The scarcity of affordable legal services to the indigent and marginalized people in Uganda has been a very big problem to victims of natural resource abuses in courts of law. The common cases relate to compensation upon compulsory land acquisition, environmental destruction and violation of human rights. The rights include; participation, the right to own property, access to justice, right to access information, right to a clean and healthy environment etc. Akin to this is our strategic litigation which targets to reform laws and policies and the adjudication of issues of public importance.

Every day people are told that they can no longer live on the land that their family has lived on for generations. If they refuse to leave, they can get arrested, physically injured, and forcibly relocated. For many communities in Uganda, this is an all too common problem. By simply living on resource-rich land that is desirable to corporations, they are at risk of becoming victims to land grabbing and forced eviction without free, prior, and informed consent Solution.
We use legal cases, policy reform, training, and legal advocacy tools to protect individuals, communities, and organizations who step forward to defend human rights and the environment. We encourage the general public especially to visit our office for free legal advice relating to natural resource use rights and obligations.

Various training programmes and sessions are usually held to sensitize people on human rights and remedies.

Advocates for Natural Resources and Development are committed to the protection and conservation of natural resources in Uganda. Natural resources are at particular risk from land development leading to habitat destruction, poaching and the illegal wildlife trade, pollution, competition from non-native species and the effects of climate change. In addition, natural resource use and exploitation has a big bearing on Uganda’s social economic development. Uganda is endowed with a wide range of biodiversity which includes all the different plants (from lichen and mosses to shrubs and trees), animals (invertebrates, frogs, reptiles, birds and mammals) and micro-organisms such as bacteria. In order to harness benefits from natural resources for the current and future generations, oil and gas activities, mining, fishing and forestry must be done whilst taking into account the need to protect the environment.
Public benefits include enhanced natural resources that help sustain agricultural productivity and environmental quality while supporting continued economic development, recreation, and scenic beauty. However, many treasured natural and otherwise poorly conserved ecosystems fall on land that is either government or privately owned where they are unsustainably utilized for both public use and private use.

Our conservation efforts: Hence biodiversity is vital in supporting human life on Earth and its many benefits associated it provides including; food, medicines, industrial products, supply clean air and water, and fertile soils. As ANARDE we undertake a wide range of initiatives to encourage broad involvement in environment conservation:
We commit on sensitizing people to appreciate nature, promote environmental protection and conservation and the understanding of environmental law and policies.

Promote nature conservation and natural resource management legislations that protect the environment.
We promote public participation in the sustainable use, management and protection of the environment and other natural resources.
Work in partnerships with other civil society organisations to support non-statutory community initiatives which promote environmental conservation.
We provide information about natural resources and their management in all our operational areas.
We work with local communities, government institutions like the Judiciary, security agencies, Local Governments, individuals, civil society and private sector. This is done through our numerous activities to encourage public participation in the sustainable management, protection of the environment and good governance of natural resources in Uganda.

Extraction of natural resources, such as oil, gas, and minerals, can be a worthwhile business. For people living in resource rich areas, it can be deadly. People who live in areas where extractive industries operate often face poverty and human rights abuses. The industries exacerbate human rights abuses in many places by making lands uninhabitable and by polluting the environment.
Resource extraction often also provides a source of income to oppressive governments, making backroom deals that benefit the few instead of the many. The money exchanges between the companies and governments keep corrupt regimes in power, enriching elites while communities remain poor. The financial transactions frequently also pay for weapons used against local peoples defending their rights and their way of life. All too often, local communities are kept in the dark, far away from decision making. Populations may not know that an extractive project is going to take place in their community. They often don’t get to decide how they want the project to proceed. ANARDE’s Solution: In programme we engage all stakeholders to ensure that the extractive revenues create an intergenerational benefit to all Ugandans. Government accountability and corporate accountability are therefore core aspects of the program Our advocacy and research targets land tenure security, law reforms and enactment of pro people laws, averting any conflict related extraction minerals and oil and gas balancing the extractive activities with the environment sanity.

We bring remedies to communities suffering from extractive industry-related abuses through the use of innovative legal and campaign strategies. The wellbeing and human rights of citizens particularly the local communities are centered for through trainings and sensitization.
We protect the rights of people by ensuring that strong standards are in place and communities have the knowledge and skills to use these standards to protect their rights against abuse, especially in the context of abusive security forces and revenue transparency