Activist and law student PRAISE ALOIKIN OPOLOJE has been named the winner of the European Union (EU) Human Rights Defenders’ Award 2025.
The award, which was presented during a ceremony at the residence of the ambassador of Sweden in Kampala, is given annually by the European Union to recognise an outstanding contribution by a human rights defender in Uganda.
Aloikin was chosen as the winner in recognition of her courageous activism for civil liberties, accountability, social justice and anti-corruption in Uganda, writes ERNEST JJINGO.
Born in 1999 in a peasant family setting in Pallisa district, Aloikin said she has lived an experience of how corruption is negatively impacting communities in the villages where she hails.
“By the time I could understand the word corruption, I bet I had seen more than one thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine forms of it” shared Aloikin at the 2024 Human Rights Convention 2024.
If there is anything that has bothered Aloikin back in Pallisa and elsewhere in the country, it is the poor services at health facilities that she also experienced when delivering her first baby in Pallisa. Aloikin is a dedicated social justice advocate and committed feminist with a strong passion for upholding human rights.
She interned at Chapter Four Uganda as a Legal Trainee mid last year. She is in her final year for a Law Degree at Makerere University in Kampala. She also serves as the Student Engagements Lead at OpenParly UG, a youth-led parliamentary monitoring initiative where she organizes student debates on parliamentary issues.
Additionally, she volunteers with the Dwona Initiative, which works to combat period poverty and misinformation. Her previous experience includes an internship at the Human Rights and Peace Centre. She has been involved in several protests in Uganda including the June 2023 anti-corruption protests and the protest against civilians in military detention.
She has been arrested twice and remanded to Luzira prison. In 2024, Aloikin was actively involved in campaigns addressing political accountability, women’s rights and violations of civic freedoms.
Through both grassroots mobilization and digital campaigns, she continues to inspire young people to participate in public life and push for a fairer, more inclusive Uganda.
While receiving the award, Aloikin noted the total disregard of the law currently happening in Uganda which has exacerbated issues like corruption, impunity and abuse of human rights in such fundamental ways that we can hardly call this country a democracy anymore except for the elections which are also filled with abductions, murders, disappearances and, therefore, the last thing we call them is a free and fair election.
“When it comes to demanding for issues of human rights, we do it passionately. We do it hopefully for the future we have never had, and for the past that we cannot really talk about.”
She, however, condemned the EU and its member states for always shaking hands with alleged human rights violators and negotiating for human rights yet they are inherent and should be given to people by virtue of being human rights.
“For so long, we have used the mechanism of negotiation, but we do not beg for human rights. But why do I negotiate with someone about human rights? Why don’t I demand for human rights? Why on one hand, you give me an award and on the other hand, shake our perpetrators’ hands? Why are those the people that we normalize in events and accept in society even when we know they are the cause of the breakdown of the abuse of the human rights that we have in Uganda today?” she asked.
Jan Sadek, the EU ambassador to Uganda, thanked Aloikin for advocating for justice, accountability, parliamentary integrity, ending military force jurisdiction over civilians, women’s rights and equality, digital safety, among others, and her passion and courage to speak up.
“In spite of challenges faced, notably being arrested and remanded to Luzira Prison, you still carry on calling for respect of all rights and respect of the law. You are truly an inspiration to many young people and we hope that this award will encourage you to continue your journey as a human rights defender,” Sadek told Aloikin.
Once again, the response to the call for nominations for the Human Right Defenders (HRD) Award highlighted both the range of human rights issues but also the vibrancy of activism in the country.
An individual eligible for the EU HRD Award is nominated by another individual or organisation. Human Rights organisations active in Uganda were invited to nominate candidates for the award. Candidates were assessed by a panel composed of human rights experts of different European Embassies and the EU Heads of Mission.
Also shortlisted for this year’s award were Hussein Kato Muyinda, lawyer and environmental rights defender, and Norah Kobusingye, a vocal defender of women’s rights. Muyinda was nominated for his inspiring work on environmental protection as the co-founder of the Earth Rights Initiative he has been in the forefront of the struggle for environmental justice.
Last year he was elected general secretary of Climate Action Network Uganda (CAN-U). Kobusingye was nominated for her bold stand against corruption and gender-based violence. She is also both the co-executive director at Freedom Hive Uganda and CEO of Good Future and Hope.
Speaking before the award announcement, ambassador of Sweden to Uganda Maria Håkansson thanked the three shortlisted candidates for their courage to shine a light on violations and abuses of human rights, and underlined the responsibility of the Ugandan state under international law to respect to protect and to fulfil human rights for all its citizens including taking measures to protect human rights defenders.
“Human rights defenders are the brave individuals who stand at the forefront of promoting and protecting universally recognized human rights and fundamental freedoms, always through peaceful and non violent means. The contributions of human rights defenders are as diverse as they are essential. They raise their voice for those that cannot be heard, they document they report violations, they ensure that abuses are not ignored or forgotten,” Hakansson said.
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