Young environmental defenders in Uganda face violence, intimidation and psychological distress as they campaign against environmental destruction, prompting activists to call for stronger government protection and greater attention to complaints raised by affected communities.
Resty Mubiiwa Ndholorwa, programme manager at Fridays for Future Uganda, said environmental defenders faced various forms of pressure, including domestic violence and intimidation, raising concerns about their mental health and ability to participate in community development.
Speaking to Nile Post in an interview, Ndholorwa said women were particularly vulnerable to gender-based violence, while men also faced pressure when challenging decisions or projects they believed were harmful to their communities.
“What has caught my attention with this report is the gender disparity in environmental defender safety, where women are experiencing domestic violence simply because they are advocating for their environment,” she said.
Ndholorwa said arrests, threats and violence against environmental defenders could have wider social and economic consequences, as psychological distress may affect their ability to work, participate in community activities and contribute to development.
She called for greater attention to activists’ mental health needs, arguing that environmental protection efforts should also prioritise the well-being of those leading campaigns.
Alozious Byamukama, a health, climate and gender reporter and mentee at Fridays for Future Uganda, urged authorities to listen to environmental defenders and investigate their complaints rather than intimidate or suppress them.
He said activists campaigning for forest restoration and against environmental destruction should be allowed to present their concerns to policymakers and participate in developing solutions.
“When they come before you in any form, you need to listen to them. Maybe as policymakers, you need to hear what they are talking about, and if they find, for example, that the forest has been cut, then you sit down with them and see how to restore it rather than chasing them,” Byamukama said.
He added that the effects of environmental degradation and climate change were being felt in both urban and rural communities. He cited recurring deaths during heavy rains in Kampala as an example of the risks faced by residents.
Byamukama, who lives in Kalerwe, said he had witnessed the effects of heavy rainfall in the area and urged leaders to take environmental concerns raised by young people seriously.
He also encouraged young people to speak out against environmental destruction, develop locally driven solutions and challenge policies they consider harmful to the environment.
Ndholorwa said Fridays for Future Uganda was working to promote climate justice through programmes focused on gender and livelihoods, climate advocacy, and the safety and human rights of environmental defenders.
The organisation supports women in establishing kitchen gardens to improve household food security and generate income from surplus produce. It also trains young climate leaders and provides safety training for environmental defenders.
Ndholorwa said the organisation was developing a research proposal examining community voices, climate commitments, accountability and mental health in Kassanda South.
Both activists called for an environment in which citizens could defend their land, livelihoods and natural resources without fear of violence or repression.
However, the interviews did not provide specific findings from the research report, including the number of environmental defenders affected by violence and intimidation or the prevalence of the reported mental health challenges.