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What Is EOC?

The Equal Opportunities Commission is a statutory body established by an Act of Parliament to effectuate Article 32(3) and Article 32 (4) of the Constitution of Uganda. The Equal Opportunities Commission is mandated to eliminate discrimination and inequalities against any individual or group of persons on the ground of sex, age, race, colour, ethnic origin, tribe, birth, creed or religion, health status, social or economic standing, political opinion or disability, and take affirmative action in favor of groups marginalised on the basis of gender, age, disability or any other reason created by history, tradition or custom for the purpose of redressing imbalances which exist against them, and to provide for other related matters.

 

On July 6th 2010, the then Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development Hon. Gabriel Opio presented four members for swearing in and they took their oaths before the then Principal Judge His Lordship James Ogoola. The Equal Opportunities Commission was inaugurated on 8th July, 2010

Members of the Commission

Chairperson
Hon. Safia Nalule Jjuuko
Vice Chairperson
Joel Cox Ojuko
Member
Ms. Denise Tusiime
Member
Mr. Seruwagi Habiibu
Member
Sister Mary Wasagali

COMPLAINTS HANDLING

The Complaints Process.

One of the functions of the Equal Opportunities Commission as outlined in S. 23 of the Equal Opportunities Commission Act 2007 is to receive, investigate and, as far as possible, conciliate allegations of discrimination. The Commission therefore has a legal right to investigate a complaint if the subject matter of the complaint falls within the purview of its mandate and the Act.

Starting a Complaint.

The commission will receive the complaint, investigate and spear head the conciliation of the complainant and the defendant.

Lodge a complaint.

If you believe you've experienced discrimination or marginalization due to factors such as your gender, ethnic background, health status, religion, and so on, you have a window of six months from the date of the incident to file a complaint.

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Receiving the Complain.

The Commission will conduct an inquiry to establish whether the complaint's subject matter aligns with its jurisdiction and the regulations outlined in the Act.

The Complaint Process

Examining the nature of a complaint.

The Commission will investigate to determine if there is sufficient evidence to indicate that discrimination or marginalisation has occurred.

During investigation.

The investigator reaches out to the complainant for any additional details, and the respondent is presented with a summary of the accusations and offered a chance to provide their response.

Investigation report.

On completion of the investigation process, the Commission will prepare a report of its findings.

The Commission shall determine at the conclusion of the investigation whether a breach of the Act has occurred.

Conciliation

Should the Commission identify a breach and believe that the complaint can be resolved through conciliation, it will refer the case for the conciliation process.

Conciliation process.

Conciliation offers an informal, swift, and cost-effective means of resolving complaints, providing both the complainant and the respondent a platform to discuss the issues and collaboratively seek resolution. Typically conducted through face-to-face meetings, it differs from a court hearing by not serving as a forum for cross-examination or determining legal breaches.