SECTOR 1 Scores: Individual scores: 1 Country does not meet indicator 2 Country meets only a few aspects of indicator 3 Country meets some aspects of indicator 4 Country meets most aspects of indicator 5 Country meets all aspects of the indicator Average score: 2.3 (2010: 1.3; 2007: 1.5) 1.4 The Government makes every effort to honour regional and international instruments on freedom of expression and freedom of the media. Uganda is a signatory to several major international human rights conventions, but the challenge lies in honouring these conventions/commitments. Panellists felt honouring entailed respecting and adhering to regional and international standards; ratifying them, ensuring that domestic laws comply with them, and then putting their provisions into practice. “If the country cannot respect its own Constitution, what about international instruments?” Most Members of Parliament are not aware which regional and international standards the country has ratified, and therefore cannot pass and amend laws accordingly. All the laws that impact negatively on free expression – and thus contravene regional and international standards - have been passed by Parliament. “They have been Executive decisions implemented by Parliament.” While the Executive may not respect regional and international protocols and instruments, the Ugandan courts do. “Often they base their judgements on these instruments.” Key issues are the domestication of these instruments (applying them in the country’s laws) and their dissemination (making people aware of what they say and how they apply to the country). AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER UGANDA 2012 17