The SEI shall be implemented as a joint initiative under the leadership of DPI in collaboration with FoZ, and complemented with the expertise of SU, DD, and the NAPE-U. This action is aligned to DPI`s country strategies on extending technical digital and physical security support to defenders in Uganda.

Defenders Protection Initiative, in collaboration with Land & Environmental Defenders (LED) is coordinating a  contextualized and robust capacity building support initiative aimed at empowering FoZ to mainstream security management and mitigate the dynamic and complex security and protection needs for FoZ and her members in Uganda.
The Security Enhancement Initiatives – SEI project seeks to capacitate the FoZ with the knowledge to main-stream security and protection in their work and also to establish and empower a movement of Land Environment Defenders Task Force (LEDTAF) with expertise in responding to emergency security, legal, and strategic media needs on land issues in real-time.

Thus, the SEI project aims at stimulating a robust capacity enhancement in line with mainstreaming security, build and generate knowledge on the resilience of FoZ, while at the same time responds to security needs of Friends of Zoka in a timely and comprehensive manner.

The overall objective of the SEI project is to enhance the capacity of FoZ and her members to manage their own security, analyze risks, access emergency response and conduct targeted advocacy within their jurisdictional area and beyond-Uganda.

The specific objective is to support the protection of FoZ and her members through joint security capacity building, networking, and establishment of protection mechanisms.

Expected Results

Improved capacity in security management among FoZ management team and members to perform their mandate and
deal with emerging security risks in a more coordinated and sustainable approach.

FoZ able to mainstream security and protection management in their work.

Improved access to available, accessible and affordable security services for FoZ through the existing protection mechanism.

Better coordination amongst those offering security and protection support to FoZ.

Better understanding the threats facing FoZ including trends.