[{"bbox": [83, 106, 1094, 212], "category": "Text", "text": "collaborative forest management (CFM), and in the distribution of the benefits of forest resources. At the same time, it has been showed that women's participation in decision making at the user-group level and in forest committees had a positive impact on forest sustainability. Women's participation for example enhanced forest regeneration and reduced illegal harvesting due to improved monitoring¹¹."}, {"bbox": [83, 238, 1147, 451], "category": "Text", "text": "From a development policy point of view, the Ugandan Government has identified, in the framework of its current National Development Plans (NDP III), “Climate Change, Natural Resources, Environment, and Water Management” as one of the key 18 programmes that implement the NDP III. While the proposed action is fully aligned to the priority of this programme, it also has direct links with various other programmes, notably with the Private Sector Development Programme, the Manufacturing Programme, the Digital Transformation Programme, the Human Capital Development Programme, the Innovation, Technology Development and Transfer Programme, the Community Mobilisation and Mindset Programme, the Governance and Security Programme and the Public Sector Transformation Programme."}, {"bbox": [83, 477, 1147, 796], "category": "Text", "text": "From a sectoral point of view, the main elements of the current policy and regulatory framework are the National Forest Policy (2001), the National Forestry Plan (2012), the National Forestry and Tree Planting Act (2003) and the Wildlife Act (2019). The Forest policy is currently under revision with approval schedules for mid-2022. Also, the REDD+ National Strategy and Action Plan (2017) and the Ten-Year Plan of Action for Restoration of the Environment and Natural Resources in Uganda (2021-2031) are key guiding documents for forest-related actions in Uganda. The National Forest Policy (2001) states that the government will ensure the integration of gender concerns and issues into the development of the forestry sector. Strategies for implementing the policy will specifically account for gender differences in the perceptions and uses of forest products. This will include efforts to: • Increase security of tenure over forest resources for women and youth. • Encourage active participation of women and youth in decision making, resource management and sharing of benefits. • Promote changes in attitudes and organisational cultures to break down gender barriers and to provide mutual respect and dignity for all people irrespective of social group, gender or background¹²."}, {"bbox": [83, 821, 1147, 1033], "category": "Text", "text": "The action falls under the Multi-Annual Indicative Programme (MIP) for Uganda (2021-2027) and directly contributes to the MIP's specific objectives “Contributing to a better conservation, restoration and protection of the natural resources and biodiversity of Uganda” and “Promoting a sustainable development of the forestry sector in Uganda”. In addition, the action links up to several other objectives: (1) “Supporting Uganda to develop financing for climate action” through its activities related to Payment for Environmental Services (PES) and forest finance; (2) “Promoting sustainable investments” and “Promoting decent employment” through the envisaged development of the wood and non-wood value chains; and (3) “Institutions are effective and accountable” through the activities related to forest governance enhancement and combating forest related crimes."}, {"bbox": [83, 1059, 1147, 1326], "category": "Text", "text": "Thematically, EU policy coverage is provided by the Communication on “Stepping up action to protect and restore the world’s forests” (2019) which is aiming at protecting and growing the world's forest cover to improve people's health and livelihoods and to ensure a healthy planet for our children and grandchildren. Moreover, the action will be an important building block of the EU-Uganda Forest Partnership (FP). The Forest Partnership constitutes a new instrument to deliver on the EU Green Deal priorities in terms of climate, energy, biodiversity, farms-to-forks, and circular economy as well as EU's development cooperation objectives like poverty alleviation, good governance and human rights and has the objective to protect, restore and ensure the sustainable use of forests in a comprehensive and integrated way. The Action will contribute to the EU Gender Action Plan III (2021-2025) and specifically to its overall objective: “Women in all their diversity influence decision-making processes on environmental conservation and climate change policies and actions”."}, {"bbox": [83, 1352, 1147, 1564], "category": "Text", "text": "This action builds on the vast experience of the EU in the sector. Indeed, the EU has been supporting the forestry sector in Uganda for many decades, but in particular since 2004 it started with the Forest Resources Management and Conservation Project (FRMCP), implemented by the National Forestry Authority (NFA) from 2004 to 2008. The FRMCP was designed to improve forest management for conservation of biodiversity and increased sustainable production with a focus on the poor. After 2008, the FRMCP transitioned into support to the commercial forestry sector under subsequent phases of the Sawlog Production Grant Scheme (SPGS). As a result of SPGS, the EU has established itself as the main partner of Uganda in creating space for commercial forestry in the country. 15 years later, the impact is important, in particular in terms of production capacity. The new action builds and expands on"}, {"bbox": [73, 1615, 995, 1641], "category": "Footnote", "text": "¹¹ VARIOUS AUTHORS, Gender, tenure and community forests in Uganda, CIFOR, Working Paper 87, 2012."}, {"bbox": [73, 1639, 141, 1661], "category": "Footnote", "text": "¹² Idem."}, {"bbox": [1051, 1663, 1158, 1687], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 5 of 23"}]