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Karamoja women grapple with mining, drought and land grabbing — report
The report argues that women’s land rights are no longer simply a gender issue. They have become intertwined with environmental pressures, economic development and regional stability.
CAPTION: Residents cracking stone boulders at the Kosiroi mining site in Moroto district, Karamoja sub-region. (New Vision file)
By: Jackie Nalubwama, Journalist @New Vision
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For generations, women in Uganda's northeastern region of Karamoja have struggled to secure land rights. Now, according to a new policy brief by the Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment (ACODE), a combination of climate change, mining expansion and changing land-use patterns is making the situation even more precarious.
The report argues that women’s land rights are no longer simply a gender issue. They have become intertwined with environmental pressures, economic development and regional stability.
One of the clearest examples is the rapid growth of mining activities in districts such as Moroto, Napak and Kaabong in Karamoja.
The study documents cases where mining licenses were issued without meaningful consultation, displacing communities that relied on communal land for grazing, firewood, water and medicinal plants.
In one 2024 study in Napak’s Lorengchora area, more than 200 women-led households were affected, while women reportedly received less than 10% of compensation payouts.
At the same time, climate change is reshaping life across the region. Longer droughts and unpredictable rainfall are forcing pastoralist families to move more frequently in search of water and pasture. Those migrations often weaken women’s already fragile land rights.
A survey cited in the report found that women in Kotido and Amudat districts lost between 40% and 50% of access to household gardens during seasonal movements because temporary land decisions were often made solely by male household heads.
The report warns that these pressures are occurring against a backdrop of significant environmental decline. Karamoja has lost an estimated 25% of its rangelands since 2020, increasing competition over shrinking resources.
Meanwhile, changes following disarmament efforts have accelerated a shift from communal grazing toward fenced agricultural plots. While this has altered livelihoods, it has also created new disputes.
In one 2024 study in Napak’s Lorengchora area, more than 200 women-led households were affected, while women reportedly received less than 10% of compensation payouts.
At the same time, climate change is reshaping life across the region. Longer droughts and unpredictable rainfall are forcing pastoralist families to move more frequently in search of water and pasture. Those migrations often weaken women’s already fragile land rights.
A survey cited in the report found that women in Kotido and Amudat districts lost between 40% and 50% of access to household gardens during seasonal movements because temporary land decisions were often made solely by male household heads.
The report warns that these pressures are occurring against a backdrop of significant environmental decline. Karamoja has lost an estimated 25% of its rangelands since 2020, increasing competition over shrinking resources.
Meanwhile, changes following disarmament efforts have accelerated a shift from communal grazing toward fenced agricultural plots. While this has altered livelihoods, it has also created new disputes.
A 2024 study in Abim district found that one-quarter of widows surveyed had been dispossessed of land by relatives, while land-related gender-based violence increased by 30% amid growing competition over land.
The report identifies a paradox.
“Women are among the people most affected by climate shocks and land scarcity, yet they are often excluded from the decisions that determine how land is managed.”
Researchers argue that strengthening women’s land rights could become a powerful climate adaptation tool. Evidence cited in the study suggests that secure tenure encourages investments in drought-resistant farming, soil conservation, water harvesting and sustainable grazing practices.
Projects involving Communal Land Associations and Certificates of Customary Ownership have already shown positive results in some parts of Karamoja.
The brief recommends protecting migration corridors, expanding gender-responsive land registration, improving dispute-resolution systems and ensuring women are represented in land governance structures. It also calls for legal reforms that would provide stronger protections for women under customary land systems.
As climate pressures, mining interests and population growth continue to reshape Karamoja, the report concludes that securing women’s rights to land will be essential not only for gender equality, but also for food security, conflict prevention and the region’s long-term development.
The report identifies a paradox.
“Women are among the people most affected by climate shocks and land scarcity, yet they are often excluded from the decisions that determine how land is managed.”
Researchers argue that strengthening women’s land rights could become a powerful climate adaptation tool. Evidence cited in the study suggests that secure tenure encourages investments in drought-resistant farming, soil conservation, water harvesting and sustainable grazing practices.
Projects involving Communal Land Associations and Certificates of Customary Ownership have already shown positive results in some parts of Karamoja.
The brief recommends protecting migration corridors, expanding gender-responsive land registration, improving dispute-resolution systems and ensuring women are represented in land governance structures. It also calls for legal reforms that would provide stronger protections for women under customary land systems.
As climate pressures, mining interests and population growth continue to reshape Karamoja, the report concludes that securing women’s rights to land will be essential not only for gender equality, but also for food security, conflict prevention and the region’s long-term development.