From One Life to Another

I remember the excitement and fear when my husband and I found out that we were expecting our very first child. Excitement, because this was much anticipated, and we were delighted to have a child. Fear, because we had just been transferred to a rural community in Uganda where quality healthcare access is not easy to come by. Beyond the physical changes that pregnancy came with, it was for me a journey of endurance, strength, and self-discovery. I wouldn’t have ever grasped the depth of human vulnerability until I carried life within me. Every heartbeat and kick within my womb reminded me of how delicate and fragile life is; that access to health, dignity and safety should never be a privilege – it should be a guarantee.

Pregnancy gave me a first-hand experience of the reality that for many, access to quality healthcare, compassionate treatment, and informed choices are not things that come easily. Because I was empowered and supported by a loving husband, I was able to fight for the right care and advocate for my needs; sometimes travelling hundreds of kilometers to access better healthcare. But what about the millions of women who do not have a voice, who because of their status are denied basic rights in hospitals, workplaces, and communities?

So now a big wave of responsibility washes over me each time I hold my son. What kind of world will he grow up in? Is it safe? Will he also have to fight the same battles we have fought just to have access to things that should be his rights? This feeling is not just about protecting him – it is about ensuring that every child, every mother, and every human being has the right to live with dignity. Human rights are not abstract concepts; they determine whether a woman survives childbirth, whether a child can grow up safe, and whether people can live without fear or oppression.

Motherhood has transformed my understanding of advocacy and given me a greater drive and sense of urgency. If we do not fight for human rights now, what kind of world will our children inherit? It probably is a similar feeling to that which inspired Micheal Jackson to sing the famous words ‘Heal the world, make it a better place for you and for me and the entire human race’. The call is urgent, and the responsibility is ours. We must rise up today to create a world that we shall be proud to hand over to the generations after us.

Arindagye Mercy Melody