By URN
Renowned Karamoja human rights advocate Anna Lomonyang has been honoured with the Netherlands Embassy Tulip 2025, a prestigious award recognising individuals who have made outstanding contributions to human rights promotion and protection.
Lomonyang, celebrated for her work with marginalised communities in the Karamoja sub-region, especially women and children, said the award affirms years of dedication to empowering vulnerable groups.
“I am grateful for this recognition. It’s a clear indication that whatever I have been doing regarding the protection of human rights has positively impacted the communities in Karamoja,” she said.
Lomonyang, celebrated for her work with marginalised communities in the Karamoja sub-region, especially women and children, said the award affirms years of dedication to empowering vulnerable groups.
“I am grateful for this recognition. It’s a clear indication that whatever I have been doing regarding the protection of human rights has positively impacted the communities in Karamoja,” she said.
Lomonyang’s advocacy journey began after she gave birth to a child with a disability. Facing stigma and isolation from her community, she resolved to challenge the harmful attitudes directed at children with special needs and their families.
She pursued specialised training in special needs education and rehabilitation, visiting several rehabilitation centres in Kampala to learn how they managed similar conditions.
Lomonyang’s work has focused on empowering marginalised communities, particularly women and children, and advocating for their rights to education, health, and protection from violence.
Lomonyang pursued a course on children with special needs education and short courses on rehabilitation, and she could move around Kampala to see what other rehabilitation centres that were doing the same were managing the situations.
She started working with vulnerable parents whose children were suffering from epilepsy. “The parents had children who were suffering from epilepsy, and they did not know that the medicines were available at the health facilities,” she said.
Lomonyang’s work expanded to address other issues, including land rights, environmental protection, and access to education. However, she faced numerous challenges, including security threats and intimidation.
“Land has been grabbed from women, especially widows, and they don’t have knowledge of land rights, control, and ownership,” she said.
Lomonyang recalled a case in 2023 where a tycoon attempted to grab over 800 acres of land, displacing over 2000 people in Namalera village, Lotome sub-county. She intervened, despite facing intimidation and death threats.
“I narrowly escaped being lynched, only to be saved by the Police in the Napak district,” she said. “I battled for the land until I managed to recover it, despite all the hardship I went through.”
Lomonyang urged other human rights activists to keep facts, documents, and evidence, be strong, and speak out on issues affecting the people.
“Human rights defenders should fully engage with the local people who are the most affected, not just report from the top leadership,” she emphasised.
Lomonyang is focusing on environmental protection, training women in the Napak district to make bricks from local materials, reducing the community’s reliance on firewood, and preserving trees.
“We are trying to save the few trees that are remaining to ensure that the community doesn’t suffer the advanced effects of climate change,” she said.
