Environment
Popular Version of Environment Act Unveiled in Local Languages
The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has, today, launched the Popular Version of the National Environment Act, Cap 181, along with its translations. The Popular Version is intended to raise environmental awareness and literacy within communities, encouraging practices and behaviours that promote environmental protection.
This version has been translated into three languages: Ateso, Runyoro, and Luganda, with plans to add more languages in the near future. The Popular Version simplifies the original Act, making its key legal provisions easier to understand.
To support environmental management efforts in Uganda, NEMA, with backing from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), the French Development Agency, and the French Facility for Global Environment, developed this simplified English version and its translations.
NEMA Executive Director Dr. Barirega Akankwasah, along with Dr. Grace Nangendo, Director of Conservation Planning and Research at WCS, unveiled the Popular Version and its translations on Friday, 20th September 2024.
According to William Lubuulwa, Senior Public Relations Officer for NEMA, the choice of the three languages was strategic, with plans for further translations. The Popular Version is expected to enhance Ugandans’ understanding of the Act, leading to greater participation in environmental protection and improved compliance.
“This Popular Version is a simplified and easy-to-understand copy of the original Act, highlighting all the major legal provisions,” Lubuulwa noted, emphasizing the collaborative efforts between NEMA, WCS, and their partners.