issues at stake,” Demystifying Human Rights (DEHURI) will in essence empower the school going children/students and other members of the civil society to better internalize Human Rights and civic obligations; that is to create awareness more so that Uganda is dotted with Human Rights abuses; and learning from the abuses to safeguard others’ rights and how to seek redress in case of abuse, this is against the background that Human Rights are the cornerstone of human life and without them, there can be no meaningful human existence. A One Day Stakeholders’ Workshop on issues pertinent to Human Rights will be organized as the basis for the innovation of a Two Hour Video Narration on ‘Understanding Human Rights & Redress’ to be made after writing a Manuscript out of the issues that shall be brought out by the Workshop Participants on the subject of Human Rights and why these ought to be safeguarded and how to address abuse; at the same time, an easy to read Booklet on ‘Exploring Human Rights’ shall be published. A Master Video shall be made from the Human Rights Narration Shot; then DVDs shall be cut to be shown to schools which will be in partnership with us. This will be by use of a TV Screen. The innovation shall see the introduction of School Human Rights Clubs. Copies of DVDs and the published Booklet shall be availed for sale to those schools which will not be part of the project, Bookshops and organizations. The project is to make partnerships with schools (Primary & Secondary) which shall see the starting of School Human Rights Clubs in Wakiso district such that children/students after listening to the narration shall be expected to start the said clubs, and the initial assignment shall be to make a write up during their school holiday regarding their experience of Human Rights abuses in their villages. The write – ups shall be collected from the children/students at the beginning of a new term. We at the project office shall read through all the essays of the children/students and the best ones shall be rewarded. A ‘Schools’ Human Rights Magazine’ shall be published to reflect on the Human Rights Abuses Club members will have come across. II. BACKGROUND Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) the Constitutionally Established Body by Act of Uganda Parliament has in the numerous reports published clearly given the picture of Human Rights in the country. The Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC), under Article 52 (1) (a) of the Constitution of Uganda, 1995, is mandated to investigate at its own initiative or on a complaint made by any person or group of persons, against the violation of any human right. In performance of its functions, Article 53 (1) stipulates that the Commission shall have the powers of a Court to issue summons, to question any person in respect of any subject matter under investigation before the Commission, to require any person to disclose any information within his or her knowledge relevant to any investigation and to commit persons for contempt of its orders. It is true that the reports clearly show that Human Rights abuses are many as reflected in the reported cases as well as findings by the Commission itself. The Commission clearly depicts the role of the Organs of the Government of Uganda in Human Rights abuses. It is important to note Uganda Government’s role (NRM Party) in the abuse which is manifested in rigging of elections; denying the right to demonstration; limiting freedom of association; use of force to enforce Government decisions which are not popular; which issues among others are to be addressed. The Uganda Human Rights Commission, 10th Annual Report has information on abuses as reflected in the tables below: I. Comparison of Complaints and Lodgments Registered with the Commission in 2006 and 2007 at Various Offices:- (these were given in an attached table) II. Trends in the Nature of Complaints Registered in 2007 and 2007:- (these were put in a table) The trends in the nature of Human Rights Violations have been consistent over the years. Violations of Children’s Rights and the Freedom from Torture, Cruel Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment are the highest, followed by the Violations of the Right to Property and Liberty. Therefore there is all the evidence that Human Rights abuses are real and a strategy which makes children/students and members of the civil society understand Human Rights and why they are important to be upheld in society is rightly placed. When children/students and other members of the civil society have ample information on Human rights, they are bound to make educated and safe choices on Human rights and a host of other vices that are a shame to their country – Uganda. The press in Uganda both the print and electronic media constantly report cases of Human Rights Abuses and reaction by the aggrieved parties which is either out of ignorance of the law and or possible consequences in case of prosecution. Against that background, it is of utmost importance to be sure that people are educated about Human Rights and positive reaction in case of abuse. The appreciation of Human Rights lies in the ability to change people’s attitudes and instill a culture of protection and promotion of these rights from the individual’s standpoint. III. PROJECT OBJECTIVES III. To hold a One Day Workshop of Stakeholders in Human Rights so that we can appreciate the scope of human rights for eventual production of a Human Rights Video Narration and a Booklet on Human Rights. IV. To disseminate Human Rights information by use of DVDs and publish a Human Rights Booklet for primary and secondary schools and other publics as well as enhance the formation of School Human Rights Clubs. V. To follow up the Operations of School Human Rights Clubs and make a School Human Rights Clubs’ Magazine from Club Members’ Submissions. IV. PROJECT ACTIVITIES There are 5 Activities under which the project implementation will be done. These are:- Organizing of a One day Workshop for stakeholders in Human Rights. Make a Manuscript out of the Workshop Presentations. Get a Video Recording and Human Rights Booklet published. Reach out to sampled primary and secondary schools to show the video on DVD and the introduction of School Human Rights Clubs while selling DVDs and Human Rights Booklets to various publics Follow up work of School Clubs formed and make Awards as well as publish a Magazine of the School Clubs. 1.0 Organizing of a One day Workshop for stakeholders in Human Rights 1.1 The project is to organize a One Day Workshop; this shall involve writing out Invitation letters to Prospect Presenters of Papers who are players in Human Rights related activities. Those to be invited to include:- 1 Guest of Honour – Uganda Human Rights Commission 1 Guest to Close the Workshop – Ministry of Education 1 Master of Ceremony 10 Paper Presenters as indicated below. 31 Participants from Organizations as indicated below. 1 Hired Journalist to Summarize the Day’s proceedings 10 Representatives of Media Houses 2 Security Personnel 5 Officers from Good Governance Practice (GOGOP) The total number is 62 1.2 There shall be hand delivered letters to the organizations to present papers as well as participants. The organizations shall be required to give the name of the presenter so that he is included on the Workshop Progamme; the same to invited guests so that flickers are eliminated at the time of registration for the Workshop. 1.3 The Prospect Paper Presenters shall be given a one month time-lag to make appropriate paper preparations for presentation. They will be required to make submissions to the organization by email a week to the date of the event so that it becomes possible to make print –outs for participants to the Workshop; 1.4 Uganda Human Rights Commission shall be Guest of Honour and will be called upon to give the introductory and opening remarks at the workshop before the presentation of papers. 1.5 The Workshop to be closed by an official from Ministry of Education and Sports. 1.6 The Question to be responded to: “What aspects of Human Rights within your mandate need to be demystified for the benefit/knowledge of the general public?” 1.7 Papers’ Presenter Organizations to include: Foundation for Human Rights Initiative; Human Rights Network (HURINET); Uganda Police; Uganda Prisons; Ministry of Gender and Social Development; Uganda Women’s Network (UWONET) Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF); African Network for the Prevention and Protection Against Child Abuse & Neglect ( APPCAN) Uganda Chapter; National Environment Management Authority (NEMA); Uganda National Health Users/Consumers Organization 1.8 Presenters of papers shall have an allowance for their input, while all invited guests shall be entitled to transport refund. 1.9 Participant Organizations shall be one page summarized copies of presentations at the Workshop. These will be given opportunity to contribute during the remarks & Discussion of papers/Reaction (Plenary Session) of participants to contributions. Those to be invited shall include one person to be seconded by his organization to attend:- Ministry of Education & Sports; Uganda Debt Network (UDN); National Union for Disabled Persons of Uganda (NUDIPU); Uganda AIDS Commission (UAC); Wakiso District Representatives; Centre for Domestic Violence Prevention African Centre for Treatment & Rehabilitation of Torture Victims; MS Uganda (Danish Association for International Development; Uganda Network of AIDS Service Organization (UNASO); World Vision International Uganda; ActionAid International – Uganda; Action for Development (ACFODE); German Technical Cooperation; Uganda Women Entrepreneurs Association; International Care and Relief; Catholic Relief Services; Advocates Coalition for Development & Environment (ACODE); Friedrich Ebert Stiftung; Forum for Women in Development (FOWODE); Plan Uganda; Straight Talk Foundation; Single Parents’ Association; Uganda Law Society; United Nations Development Programme (UNDP); World Vision United Nations’ Children’s Fund (UNICEF); Uganda Red Cross; Save the Children in Uganda; Uganda Joint Christian Council; Foundation for African Development (FAD); National Curriculum Development Centre; 5 Staff from Good Governance Practice (GOGOP); 2 Security Personnel; 1 Hired Journalist to summarize the day’s work; 1 Master of Ceremony 1.10 The Workshop is scheduled to be at Lweza Training and Conference Centre 7miles Entebbe Highway. 1.11 There will be a 15 minutes break for morning tea; an hour break for lunch while Evening Tea will be served during deliberations. There will be meal cards issued to participants 1.12 Presenters while having a Paper for presentation shall equally have their work summarized in Power Point to enable them make summarized presentation. 1.13 The Presenters shall have a laptop at their disposal which will be connected to a projector. They will equally have markers and a Flip chart. 1.14 Proposed Time Table:- (was put in a table format) NO. ACTIVITY TIME RESPONSIBILITY 1 Arrival & Registration 9.30am – 10.00am GOGOP Staff 2 Welcome Remarks 10.00am – 10.15am Master of Ceremony 3 Guest of Honour 10.15am – 10.45am Guest of Honour 4 3 Presenters @ 15 min 10.45am – 11.30am Paper Presenters 5 BREAK TEA (15 Min) 11.30am – 11.45am Lweza Training & Conference Centre 6 5 Presenters @ 15 min 11.45am – 1.00pm Paper Presenters 7 LUNCH BREAK (1 HR) 1.00pm – 2.00pm Lweza Training & Conference Centre 8 2 Presenters @ 15 min 2.00pm – 2.30pm Paper Presenters 9 Plenary Session 2.30pm – 3.30pm All Participants 10 Summary Presentation & Evening Tea 3.30pm – 4.15pm Hired Journalist & Lweza Training & Conference Centre 11 Closure 4.15pm – 4.30pm Ministry of Education representative 1.15 Participants who will not be presenters of papers shall be invited so as to make the Workshop carry weight in a process of coming up with an Authoritative Working Document which shall be a basis for the Demystification of Human Rights; these shall include authorities from Government Ministries; the Human Rights Organizations; Development Partners and Wakiso district authorities; 1.16 The Workshop shall engage a Professional Journalist (Reportier) to help summarize the day’s events. 1.17 A Summary of the Day’s deliberations to be presented by the Hired professional after the plenary session. 1.18 Closing Remarks by an Official from the Ministry of Education and Sports 2.0 Make a Manuscript out of the Workshop Presentations 2.1 Out of the Workshop deliberations, the organization shall make a Manuscript to be narrated in a video format after the shooting. 2.2 The Organization shall recruit 2 Volunteers to help with the work; 2.3 Once the manuscript is perfected, a shooting function so that it is presented in a Video format shall be done and will be baptized: ‘Understanding Human Rights & Redress’. 2.4 Out of the presentations, a Booklet shall be complied and published in the name of: ‘Exploring Human Rights’. 3.0 Get a Video Recording and Human Rights Booklet published. 3.1 A Master Video shall be shot out of which 1,000 DVDs will be cut and shall be properly labeled with the name: “Understanding Human Rights & Redress”. 3.2 The properly edited version of the Booklet on Human Rights shall be taken to a Printery and 2,000 copies shall be ordered. The Booklet shall be called: “Exploring Human Rights.” 4.0 Reach out to sampled primary and secondary schools to show the video on DVD and the introduction of School Human Rights Clubs while selling DVDs and Human Rights Booklets to various publics 4.1 We shall make a Format of a Constitution which may be modified by schools to serve as a Constitution when School Human Rights Clubs are introduced in schools. 4.2 We shall sample out 10 primary schools and 10 secondary schools in Wakiso that will be willing to accommodate our innovation. This will be after reaching out to them and agree on according the proposed School Human Rights Club time on the School Timetable as well as get a patron teacher to guide the children/students; and the schools we shall get to partnership with shall be ready to give us at least two and a half hours to interact with children/students as we introduce the innovation which will involve listening to the narration “Understanding Human Rights & Redress,” which will be for 2 hours. 4.3 Official appointment time with the schools shall be agreed on. We shall have a TV screen, a generator for power to show the Video, and then we shall issue a few Booklets to the patron who will help in seeing the School Human Rights Club take off. 4.4 We shall leave the children/students with an assignment to be done by those who will join the School Human Rights Club which will be to document Human Rights Violations/abuse they will witness in their school holiday. 4.5 Write ups shall be collected by the Club Patron and we shall be informed accordingly to follow up so as to be able to get children’s/students observations. 4.6 We shall promise to publish the best works in A ‘Schools’ Human Rights Magazine,’ and the best children/students from each school shall be given a token in appreciation. The 4 best children/students from each school shall get shs 10,000 from the organization, a total of 20 x 10,000 x 4 = 800,000/-. This will act as an incentive for them to take the exercise serious. 4.7 Because many schools will not be within the partnership, copies of both the DVDs and Booklets shall be sold to them and organizations as a method of dissemination. 5.0 Follow up work of School Clubs formed and make Awards as well as publish a Magazine of the School Clubs. 5.1 We shall encourage the schools to call upon us when they need our input. 5.2 We shall also get in touch to collect children/students’ write-ups when their school holidays end. 5.3 We shall read through the work and award grades accordingly. 5.4 We shall publish 1,000 Magazines in the name of: “A Schools’ Human Rights Magazine,” which will be distributed to participating schools and surplus copies sold. V. EVALUATION PLAN Monitoring and Evaluation: Objective 1: Holding a One Day Workshop of Stakeholders in Human Rights so that we can appreciate the scope of Human Rights for eventual production of a Human Rights Video Narration and a Booklet on Human Rights. When the 10 Paper Presenters are able to present the requested papers; and all the 52 participant organization members turn up, this will be one milestone. When participants make deliberations/contributions during the plenary, this will further enrich the scope of knowledge we are targeting. When a comprehensive summary for the day’s presentation is availed, the participants will go back empowered with what Human Rights is all about, while we the organizers shall be armed with an enriched Human Rights information authority for wide publicity. Objective 2: Dissemination of Human Rights information by use of DVDs and publishing of a Human Rights Booklet for primary and secondary schools and other publics as well as enhance the formation of School Human Rights Clubs. When we are able to make a manuscript out of the presentation summary, which on perfection is to be shot as a video, we shall have scored; When 1,000 copies of DVDs are cut, we shall then be sure of disseminating our work. If the presentations are used as a basis to compile a Booklet on Human Rights we shall have made good of our project; and it will be great when we publish 2,000 copies for circulation and sell. When we are able to produce a constitution to guide the School Human Rights Clubs, this will be a milestone. Succeeding in getting 10 primary & 10 secondary schools as initial participants will equally be great. Being able to show the video and distribute 5 copies of the Human Rights Booklet to each participating school will be another achievement; and having school members at least 50 join the clubs in each of the schools will be a great achievement. Being able to succeed in selling 500 copies of DVDs and 1,500 Booklets on Human Rights will be positive as it will imply positive dissemination of our work to beneficiaries. Objective 3: To follow up the operations of School Human Rights Clubs and make a Schools’ Human Rights Clubs’ Magazine from the members’ submissions. Periodic successes registered by School Human Rights Clubs will be great news, more so increased subscribed members per school. Members’ participation in submissions from their holiday’s will equally be a positive boost to our efforts. When we happen to read through their essays and they are relevant, we shall register a positive score. When members’ articles are selected for publication in 1,000 copies circulation will be another milestone of evolution of a Schools’ Human Rights Clubs’ Magazine as there is none in Uganda. And more to it selecting achievers for a reward of shs 10,000 will be a great milestone. VI. ORGANIZATIONAL BACKGROUND Good Governance Practice (GOGOP) is a Community Based Organisation (CBO) Registered in 2008 at Wakiso district.  The (CBO) office is located 8 miles Entebbe Highway at Kajjansi Trading Centre - Uganda. The Mission of GOGOP is to train; support and advocate for good governance for sustainable, efficient and effective service delivery which is corrupt free as well as promote participation in governance issues by all in local governments. Good Governance Training and related operations arise from Africa Good Governance Training as developed by Municipal Development Partnership of Eastern and Southern Africa (MDP – ESA) and World Bank Institute (WBI) which the Chairman William Kituuka had opportunity to attend.  The course components are: i.)       Governing Municipalities without Corruption; ii.     Civic Participation for Good Governance; iii.)   Municipal Finance Part 1; and iv.)   Municipal Finance -“Participatory Budgeting” – Part 2 Good Governance Practice (GOGOP) has the obligation among other programmes to disseminate with modification what (MDP – ESA) developed together with issues on Democracy; Human Rights to mention a few. We are involved in various interventions for example advising the members of the public on various strategies given people’s ills and also in making public ills addressed for the attention of the members of Parliament of Uganda; Local Government leaders on issues to do with Good Governance, Security, People’s Welfare, we take extra interest in Fighting Corruption in Public Offices and Civic Participation (Ref: http://www.williamkituuka.blogspot.com). We target the promotion of Community Participatory Dynamics through educating various community players in issues of Good Governance, hence involvement in decision making to improve local government service delivery. Other funding: Our organization receives local contributions that are not grants to the tune of US$ 3,500. It also earns income from Consultancy services rendered, sale of publications to the tune of US$4,000. We are yet to get donors for our projects, but we currently push on within the means of what we earn. VIII. BUDGET (1-2 pages) We are requesting for US$ 22,612.4 ITEM COST Organizing the Workshop I. Hiring Venue & Meals 695.2 II. Equipment (Laptops & Projector) 2,400.0 III. Allowances & Transport Refund 1,271.0 IV. Stationeries & Mail Deliveries 166.3 TOTAL 4,532.5 Producing 1,000 DVDs & 2,000 Booklets Shooting a Video & 1,000 DVDs 1,466.6 Publishing 2,000 Booklets 2,666.7 TOTAL 4,133.3 Dealings with schools 10 primary & 10 secondary Cost of TV & Generator 2,000.0 Generator Fuel & Transport cost 551.1 TOTAL 2,551.1 Salaries Salaries & Allowances (volunteers) 5,866.7 Administration I. Utility Charges 2,293.4 II. Stationery, bank charges, Monitoring, etc 1,991.0 III. Magazine Production & Awards 1,244.4 TOTAL 5,528.8 GRAND TOTAL: TOTAL REQUEST US $ 22,612.4