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Climate change is not just an environmental issue—it is fundamentally a human rights issue. As temperatures rise, extreme weather events increase, and ecosystems are disrupted, people's rights to life, health, food, water, housing, and culture are increasingly threatened.

"The impacts of climate change are not distributed equally," notes environmental justice advocate Daniel Okello. "Those who have contributed least to the problem—including indigenous communities, people living in poverty, and residents of developing nations—often face the most severe consequences."

This inequity makes climate change a matter of justice. When communities lose their homes to rising sea levels, when farmers can no longer grow food due to changing weather patterns, or when indigenous peoples lose cultural practices tied to specific ecosystems, their human rights are being violated.

Artists have been at the forefront of efforts to highlight these connections. Through photography, installation, film, and other media, they bear witness to climate impacts, amplify affected communities' voices, and imagine more sustainable futures.

At this year's Human Rights Are Universal Festival, a special section of the exhibition will be dedicated to works addressing climate justice. Featured artists include:

• Photographer Lucia Mbabazi, whose series "Vanishing Lands" documents communities displaced by climate disasters
• Sculptor Thomas Okumu, who creates installations from plastic waste to highlight consumption patterns
• Filmmaker Sarah Namuli, whose documentary "Seeds of Resilience" follows farmers adapting to changing conditions

The festival will also host a panel discussion titled "Art in the Age of Climate Crisis," bringing together artists, scientists, and activists to explore how creative expression can contribute to climate justice movements.

"Art helps us process the emotional dimensions of climate change," says festival director James Tumusiime. "It allows us to confront difficult truths while also nurturing the hope and imagination we need to create change."

By highlighting the intersection of climate change and human rights through artistic expression, the festival aims to inspire deeper understanding and more effective action on this critical issue.