Confronting the climate and ecological emergency in East Africa depends not only on crafting robust environmental laws and policies, but also on supporting lawyers and civil society actors who strive to monitor and uphold them. This brief focuses on a persistent problem that environmental human rights defenders (EHRDs) are undervalued and unprotected by governments and international actors.

It sets out progressive environmental regimes and commitments adopted by governments in this region as a reminder of their existing obligations. It illustrates how EHRDs work as intermediaries to encourage implementation of the law in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, and highlights some of their achievements in taking statutory promises into courts and communities and raising popular awareness.

“Taking Enviromental Law to the People” is AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD HERE.