Democratic Republic of the Congo

Union Chrétienne pour le Progrès et la Défense des Droits de l’Homme

The Christian Union for Progress and Human Rights (UCPDHO) is a Christian-inspired association founded in Uvira, South Kivu (Democratic Republic of the Congo). The UCPDHO’s aim is to contribute to the restoration of peace in DRC, combat human rights’ violations, inform on death penalty laws and promote human rights in rural areas.
Its objectives include the fight to abolish the death penalty in DRC and the provision of medical care to victims of torture.

To reach its aims, the UCPDHO believes it is important to make known the texts on the abolition of the death penalty in DRC, to denounce human rights’ violations, in particular those of women and children, and to encourage the population, especially the young and those in the countryside, to adopt a culture of peace and tolerance.

The UCPDHO organises public events with the aim of making known the ideas of law, peace, development, a peace culture, human rights and the fight against the death penalty. It publishes a regular information newsletter and plans to open a documentation centre.
The association trains local authorities (police, judges, etc.) and carries out actions in prisons to have illegally-arrested prisoners freed. The UCPDHO is managed by a General Assembly, a Quality Council, a Board and a Coordination Office. Its financial resources come from members’ subscriptions, donations, legacies, grants and self-financing activities.
UCPDHO’s partners are churches, youth groups, local development committees and national and international associations working in the fields of education for peace, human rights and social progress promotion. Since 2005 it is supported by the Swiss organisations VIVERE and MIR.

Date founded

1999

Structure type

NGO