Goal: Contributing to improved livelihoods of the poor and marginalised groups.

Purpose: Increased awareness and faster implementation of land reform resulting in increased security of tenure for the poor. Appraise and monitor land

Background
Uganda Land Alliance (ULA) is a consortium of 48 NGOs and 20 individuals formed in 1995 to advocate and lobby for fair land laws and policies. Since its inception in 1995, the Alliance has worked towards enhancing access, control and ownership of land by the poor through promotion of fair land laws and policies.

Priority issues addressed by ULA are;
• Customary land tenure security
• Land rights awareness
• Land legal and policy reforms
• Organisational development

ULA values:
• Participation
• Coordination
• Social justice
• Sustainable management of land
• Gender equity
• Participation and empowerment of communities
• Networking
• Ethics and integrity

Vision: A Ugandan society with equitable access and control over land and the poor women, men, children and other marginalised groups are actively participating to eradicate poverty.
Mission: To enhance access, control and ownership of land by the poor women, men, children marginalised groups through the promotion of fair policies and laws for the protection of land rights.

Notable Achievements
• ULA lobbied successfully for the legal recognition of customary land tenure, communal land holdings, the representation of women in administration structures and the introduction of the Land Fund for tenants on registered land of big land owners.
• As part of the National Land Policy Committee, ULA made an input to the draft Land-Use Policy, intended to coordinate the various forms of land tenure and land use.
• ULA successfully lobbied for deletion of the clause of compulsory acquisition of land by Government for private investors without immediate compensation. So security of private land is now assured.

ULA's Strengths
• ULA maintains a small Secretariat staff; ULA’s success in lobbying and advocacy is due to the collective energy of the members, beneficiaries and allies it has been able to mobilise in support of advocacy efforts.
• As a national alliance of CSOs, the ULA works closely with other networks to promote land rights.
• ULA has extensive expertise in lobbying and advocating for fair land laws and policies. This has contributed to its credibility. ULA has a recognised niche in land issues and has become a point of reference for policy makers, implementers, researchers, academicians and those affected by the policies.

• ULA has built strategic networks at both local and international levels and this has gained it a lot of support.
• There is more awareness on land rights issues today through ULA’s land rights education programmes in rural areas.
• ULA has established community structures, the Land Rights Centres, in the districts of Apac, Kapchorwa, Mbale, Luweero and Kibaale which extend sensitisation and awareness programmes to their respective communities.

OBJECTIVES
Strategic Objective 1
By 2010, ULA members and programme staff, targeted District, Ministry, and Parliamentary officials, and community beneficiaries will understand and address threats to customary ownership.

Strategic objective 2
By 2010, ULA members and staff, direct beneficiaries, and government officials in six target districts will demonstrate an increased knowledge and understanding of land rights and conflict issues.

Strategic objective 3
By 2010, At least one law and two policies intended to protect the land rights of women, the poor, ethnic minorities, and other vulnerable people will be enacted and implemented.

Strategic objective 4
By 2010, at least 85% of current ULA members respond that ULA initiatives and programmes are effective and that coordination and communication among Executive Committee members, Secretariat staff and members are satisfactory.

STRATEGIES
• Research, Lobbying and Advocacy on ensuring equitable access to land between men and women.
• Awareness creation through strategic use of the media
• Networking and collaboration with stakeholders by giving and getting support from members to improve access to land by women.
• HIV/AIDS interventions where ULA activities will continue to focus on inheritance, succession, and ownership rights of widowed women,
• ULA seeks the participation of grassroots communities, members and institutions in policy analysis as well as in the subsequent activities intended to influence policy, monitor its implementation and evaluate outcomes.
• Capacity building through building the capacity of members, local communities and organisations by affording them opportunities and support to carry out work of a standard that is sufficient to make a difference.
• Provision of services on Land rights information and dispute settlement through the Land Rights Centres.
• Community Empowerment through facilitating the participation of grassroots communities, members and institutions in analyzing those land laws and policies that affect them.

ACTIVITIES.
Research
Community Sensitisations
Information packaging and dissemination
Developing the Resouirce Center
Training of community volunteers in Alternative Dispute Resolutions
Lobbying for the enactment of the National Land Policy
Monitoring the performance of the Parliament on issues like the National Land Policy and the Domestic Relations Bill

The Uganda Land Alliance
P. O. Box 26990
Tel: 256-041-540048
Fax: 256-041-540038
Email: info@ulaug.org
Website: www.ulaug.org