“I don’t need bulging biceps to fight for women and children, I can be a human rights champion”

Joseph Bahemuka, Emergency Specialist & Chief of Yambio Field Office, UNICEF South Sudan

Tell us a bit about your background.

My passion for my work is very much linked to my childhood. It grew as I went from being a boy to a young man. I grew up in a rural part of Uganda called Bwikara in the Kagadi district. Like many others, we were economically marginalized and I had to help out a lot at home. Yet, the worst was seeing the physical and psychological abuse and injustice especially women were subjected to. It caused pain and agony. I remember wishing to be as strong as Mike Tyson so I could defend them, but I wasn’t built like that. Later I started travelling to Europe and I saw how women and children were treated. They had rights there. I then realized I don’t need bulging biceps to fight for women and children, I can be a human rights champion.

So, instead of going to the gym I studied public health, social work, humanitarian standards, primary health care and water and sanitation. Right now, I’m working on a PhD in social work.