CBA International Initiatives presented the first two of five training modules related to the extractive industry to partners in East Africa earlier this year.
The training was part of the five-year Supporting Inclusive Resource Development in East Africa project, funded by Global Affairs Canada, which runs until 2022. The CBA is partnering with four law societies: East Africa Law Society, Law Society of Kenya, Tanganyika Law Society and Uganda Law Society.
The modules, developed by CBA members with expertise in the extractive sector in collaboration with national experts from Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, combine information about national and international best practices in natural resource management.
The first two sessions were held in February and March in each of the three countries, and included country-specific and international perspectives. The first module included an introduction to the mining, oil and gas industry in each country, and touched on inclusive resource development, gender-sensitive policy-making in the extractive industry, extractive sector legal framework, an overview of mining, oil and gas contracts, and the national context for contract disclosure and monitoring.
The second session covered community consultation and engagement, engagement of women and marginalized groups, national laws, regulations and policies on community development, corporate responsibility and community agreements, plus community development agreement models in Canada, and the Canadian context for revenue/benefits sharing.
While gender has been a cross-cutting issue in all sessions, in Session Two there was a particular emphasis on women empowerment. The three national gender experts for the SIRD project facilitated sessions in their respective countries on issues facing women in general and specifically in extractive industries.
The third and fourth rounds of training for legal professionals began on June 3.
This training is the cornerstone of the SIRD project, and the participation of CBA members continues to be exceptionally important to the work. The Canadian government has given the project $7.5 million in funding over its five years, and CBA members are contributing another $2 million in legal expertise to the project.
SIRD’s objective is to increase sustainable economic growth for East Africans affected by extractive industries – women and vulnerable groups in particular; to increase engagement of East African law societies in advocating for law reform in the extractive industry; and to increase community participation in consultations, negotiations and advocacy in the extractive sector.
The Project contributes directly to the government of Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy, founded on the premise that women and girls are powerful agents of change who have the potential to transform their households, societies and economies.
Trainers in front row: third from Left SIRD Trainer Sara Mainville, 4th : Naomi Johnson, 6th in front row Camille Vezina
Adam Nott, trainer
John Stefaniuk, trainer
Trainers Jennifer Hinton and Camille Vezina and trainees
Trainer Kelly McLaughlin and trainees in Tanzania
CBAII Director Jennifer Johnson with women in Uganda pilot village Buliisa