Delivered in on 7-11 October 2013

1. The paradox of extractable mineral resources in Uganda: Impacts on women and children ByBetty ObboInformation & Publications Officer,National Association of Professional Environmentalists (NAPE) Delivered in on 7-11 October 2013

2. synopsis • Introduction • Background of Uganda’s mining sector • Artisanal mining in Uganda • Effects of mining on women and youths • NAPE’s intervention • Achievements

3. Introduction • Uganda is endowed with extractable mineral resources across the country • Over 50 different minerals, both metallic and non-metallic • Most of the mineral deposits are found in areas where communities live • Some are located in sensitive ecosystems such as lakes and wildlife reserves

4. Mineral occurrence in Uganda

5. Background of Uganda’s mining sector • Uganda’s mining sector was vibrant in the colonial days (1950s – 1960s) • Slackened in the 1970s – 1980s due to political instability that forced many extractive companies to abandon their operation • However, artisanal salt mining and small-scale gold mining in different parts of the country continues to-date

6. Artisanal mining in Uganda • Minerals extracted at small-scale include; salt, gold, clay, stones etc • The process is manual & labour-intensive using rudimentary tools (hoes, shovels & basins) • Mining in small-scale, employing few people –thousands of women, men & children • Informal or disorganized sector & unlicensed or organized in a company/association allowed to work

7. Artisanal Salt mining • Salt mining started in ancient times (16th century) • Mainly extracted in L. Katwe, a crater lake with high concentration of salt & mixture of hydrogen, ammonia and other gases • Three products are mined; block of rock salt, high quality crystals used as table salt, and salt mud used as licks for livestock • Mining process requires miners to enter into the salty & chemicals polluted water to extract the salt

8. Salt mining cont…. • Block salt is mined by men from the bottom of the lake at dipper points • Women are involved in salt wining which is a process of fractional crystallization in large semi-permanent pools around the edges of the lake

9. Effects of salt mining on women • Miners operate without protective gears, when the brine get into contact with a ruptures skin, it causes itching and irritation sometimes severe • Effects on reproductive health -abdominal pains, pain the uterus and tube • High salt concentration leads to dehydration • By accident when a miner falls in the chemical polluted salty water, there is instant loss of life • To reduce this effect, women use pads and ware tight pants covered with polythene paper. Men ware condoms and tighten with rubber bands

10. Effects cont…. • A woman’s hand damaged by salt brine

11. Oil and gas • When commercially viable oil deposits were confirmed in 2006, gov’t and oil companies started development process • Many meetings, studies, EIAs, & consultations were done but with limited participation of communities especially women • Issues of women regarding benefit sharing, compensation & access to vital resources were ignored in the EIAs • Absence of gender responsive policies, strategies and mechanisms exacerbate the situation

12. Effects on women • With limited land, women can no longer put enough food on table to feed their families • Women now have restricted access to wildlife reserve were they used to collect firewood. Given 2 days in a week. • Denied access to some water points. Some oil wells are located at the lake shores, now this is a no-go zone. • Some women were fish mongers, now they have no access to fish

13. NAPE’s Intervention • Sensitize affected communities on human rights aspects of the oil industry so that they can understand, demand & defend their rights • Work closely with the media to amplify the concerns of the affected women • Published articles on the concerns of the communities, especially women in newpapers • Developed, published & disseminated many advocacy materials (T/shirts, flayers, & booklets) on the plight of the affect people

14. NAPE’s intervention cont… • Captured key voices of on negative effects of oil on women and the community • Documented, published & disseminated to policy-makers, parliament, oil companies & the community & published on our website • Organized and facilitated affected communities to form a drama group through which they send messages on their plight through songs and drama • Amplified women‘s voices nationally & internationally in for a like this one

15. Intervention cont… Drama group practicing their performance

16. Achievements • NAPE boosts of breaking docility from affected people and creating a mass that in shaping debates in the oil industry • Communities now on their own can write articles on their plight in the national dailies • Petition government through their political representative in parliament over the inadequate compensation packages

17. Achievements cont… Affected women petitioning their woman representative in parliament

18. Achievements cont…. • Government has not halted the development of the oil refinery the matter is resolved, after an independent committee that probed the alleged the contested compensation packages offered to affected community reveled the process was not transparent.

19. Thank You T