Women's Environmental Forum

WOMEN IN RESOURCE GOVERNANCE PROGRAM (WRGP)

Power Participation Accountability Justice

PROGRAM GOAL (IMPACT STATEMENT)

To strengthen womens leadership, participation, and influence in natural resource governance and decision-making processes, ensuring equitable, transparent, and accountable management of land, forests, water, minerals, and climate-sensitive resources in Uganda.

PROBLEM STATEMENT (WHY THIS PROGRAM EXISTS)

Despite being primary users and custodians of natural resources, women:

• Are largely excluded from formal resource governance structures
• Have limited access to land ownership and tenure security
• Are underrepresented in decision-making bodies and policy spaces
• Face gender-based barriers, power imbalances, and discrimination
• Bear the disproportionate impacts of resource mismanagement, climate change, and extractive activities

Resource governance without women perpetuates inequality, conflict, and environmental degradation.

TARGET GROUPS (WHO WE WORK WITH)

Primary:

• Rural and grassroots women leaders
• Women farmers, fishers, forest users, and pastoralists
• Women living in resource-rich and extractive-affected areas

Secondary:

• Youth and young women leaders
• Women-led CSOs and community groups
• Local government leaders and traditional institutions

CORE OBJECTIVES (WHAT WE AIM TO ACHIEVE)

1. Increase womens participation and leadership in resource governance structures
2. Strengthen womens knowledge of rights, laws, and policies governing natural resources
3. Promote gender-responsive and inclusive resource governance systems
4. Enhance accountability and transparency in resource management
5. Reduce conflicts and environmental harm through women-led governance solutions

PROGRAM PILLARS (STRUCTURE OF WRGP)

Pillar 1: Womens Leadership & Political Participation

• Leadership training and mentorship
• Support for women in governance positions (committees, councils)
• Confidence-building and public speaking skills
• Inter-generational leadership spaces

Pillar 2: Rights Awareness & Legal Literacy

• Training on land, environmental, mining, water, and climate laws
• Womens land and inheritance rights education
• Community dialogues on gender and resource rights
• Paralegal training and legal referrals

Pillar 3: Inclusive & Gender-Responsive Governance

• Gender audits of governance structures
• Support for gender-responsive policies and bylaws
• Mainstreaming gender in resource management plans
• Engagement with duty bearers and institutions

Pillar 4: Accountability, Transparency & Social Oversight

• Community monitoring of resource use and projects
• Budget tracking and public expenditure monitoring
• Social accountability tools and scorecards
• Citizen reporting and grievance mechanisms

Pillar 5: Conflict Prevention & Community Dialogue

• Peacebuilding and mediation training
• Dialogue between communities, authorities, and investors
• Women-led conflict resolution mechanisms
• Early warning and prevention systems

Pillar 6: Advocacy, Policy Engagement & Movement Building

• Policy advocacy at local and national levels
• Coalition building with CSOs and networks
• Women-led campaigns on land, extractives, and climate justice
• Documentation and evidence-based advocacy

PROGRAM APPROACH (HOW WE WORK)

WRGP is guided by:

• Feminist and rights-based approaches
• Community-led and participatory methods
• Intersectionality and inclusion
• Do-no-harm and conflict sensitivity
• Transparency and accountability

IMPLEMENTATION MODEL (PROGRAM FLOW)

1. Community entry and trust building
2. Capacity building and leadership development
3. Formation/strengthening of women governance groups
4. Engagement with institutions and duty bearers
5. Monitoring, advocacy, and accountability actions
6. Learning, adaptation, and scaling

KEY ACTIVITIES

• Leadership and governance trainings
• Legal literacy workshops
• Community dialogues and forums
• Policy engagement meetings
• Monitoring and accountability initiatives
• Advocacy campaigns and publications

EXPECTED OUTPUTS

• Women trained in resource governance and rights
• Increased women representation in governance bodies
• Gender-responsive governance frameworks adopted
• Community monitoring systems established
• Reduced resource-based conflicts

OUTCOMES

• Stronger women leadership in resource governance
• More transparent and accountable resource management
• Improved access to land and resources for women
• Reduced environmental degradation and conflict
• Inclusive and sustainable governance systems

LONG-TERM IMPACT

• Equitable and sustainable management of natural resources
• Empowered women shaping resource governance decisions
• Reduced gender inequality in resource control
• Stronger environmental justice and democratic governance in Uganda

CROSS-CUTTING THEMES

• Gender equality
• Climate justice
• Peace and conflict sensitivity
• Human rights and accountability
• Youth and intergenerational leadership