Global Rights Alert (GRA) is the leading NGO working to promote good governance of Uganda’s natural resources. This encompasses oil, gas, metallic minerals, land, forests, water bodies, as well as flora and fauna. The organisation was formed in 2007 by Ugandans to address human rights and development. The mission of GRA is to promote social accountability through constructive engagement of rights holders and duty bearers.

Working with local communities, GRA facilitates access to information and provides platforms for participation. Because natural resource governance and exploitation can more often increase human rights risks and violations, GRA facilitates communities in natural resource rich areas to access justice. GRA supports communities by building their capacity to advocate for transparency and accountability, monitor human rights trends and give them skills to meaningfully support the country’s development programmes. Building on human rights standards and principles, GRA works to ensure that the livelihoods of vulnerable groups particularly women and children are promoted and protected.

CORE VALUES
In implementing all the organisational plans, GRA is guided by the following core values:
1. The passion to serve the community
2. Result oriented management
3. Team work
4. Managing GRA as a learning organisation

The organisation has a gender policy and her staff have been trained in gender mainstreaming. One of GRA’s core programmes is Gender and Extractives, which is testimony to our belief that women, just like men have a right to development and must be supported to realise their potential.

The Golden Voices in Gold Mining project of GRA aims at creating a safe and productive space for women in the gold mines of Mubende and Buhweju districts through:
1) Improving women engagements at various platforms to influence and garner support for safer and productive working environment;
2) Amplifying voices through documentation, media and partnerships; and,
3) Women miners pro-actively engaging in the ongoing policy and legislation framework discussions to govern the mining sector.

It is expected that this intervention will bolster a robust advocacy campaign by many stakeholders, improved conditions for women working in artisanal and small-scale mining, and policy and legal frameworks that uphold the protection and support to women in the mining sector.