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Artistic Rights: Entertainers, Lawyers Unite on Injustice Fight

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Officials from UMA, FHRI, and Pearlwood speaking to reporters on Thursday

A section of musicians under their umbrella body of the Uganda Musicians Association (UMA), filmmakers under Pearl wood, and lawyers from the Foundation for Human Rights Initiative (FHRI) have unveiled a three months research into the entertainment industry.

The research has been launched by the trio under a partnership where they united and formed an NGO dubbed Pan African Network for Artistic Freedom (PANAF] Uganda, whose primary aim is to Advocate for the entertainers’ Rights.

Deric Frederic Namakajo, the Secretary General of PANAF told reporters during the launch at the Uganda National Cultural Centre Offices that this has been done because artists have failed to gain from their creativity.

“We have started by rolling out a three months research which will move across the country, we want to further identify all problems facing the creative industry so that we come up with lasting solutions,” he said

He noted that President Museveni, in 1986, upon emerging victorious in the Bush war, declared it was not only a mere change of guard but rather, a “fundamental change,”

“The fundamental change promised was chiefly understood as comprising respect for human rights, and among these is the right to freedom of expression. The government further patronized the arts by encouraging the use of music and performing arts in mobilizing people for peace, reconciliation, safer community, and in combating the rising HIV/AIDS scourge,” said

This, according to Namakajo means that the creative sector plays a special role in all aspects of life such as, “education, health, family, and leisure and above all, a formidable and powerful economic and employment arm that deserves to be protected in all aspects,”

 “The research will be done on three thematic areas l, including; Artistic Rights and Freedom amongst artists, the general legal environment for artistic rights and freedom and gender aspects within the creative sector,” he said

Speaking about the partnership, Fina Mugerwa alias Fina Masanyalaze, the Secretary General of UMA expressed optimism in the partnership which she said will help to solve the majority of the problems affecting their sector.

Officials pose for a group photo, during the launch

“With the research which will reach to all the 15 clusters of UMA across the country, and having the legal brains on board this show that we have shifted our wars from shouting with mouth to papers,” she said, adding,

“I rally all musicians across the country to embrace this initiative because it will save us from being beggars and we have been ignorantly begging from people who give us part of our own portion in fact we are their Bosses. Unity is the only driver that will make us succeed,” she said

The unveiled PANAF Committee will be represented by three members from each partner.

Solome Nagadya from FHRI said that PANAF being a consortium of Musicians, filmmakers and legal practitioners, aims at a thorough needs assessment on the status of Artistic rights and freedom in Uganda.

“We believe that numerous issues like the Copyright Law have been in existence but dormant, not being implemented. So, this partnership is considering working on numerous issues concerning the artistic rights,” she said.

“In order to achieve this, we have embarked on a 3/three) months research project on the state of artistic rights and freedom and the legal framework regulating and governing the industry,” Namakajo said

“We thus, call upon all stakeholders not limited to content creators, musicians, producers, legislators, and leaders in all spheres to work with us in ensuring that we have all-inclusive research,”

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