Young Women’s Movement: Fridays for Future, Uganda Chapter

CASE STUDIES

Young Women’s Movement: Fridays for Future, Uganda Chapter

Around the world, people are feeling the effects of climate change. In Uganda, changing weather patterns that result in long dry seasons, heat waves, frequent floods and prolonged droughts are evidence of climate change.2068 While climate change impacts everyone, it disproportionately affects women, as more women live in poverty and women have fewer rights to land and resources. The effects of climate change reduce access to clean water and food. Air pollution is also a significant problem in Uganda. According to WHO, Ugandans are more likely to die from air pollution than people in Kenya, Rwanda or Tanzania.2069 Moreover, Kampala, the capital of Uganda, ranks second among the most polluted cities in Africa.2070

Founded in 2019, Fridays for Future, Uganda Chapter, aims to raise awareness and rally the youth in Uganda to demand immediate climate action. Hilda Flavia Nakabuye co-founded the movement. Seeing first-hand the impact of climate change for her family and community and inspired by Greta Thunberg and the Fridays for Future Movement, Hilda decided to take action. She learned about the impact of climate change and began to hold climate strikes on Fridays. Soon after she began holding strikes, Hilda was joined by a small group of students and the movement began to grow. In addition to the Friday strikes demanding climate action, the young climate activists hold Green Thursday. Green Thursday activities include planting trees, teaching fellow youths not to litter the environment with kaveera (polythene) or waste fuel and water, holding student debates about climate change and starting environmental clubs at various schools.2071

The young activists are also calling on the Ugandan government to take action. In 2019, the Uganda Chapter presented a paper with demands to the speaker of Parliament. The paper asks the government to declare a climate emergency and to include climate change in the school curriculum, and to ban imports of second-hand vehicles. The activists also called on the political leadership to enforce the veto on kaveera and to implement the 2016 Paris Agreement to combat climate change.2072

The Uganda Chapter has also held several campaigns on specific climate issues such as air pollution and deforestation. Concerned about the increasing rate of deforestation in Uganda, in 2020 the Uganda Chapter, together with organisations worldwide, started a campaign to save Bugoma Forest. Two companies have begun clearing the forest to grow sugarcanes; the campaign calls for the immediate suspension of these activities and recommends that the government set up an environmental court to hear environmental cases to speed up court processes. 2073

Organising climate strikes is not without its challenges. Many students fear walking out of classes as this may expose them to either suspension or expulsion.2074 Climate activists have also faced challenges obtaining permits for their Friday marches. To overcome these challenges, the young climate activists frequently visit schools on Fridays to discuss climate change challenges and the role students can play in securing a better future.2075 For Hilda, it is essential to encourage other young women to speak up about climate change and to join the fight to protect the planet. 2076 Activists visit schools, church groups, universities and community gatherings to empower women and to encourage them to take action.2077