What is the Human Rights Internship in Uganda for Persons with Disabilities project all about?
The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities guarantees the right to access “the same range, quality and standard of free or affordable health care”. However, evidence shows that persons with disabilities still face numerous challenges in accessing and utilizing essential sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services.
An audit of SRH services for women and girls with disabilities revealed disability-unfriendly infrastructure at health facilities in Uganda. This included a lack of access ramps, and a lack of adjustable labour and examination beds. The audit was conducted in selected health centers in the Iganga District of Uganda.
Cultural belief still regards people with disabilities, especially women, as not sexually active. This means that they find themselves excluded from sex education and sexual health campaigns. Other challenges involve negative perceptions from health personnel towards women and girls with disabilities, and an absence of disability trained health professionals.
In some cases, Ugandan women and girls with disabilities are sexually abused by their own relatives, making them vulnerable to sexually transmitted infections including HIV/AIDS, and to unwanted pregnancies. In many cases they are subjected to forced sterilization, and unsafe abortions. When not performed by a legitimate health professional, these procedures pose an enormous risk, and can be incredibly traumatic.
By participating in this internship, you will be accelerating the access to disability friendly sexual and reproductive health services for women and girls with disabilities in the local region in which the project works.
Why choose this Human Rights Internship in Uganda for Persons with Disabilities project?
- Learn about Persons with Disability challenges, especially Sexual and Reproductive Health services for women and girls with disabilities in the developing world.
- Contribute to the Global Persons with Disabilities response and Sustainable development goals by providing an extra set of hands on local human rights projects in Uganda.
- Experience the Ugandan response in addressing Persons with Disability rights while making local friends and exchanging cultures.
Role of the Human Rights Intern
The Intern will work with the community, and with human advocates on this project. The project will start by holding consultation meetings with young women and girls with disabilities. This will enable you to identify key issues and challenges, and will help you when working at the Sexual and Reproductive Health camps. The camps are designed to provide a range of services including HIV/AIDS counseling, screenings, sex education, and legal advice to name a few.
The project will carry out extensive community sensitization and awareness meetings on the rights of women and girls with disabilities. Further to this, advocacy engagement meetings with duty bearers will be arranged to help them in providing disability-friendly services.
What skills do I need to be a Human Rights intern?
Students and professionals in medical sciences, nursing or public health, social work or equivalent qualifications with knowledge in coordination and implementation of Minimum Initial Services Package for Reproductive Health. Technical expertise in Advocacy/ Advancing a policy-oriented agenda is needed. You will be required to submit a CV as well as go through a phone interview for the vetting process before your placement is confirmed.
WHY JOIN THE PROJECT
FEATURED VIDEO
PROJECT TESTIMONIALS
Where will I work in Uganda?
About the location
The local community organisation you will work with is located in the Jinja District of Uganda. This is a semi-urban setting with a staff of five. Only 6 km away is Jinja Town. Jinja is the second largest town and commercial center in Uganda, with around 90,000 people. It has a major rail connection to Kenya and the Indian Ocean, and is famous as the historic source of the Nile River.
Accommodation
Interns will be living with host families. The living conditions are generally considered middle class by local standars and therefore, you will have indoor plumbing with running water, electricity and your own private room.
What to do in your spare time
Jinja is now the adrenaline capital of East Africa, with many tourist activities including white-water rafting, kayaking and quad biking, all set in a stunning natural setting with charming colonial architecture. During your trip in Uganda, you may want to visit the famous Itanda Falls, or take a sunset cruise on the Nile river. With so many activities, you are sure to find something to do during your spare time!
Details & Costs
- Duration: 3+ weeks
- Cost: £1364 / $2129 for 3 weeks. See drop-down menu for additional weekly pricing
- Requirements: Age 18+
- Location: Jinja, Uganda
- Working hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00 - 17:00
- Project availability: January through November
- Arrival day: Last Saturday of each month, except for December
What is included
- Accommodation: Host family
- Meals: 3 meals a day
- Airport: scheduled pickup and dropoff from Entebbe International Airport in Uganda
- On the ground transportation: to/from projects included
- Access to personal online Kaya Community account including:
– Pre-departure information pack
– Fundraising Guide
– How to Manage your Money Abroad
– Learning Reflection Guide - On the ground training: cultural and safety orientation and project induction
- Internship support:
– Certificate upon completion of your internship presentation
– Supervision from qualified professional - Support: 24-hour support including emergency contact numbers from local team
- Excursion Planning assistance from local staff (activity prices may be extra)
What is not included
- Flights
- Insurance
- Visas
- Police/Government Background Check; US and UK citizens will be processed through Kaya (admin fee applies). All other nationalities must provide local police check.
- Routine or country specific vaccination if applicable
- Any costs for COVID-19 PCR tests required pre-departure and in-country
Pictures from our Human Rights Internship in Uganda for Persons with Disabilities project
Easy 4-step application process
APPLY ONLINE
Apply for a Kaya program and pay your application fee to apply for your space on your chosen project. Our advisors will then contact you to guide you through the next steps.
TELEPHONE INTERVIEW
Once we’ve received your application, we’ll review your details and be in touch to arrange your informal telephone interview with your Kaya Placement Advisor.
CONFIRMATION
Following your interview, we will provide you a placement offer. Once you are ready to confirm your placement and dates, you can pay your confirmation fee to book and secure your space.
GET PREPARED
When you have confirmed your project dates we'll send you your Welcome Pack and lots of other helpful information to assist you with preparing for your placement.