Extractive industries

Uganda’s extractives sector is rapidly transforming from small-scale and artisanal mining to a large-scale industry. This shift has created a number of challenges, including inadequate protection for miners and their communities.

Communities have limited access to information and knowledge about mining laws and policies. This prevents them from fully participating in decision-making about mining activities that can detrimentally affect their lives. Land-grabbing, insufficient regulations, clashes between different communities, and disputes between communities and companies cause grievances and conflict – with dire consequences.

Saferworld works in Moroto and Amudat districts to ensure that all people involved benefit from natural resources without jeopardising trust or compromising peace and security.

With the Department of Geological Survey and Mines we advocate for extractive industry policy processes that are transparent and include communities throughout. This includes the allocation of licenses to commercial actors and decision-making related to land ownership rights.

We work with communities, local authorities and investors to ensure that they approach extractive projects in a way that is sensitive to the environment and communities and does not exacerbate tension or create conflict. We do this through raising awareness, encouraging and supporting dialogue, training, and sharing information. We improve knowledge within communities about their rights and we bring conflicting parties together to talk.