In collaboration with its partners in the fields, Franciscans International submitted a contribution to the list of issues last September and is now closely following the review process. 

The pre-session meeting is a preparation meeting for the review session which will be held in July 2015. Franciscans International, together with Justice Peace and Integrity of Creation Franciscans Africa, Uganda Episcopal Conference, National Association of Professional Environmentalists and John Paul II Justice and Peace Centre, drafted a contribution report to the list of issues in order to raise major concerns with regards to the Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in Uganda. For this purpose, they focused on the topics of the rights to health, food, education, water and sanitation as well as on women and children’s issues.  

The Committee included some of these concerns in its list, for instance the development of universal birth registration, one of Franciscans International’s top priorities. Furthermore, as the report highlights, CESCR asks civil society organizations to provide information in relation to women’s access to land and property rights and how women are involved in the management of natural resources. In order to carefully follow the review of Uganda’s report, Franciscans International brought one of its partners to Geneva for the pre-session.  

It is encouraging to see FI’s prioirities reflected in the Committee’s list of issues; and FI continues to use a variety of mechanisms to advocate for basic human rights for the most vulnerable.