By Patricia Witney Namyalo
Every day, people share pieces of their lives with us. A young person may tell a health worker about their contraceptive needs. A survivor may share their experience of violence in search of support. A community member may provide personal information during a survey or programme activity. These may look like data points on a form, but behind every piece of information is a real person, a story, and a life.
As we commemorate Data Protection Day, SRHR Alliance Uganda is reminded that protecting personal information is not just about following rules. It is about protecting people.
Our work in sexual and reproductive health and rights depends on information. Data helps us understand the challenges communities face, identify gaps in services, advocate for better policies and ensure that programs respond to people’s real needs. But collecting data also comes with a responsibility: to treat the information entrusted to us with care. For someone sharing deeply personal information, trust matters. They need to know why their information is being collected, who will see it, how it will be stored and what will happen to it. Most importantly, they need to feel safe knowing that their information will not be used against them or shared without their knowledge and consent. This responsibility becomes even more important as more of our work moves online. Digital platforms have opened new opportunities for young people to access information, speak out and participate in advocacy. At the same time, they have created new risks around privacy, data breaches and misuse of personal information.
At SRHR Alliance Uganda, we believe that responsible data protection starts with putting people first. It means collecting only what is necessary, seeking informed consent, limiting access to sensitive information, using secure systems and ensuring that everyone handling data understands their responsibility. It also means empowering young people and communities to understand their own digital rights and take steps to protect their personal information.
On this Data Protection Day, we call on organisations, health facilities, researchers, government institutions and all stakeholders to treat every piece of personal information with the dignity it deserves. Because data is more than numbers. Behind every record is a person. And when we protect their data, we protect their privacy, dignity, safety and rights.
Patricia Witney Namyalo is the Human Resource Officer at SRHR Alliance Uganda