More About YCED
Youth concern on environment and development (YCED), a community based Organization in Ntungamo district south western Uganda, YCED is a member organization of the environmental human right defenders (EHRDS) under the environment and climate thematic working group of the national coalition of human right defenders (NCHRD) but also a member of civil society coalition on oil and gas (CSCO) ,these organizations have enabled us build our capacity in area of advocacy and policy influencing especially to us the grass root Organization
We do advocacy work on environmental and climate justice and upholding human rights awareness among the grassroots citizens, but also making sure that the project affected persons (PAPS) for both East African Crude Oil Pipeine, Tilenga and Kingfisher projects get justices and that the natural resources (oil &gas ) are sustainably utilized i.e. to benefit the current and the future generations but also have respect for environment and human rights, We also do work in tin mining in Ntungamo district where basic rights are neglected.
Child labor is used, although in most cases only when tin prices are very high, school going children resort to working in mines to get school fees and the whole system isn’t regulated. Over years, We have been pushing for the fast-tracking of the national action plan on business and human rights in the extractives sector and also working with responsible authorities to make sure that this document is translated into local languages because many youth in many mining communities have become victims of human right violation unawares, we are very optimistic that if such documents availed in local languages, it will help curb on human rights violation.
We (YCED) initiated a study on compensation rates for both EACOP and Tilenga projects which we hope to release a report in early 2024, but during our field visits we found a lot of human rights violation all from unfair and delayed compensation rates in some situations we found out that some PAPs who were affected by the EACOP have been valued at 3.6 million ugx per acre in kijumba village Hoima district couldn’t replace their land because the real market value was beyond 7m UGX.
Non-disclosure of all agreements, the PAPs weren’t allowed to access the assessment forms but also for the illiterate they weren’t availed the interpreters, a combination of all this made the compensation process unfair and delayed.
OUR FOCUS AREAS
Natural resource and Extractive governance.
Energy and Climate justice.
Youth, Business and Human Rights .
OUR VISION
A guaranteed sustainable and safe environment and prosperity for the future generation.
OUR MISSION
YCED requires to involve the youths in conserving and managing the environment for their survival in future through use of environment saving technologies, tree planting and environmentally friendly practices of resource use and exploitation.
It exists to work towards mobilizing, empowering, youths, and other disadvantaged groups to overcome poverty and through education, life skill development and enhanced access to other resources and full exploitation of locally available natural resources for sustainable development. We seek to work and walk alongside communities, schools, local churches/mosques and other community based institutions in transforming lives and stimulating holistic development.
ORGANISATIONAL OBJECTIVES
i) To mobilize and sensitize the youths and local communities on how to conserve the environment through use of environmentally friendly energy saving techniques.
ii) To promote sustainable use of natural resources while taking due consideration for sustainable national development goals.
iii) To initiate and facilitate constructive dialogue over environment and natural resource management and involving the youth of Uganda.
iv) To advocate for the sustainable and efficient utilization and management of the natural resources including, tin, wolfram, gold, oil & gas among others for the benefit of youths and all citizens.
v) To encourage and advocate for sustainable best agricultural practices in the view of ensuring food security and improving the livelihoods of the citizens.
vi) To promote community participation especially the youths in designing and implementing environmental and development policies that directly affect them.
vii) To carryout consultancy more especially on issues/ matters regarding the environment and sustainable development in general.
viii) To carryout research on issues relating to policies on environment and sustainable development.
ix) To mobilize, sensitize, educate and empower youths with life skills for development.
x) To promote and strengthen the initiation and building programs that ensures people’s productivity in away to improve their well being.
xi). To improve the health status of vulnerable local communities and youths in particular in regard to HIV prevention and treatment.
xii). To empower youths and local communities economically by fostering community participation in economic activities and capacity development
xiii). To stimulate increased public support for community-based development programs.
xiv). To identify potential funding agencies for community-based programs/projects, and work towards the financial sustainability of community-based initiatives.
xv). To provide information and best practices that will enable local people and youths in particular to access good markets for their products/services.
xvi). To encourage and empower primary producers especially farmers to add value to their products before selling them for purposes of stepping up their incomes.
xvii). To lobby and solicit for funds from government, donors and other institutions to finance development projects initiated by the youths and local people.
xviii). To monitor supervise all projects undertaken by the members and provide support advice and evaluate the performance.
xix). To mobilize youths, and other interest groups and engage them in sports and drama activities for entertainment, recreation and income generation by the members.
xx). To work with all levels of government to advocate for community -based interventions to relieve poverty, ignorance and disease.
xxi). To buy, own, hold, lease, mortgage, sell and convey such real and personal property as may be necessary or desirable in the carrying out of work on behalf of the Organization.
xxii). For the benefit of the Organization, initiate income-generating projects and undertake activities that act as inspirational developmental models to our society;
xxiii). To collaborate, co-operate and enter into agreements with other associations with similar objectives to facilitate the attainment of the Organization’s objectives;
xxiv). Open up bank accounts to control Organization’s financial resources.
xxv) To do any and all such other things, as are conducive and necessary to attain any or all of the above as may be decided upon by the Board of Directors and the General Assembly from time to time.