NAPE serves as an important actor that gives voice to marginalized communities and the environment of Uganda. We influence national policies and resource allocation decisions within political, economic, and social systems and institutions.

Oil is not a new discovery in Uganda and NAPE has known this since its formation 15 years ago. Oil discovery in Uganda dates back into the colonial times. NAPE’s Oil Governance Programme started in 2009, starting with monitoring of oil exploration,moving to political advocacy against oil extraction activities, and continuing to the advocacy for community rights and voices now that extraction activities have begun. Below we give a more detailed explanation of the programme.

In 2010, NAPE initiated the Sustainability school approach which advocates and seeks to give the communities capacity to effectively participate in social economic and political change processes. The aim of this school is the transfer of power from dominant groups to the poor, marginalized disadvantaged and disenfranchised who are always the majority. It is a problem solving mechanism using an andragogical learning methodology.

NAPE work on water governance includes advocating for rights to water and sanitation in here this is done through engaging government of Uganda to formulate policies and legislations that promote the rights to water and sanitation.

We are looking at protecting the rights of communities affected by big infrastructure development. Principal examples include:

• Palm oil plantations in Kalangala
• Oil extraction near Lake Albert
• Exotic tree plantations for carbon trading near Bukaleba (eastern Uganda) and Kikonda Forest Reserve (western)Read More

In our Ecosystems Alliance Programme we aim to empower communities for sustainable Natural Resource Management in the Albertine Rift. The programme is implemented by 3 consortium organizations i.e. National Association of Professional Environmentalists (NAPE), Uganda Wildlife Society (UWS) and Africa Institute for Energy Governance (AFIEGO). NAPE doubles as the Country Coordinating Institution. The Programme began in December 2011 and will run up to the close of June 2015.

NAPE intensifies campaign on safe use of chemicals

The National Association of Professional Environmentalists (NAPE) with support from the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) is carrying out a campaign on sound management of chemicals and wastes in Uganda. The campaign focuses mainly on the safe use of chemicals in the tannery Industry, Agro chemicals, waste management, chemicals in consumer products and mercury use in the artisanal gold mining targeting different categories of people.  Awareness raising materials have been developed to propel this campaign. This campaign is a continuous effort of NAPE to raise awareness on the impacts of chemicals on human health and the environment and to empower consumers with information on chemicals and good practices regarding use and management of chemicals.   The following materials have been developed in line with this campaign.

In the Amplifying Voices project NAPE works to give a voice to communities affected by oil so that they can represent their interests to the government, corporations, and other parties involved in oil extraction in their areas.