Human Rights and Poetry

"Human Rights and Poetry" is a study of the contribution made by Ugandan women poets and the extent to which these women writers have advocated for human rights beyond and above women’s rights in their society. The study focuses on the works of two distinguished women poets – Susan Kiguli's "The African Saga" and Mildred Kiconco Barya's "Men Eat Chocolates but They don’t Say" and "The Price of Memory: after the tsunami". This writer identifies the human rights concerns addressed and lessons learnt; examines the effectiveness of the stylistic devices used by the poets and makes interesting conclusions regarding human rights advocacy in Kiguli and Barya’s poetry. Although the two poets differ in style, language use and presentation, the study establishes that their contribution to the field of poetry and development of their society reaches well beyond the confines of women’s rights and cuts across almost all universal human rights concerns.

Shallon holds a Masters Degree in Literature, a first class Bachelors Degree in Arts (Literature) and a Post Graduate Diploma in Education from Makerere University. She has taught at university since her graduation in 2004 and is an editor with the Parliament of Uganda. She lives in Kampala together with her husband Alex and daughter Nissi Laloyo.