The Department of Good Governance and Peace Studies of Uganda Martyrs University has been engaged in a number of environmental activities in the context of the Earth Charter. The activities are part of the outreach Desk on Environmental Governance and Conservation being promoted in collaboration with other stakeholders to enhance environmental awareness and conservation. The activities carried out in the year 2013 are part of the implementation process majorly focusing on establishing the Equator Greenbelt along the Equator. This report therefore highlights activities most of which have been successfully done and key challenge that has been faced in the process of implementation. Attached are some photos showing what has been going on.
Activities/projects
The activities /projects included the following:
- Tree planting whereby the Department has planted over 5000 trees of local species on the University land as part of tree demonstration.
- Awareness creation on the Earth Charter, its principles and values. So far more than 100 people including pupils and students have been reached
- Engaging young people in caring for nature and in tree planting.
- Engaging young people of the school going age both primary and secondary levels in writing poems and articles about nature or environment and challenges facing the environment in the 21st century and how to overcome them. The articles and poems written by both pupils and students are being compiled and put together for publication of the book entitled Young Generation Nature Book. Once completed, the book will be shared with the wider community and our partners.
- Mobilizing University Staff both teaching and non teaching and students in taking care of the environment.
- Finalized a Curriculum in Environmental Security and Peace on a Masters level. This curriculum has just been approved by the National Council for Higher Learning and is beginning to be taught this next academic year starting with August 2014/2015 intake.
Challenges
- The key challenge so far is the financial constraints that have remained a big challenge in delaying some of the above mentioned activities to be implemented in time.
- Lack of transport means which makes activity mobilization difficult.