Faith Nantongo
Summary
Experienced human rights lawyer with 7+ years of expertise in designing, managing, and litigating impactful public interest cases in Uganda. Skilled in strategic litigation, legal empowerment, feminist legal advocacy, and cross-sector collaboration. Proven leadership in complex health and gender justice cases, coalition building, and implementing community-based legal strategies for systemic reform. Demonstrated success in program design, legal analysis, and litigation strategies.
Overview
8
8
years of professional experience
Work History
Program Officer- Strategic Litigation
Center for Health Human Rights and Development (CEHURD)
07.2024 - Current
- Spearhead the Human Rights component of a Global Fund project addressing HIV, TB, and Malaria, ensuring improved health rights advocacy and legal support for marginalized groups.
- Conceptualized and shaped over 15 pipeline strategic litigation cases under the litigation workshop focused on GBV, abortion law reform, SRHR and health accountability, ensuring alignment with national and international legal framework.
- Provided high-level legal foresight by conducting comparative legal analysis, evaluating precedents, and advising whether to appeal or pursue alternate legal strategies in CEHURD-led cases.
- Popularized landmark litigation cases through community dialogues and rights awareness sessions, improving legal consciousness among marginalized populations.
- Coordinated legal support for patients unlawfully detained in private health facilities; leveraged existing jurisprudence to secure rapid response.
- Integrated ADR into CEHURD’s community legal aid programming, resolving over 50 civil disputes on GBV, stigma and Discrimination of PLHIV, maintenance, and domestic violence outside formal courts.
- Managed field-based legal aid camps across 7 districts, conducting case intake, referrals, and strategic case identification, directly supporting directly benefiting 3,000+ community members through access to legal and healthcare services.
- Managed cross-sectoral partnerships between District Local Governments, legal entities, NGOs, and healthcare institutions to enhance the impact of gender justice initiatives.
- Contributed to grant writing by developing litigation concepts, identifying strategic cases, and aligning proposals with CEHURD’s strategic objectives.
Program Officer- Strategic Litigation
Center for Health Human Rights and Development (CEHURD)
07.2024 - Current
- Spearhead the Human Rights component of a Global Fund project addressing HIV, TB, and Malaria, ensuring improved health rights advocacy and legal support for marginalized groups.
- Conceptualized and shaped over 15 pipeline strategic litigation cases under the litigation workshop focused on GBV, abortion law reform, SRHR and health accountability, ensuring alignment with national and international legal framework.
- Provided high-level legal foresight by conducting comparative legal analysis, evaluating precedents, and advising whether to appeal or pursue alternate legal strategies in CEHURD-led cases.
- Popularized landmark litigation cases through community dialogues and rights awareness sessions, improving legal consciousness among marginalized populations.
- Coordinated legal support for patients unlawfully detained in private health facilities; leveraged existing jurisprudence to secure rapid response.
- Integrated ADR into CEHURD's community legal aid programming, resolving over 50 civil disputes on GBV, stigma and Discrimination of PLHIV, maintenance, and domestic violence outside formal courts.
- Managed field-based legal aid camps across 7 districts, conducting case intake, referrals, and strategic case identification, directly supporting directly benefiting 3,000+ community members through access to legal and healthcare services.
- Managed cross-sectoral partnerships between District Local Governments, legal entities, NGOs, and healthcare institutions to enhance the impact of gender justice initiatives.
- Contributed to grant writing by developing litigation concepts, identifying strategic cases, and aligning proposals with CEHURD's strategic objectives.
Legal Officer
ActionAid International Uganda
11.2019 - 06.2024
- Headed Gender-Based Violence Shelters in Mubende and Kampala, managing a multidisciplinary team of legal officers, psychosocial counselors and shelter aides to deliver holistic survivor support, ensure legal redress and enhance systems for safety, referrals, and case management.
- Litigated civil cases involving sexual and gender-based violence SGBV, including enforcement of protection orders, custody claims, and maintenance disputes, advancing survivor-centered justice within formal courts and through ADR mechanisms.
- Led and managed the PEPFAR project, supporting 685 GBV survivors and advocating for gender-sensitive policies.
- Developed safeguarding frameworks that resulted in a 50% reduction in sexual exploitation and abuse cases across the project.
- Provided legal watch brief in criminal trials involving rape and defilement; coordinated with prosecution, police, and probation officers to ensure victims received timely support, secure shelter, and psychosocial assistance throughout the legal process.
- Enhanced cross-sector collaboration, partnering with healthcare providers, local NGOs, and government stakeholders to strengthen community-based interventions.
- Provided gender insights into to the development of the Ministry of Health SGBV digital reporting app, currently operational in Wakiso & Mubende Districts, facilitating easy access to justice for survivors.
- Provided technical assistance in the development of gender-responsive policies, supporting women's rights organizations and grassroots feminist movements.
- Managed and regularly updated GBV shelter data into the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development's GBV Management Information System, ensuring accurate, timely reporting for national coordination, policy planning, and donor accountability.
Legal Associate
Heritage Associated Advocates
01.2017 - 10.2019
- Provided legal advisory services to women-led organizations on policy compliance, movement-building strategies, and gender advocacy initiatives.
- Drafted legal frameworks for grassroots NGOs, improving their capacity for funding acquisition and sustainable advocacy programs.
- Conducted legal research and advocacy focused on human rights, governance, and gender equality.
- Expanded legal aid outreach programs by 45%, increasing access to justice for marginalized communities.
- Supported formation and legal compliance of over 15 CBOs and NGOs working in human rights, health, and education, ensuring registration, licensing, and policy alignment.
Education
Master of Laws (LLM) -
Liverpool John Moores University
01.2023
Post Graduate Diploma Legal Practice - undefined
Law Development Centre Uganda
01.2018
Bachelor of Laws (Hon) (LLB) - undefined
Makerere University
01.2017
Affiliations
- Uganda Law Society
- East African Law Society
Certifications And Courses
- Program Management in Global Health, University of Washington
- Africa SDGs Mentorship Programme -UN SDGs, AIIDEV
- Public Policy Influencing and Advocacy Course, Ms Training Centre for Development Cooperation (TCDC), Arusha, Tanzania
- SHEA AND Safeguarding, ActionAid
Core Competences
- Strategic Litigation
- Legal Research & Foresight
- Rights- Based Legal Aid
- Programme Administration & Management
- Strategic Advocacy & Movement Building
- Donor-Funded Project Implementation (USAID, UN Women, PEPFAR, Global Fund)
- Gender, Youth & Social Inclusion
- Survivor -Centered GBV Response
- Sustainable Development Goals
- Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning
- Stakeholder Engagement & Partnerships
- Policy Influencing & Research
- Budgeting & Financial Oversight
Timeline
Program Officer- Strategic Litigation
Center for Health Human Rights and Development (CEHURD)
07.2024 - Current
Program Officer- Strategic Litigation
Center for Health Human Rights and Development (CEHURD)
07.2024 - Current
Legal Officer
ActionAid International Uganda
11.2019 - 06.2024
Legal Associate
Heritage Associated Advocates
01.2017 - 10.2019
Post Graduate Diploma Legal Practice - undefined
Law Development Centre Uganda
Bachelor of Laws (Hon) (LLB) - undefined
Makerere University
Master of Laws (LLM) -
Liverpool John Moores University
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