LEAT Mwanza staff monitoring pollution levels in Lake Victoria
LEAT has been in the forefront to prevent urban pollution. Measures that LEAT has been engaged on include awareness raising, publications and litigation. The campaign to prevent urban pollution is carried in both LEAT headquarter and Mwanza branch. LEAT Mwanza Branch was established in June 2001 by a generous support from the Blacksmith Institute that helped to rent two rooms for the office, and office equipments including a computer and printer.
In addition to LEAT general organizational objectives, the branch has specific objectives that include:
To develop and/or improve Lake Zone region's environment by imparting to the general public an understanding of the laws and policies relating to the environment and natural resources.
To work with local communities in enhancing their access to natural resources and securing their rights to those resources by amplifying their roles in the management of those resources, including but not limited to the right to participate in environmental decision making.
To undertake campaigns against pollution of the environment and waters of Lake Victoria and its marine ecosystems by involving local communities in the process.
To carry out legal research on various environmental and natural resources and related issues, including but not limited to, governance, human rights, food security, poverty alleviation, and social equity;
To undertake various advocacy activities including but not limited to public interest litigation against environmental destructors, pressurize public authorities through judicial means to carry out their environmental protection duties, to conduct various environmental protection campaigns, seminars, workshops, public hearings, media briefings, lobbying and/or sensitise decision makers on environmental issues;
To gather, store and disseminate information relating to environmental law in the lake zone and to make it accessible to the public, etc.
