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In Uganda’s ever-tightening civic space, where dissent is criminalized and visibility can be dangerous, the fight for human rights is taking on a new form—art as resistance, storytelling as survival, and community as a sanctuary.

At the heart of this transformation is the Human Rights Are Universal Arts Festival. More than a cultural event, the festival is a defiant act of truth-telling in a climate where silence is both enforced and expected. It offers a space for survivors, artists, refugees, queer individuals, and young people to reclaim the narrative—and to declare, boldly, that every human being deserves dignity.

The Power of Words: A Festival Panel That Cut to the Core

During the 2024 festival, a panel discussion struck a chord with many. One speaker, Elizabeth Kemigishahttps://www.linkedin.com/in/fidauganda/?reflected on a chilling media headline:

"Girl refuses to have sex with man, gets ballooned." She reminded us that this was not a "misunderstanding"—it was defilement of a 13-year-old child. "When we call it 'ballooning,'" she said, "we strip away the severity of the crime. Language sanitizes violence—and it travels. From the media to the police station to the courtroom."

The panel unpacked how misused terms like “child marriage” and “child prostitution” mask criminal acts. A child cannot consent to marriage or sex. These are not cultural nuances—they are violations.

The Violence of Misnaming, the Healing of Art

Another speaker spoke of how retraumatization happens when victims seek justice. “Imagine being asked in court about the size of a rapist’s penis,” she said. “Imagine having to relive that again and again because the justice system is desensitized by euphemisms and bias.”

Yet even in this space of pain, the panel offered hope. Dr. Noga, founder of a safe house for refugee artists, shared how art had become a lifeline:

“Some come to paint, others to rest. Their art is sold here in Kampala and abroad. It brings healing, dignity, and income. It reminds them they are not victims—they are creators.”

From Street Battles to Stage Showcases

The festival also celebrated youth-led expression. Street dancers, beat poets, and visual artists took the stage—not to entertain, but to testify. Hip-hop legend Babaluku of the Bavubuka Foundation reminded us that expression is a right, not a luxury: “We were rowdy on purpose. It was positive defiance. Every young person who walks into our space is a star—and we walk with them until their vision is realized.” 

His call to action was simple yet powerful:
 “Don’t wait for the world to change. Start where you are. Build homes of hope in your community. Make noise where silence has been weaponized.”

 Community murals created during the 2024 festival, reflecting stories of displacement, injustice, and resilience

Art as Archive, Wall as Witness

One of the festival's most moving aspects is the mural painting, where community members collaboratively paint their truths onto canvas. These murals tell stories of environmental injustice, displacement, minority survival, and state violence. Each stroke is a form of memory-keeping in a society that often tries to erase the experiences of the marginalized.

We Need You

The Human Rights Are Universal Arts Festival is not just an event. It’s a movement for narrative justice in a country where activists are jailed, journalists harassed, andsurvivors silenced. We need allies. We need resources. We need you.