| dc.description.abstract | This study on the state of intercultural dialogue (ICD) in Uganda was commissioned by the Uganda National Commission for UNESCO (UNATCOM). In particular, it investigated the following salient issues: i) The state of ICD in Uganda with a focus on legislation, policies, and institutions mandated to implement action plans as well as the policy options to promote it; ii) the existing approaches to the management and promotion of cultural diversity, iii) establishing the conditions necessary for ICD to thrive, iv) explore the religious dimension including the inter-faith relationships and religious diversity, and v) explore the various spaces for ICD including but not limited to learning and teaching intercultural competences in the realm of education as key dimension of dialogue for sustainability and living together.
The methodology the study used was as follows: relevant literatures on ICD both from within and outside the country were reviewed, Some Key Informants were interviewed on the subject of ICD and inter-religious dialogue The content method was used for the analysis of data and information.
The findings of the study were as follows:
On the understanding of culture and intercultural dialogue, the respondents observed as
follows 1) On the notion of ICD the study found out that it was generally understood by all respondents. However, they also observed that sometimes the diversity amongst the
different peoples of Uganda has been used against one another for purposes of
political and financial gains,
ii) Intermarriages between citizens and foreigners have led to more understanding and integration amongst cultures. However, social tensions have sometimes emerged between these cultures because they are not recognized by some indigenous cultural groups.
iii) The respondents were supportive of the idea of promoting ICD because Uganda is a pluralistic society - hence, it is healthy and can consolidate unity.
The study found out on the existing approaches Uganda is using to manage cultural diversity, three mam approaches were identified, namely: identifying strategies, putting in place the SDIP, and formulating a National Culture Policy.
⚫ On the conditions essential for fulfilling ICD, this is what the study found out:
I. Uganda is struggling to adopt and uphold cultural diversity in the areas of fundamental freedoms and to bring about equality and equity through various laws, regulations and policies. However, three main challenges were noted here, namely: cases of human rights abuses still prevail; exclusivity in distribution of socio-economic resources to some groups in society, e.g., in employment in the public sector, is being practiced,
ii. There is lack of effective framework (e.g.. functional courts) to address some of the malfeasance against some citizens when their rights are trampled upon, and
iii. Generally, the respondents said that the culture of respecting citizens is upheld, Fee example, on gender, respondents observed that Uganda has put in place various laws and policies to improve on the socio-economic conditions of women and their effective representation in politics; on the barriers (e.g, difficulties in communicating in various languages, structures of power, poverty, and exploitation) that prevent ICD to take root, the respondents observed that Uganda has not done well, and; lastly, the respondents observed that measures to address intercultural competencies and creating and widening spaces for ICD exist.
• On the religious dimension of ICD, the study found out that religion and secularism are being promoted as the purpose of life, for example, in education, human rights, democratic citizenship, and the promotion of values of peace, dialogue and solidarity, However, the respondents also observed that some state operatives have tended to rebuke religious bodies from fostering ICD and co-existence because they see them as anti- establishment.
. On policy approaches in the promotion of ICD, different views emerged as follows: Different legal and institutional frameworks put in place by the government have helped i
to promote ICD, especially by outlawing discrimination between different peoples, The criminal justice system (CIS) has well-trained personnel to uphold any legislation on
public debates; Although the majority of the respondents were aware of the coherence between the different policies and principles of government that promote and obstruct ICD, they were not aware of the specific frameworks guaranteeing human rights standards in areas such
as non-discrimination, democracy and rule-of-law; Respondents saw democratic governance of cultural diversity as crucial because it brings iv.
together citizens of different cultural, colour and ethnic background | en_US |
