Fortress Conservation and Human Rights Violations against marginalized communities in Uganda

Abstract

This paper critically interrogates the human rights consequences of Uganda’s fortress conservation model, particularly for marginalized communities living within or adjacent to Protected Areas. Although conservation laws and policies aim to safeguard biodiversity, their implementation often depends on exclusionary practices that emphasize state control, militarized enforcement, and ecological protection at the expense of community rights and well-being. The paper reveals how these approaches have led to forced evictions, land dispossession, criminalization of traditional livelihoods, and the erosion of cultural heritage. It further examines Uganda’s obligations under international and domestic law to uphold the rights to land, culture, livelihood, participation, and due process. The paper argues that ongoing human rights abuses stem from legal ambiguities, weak accountability mechanisms, and policy frameworks that systematically sideline community participation in conservation governance. It concludes that reconciling biodiversity protection with human dignity demands a fundamental transition toward rights-based, inclusive, and community-centered models of conservation.

Keywords: Conservation, Human rights, Community, Violation, Biodiversity

DOI: 10.7176/JLPG/151-01

Publication date: March 28^th 2026