Assessing the Recognition, Documentation, and Promotion of Local Community Rights Around Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda

Abstract

Recognition and respect for community rights are essential for equitable conservation, particularly for those living near protected areas. However, despite their critical role in natural resource management, indigenous communities continue to face persistent exclusion, which remains a significant challenge. This study investigated how community rights are recognised, defined, documented, and promoted around Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (BINP), Uganda. A mixed methods approach was employed, combining surveys of 120 households with interviews, workshops, documentary reviews, and observations involving 30 key informants across the districts of Kisoro, Rubanda, and Kanungu. Data were analysed using SPSS and NVivo. Findings show that economic and cultural rights, including revenue sharing, cultural practices, and access to medicinal plants, are the most widely acknowledged. However, participatory rights such as access to information, employment opportunities, and involvement in park protection remain limited. Rights are primarily defined through Memoranda of Understanding, strategic plans, and Uganda’s Constitution, though community awareness of these instruments is limited and uneven. Efforts to promote rights, such as sensitisation, human-wildlife conflict mitigation, NGO support, and the Community Conservation Department (UWA), have had some impact, but challenges of transparency, inclusivity, and fair compensation persist. The study recommends equitable governance frameworks that emphasise fair benefit-sharing, inclusive participation, and transparent enforcement to strengthen trust, community engagement, and sustainable conservation outcomes in Bwindi and beyond.