top of page

Our Work

​Advocates for Public Spaces (APS), is working with local and national governments on improving the situation for quality and quantity of public spaces including: streets that support walking and cycling, local public markets that provide access to healthy, fresh, local food and open public spaces, such as parks, that provide people with recreation opportunities. We do this through a number of ways including research that provides us with the latest data to support our advocacy and projects.

APS NICC.jpg

Availability and Quality of Parks in Kampala

Urban parks, composed of open green space and recreation grounds, play a major role in improving the health and well-being of populations in cities and towns. However, with rapid population growth and property development not conforming to plan, a number of public parks have been encroached on by private developers. Unless strong action is taken, public open spaces in Uganda’s urban areas are in danger of extinction. This study focuses on the situation in the nation’s capital, Kampala.

Local Markets in Kampala

Local public markets have played an important role in communities for centuries and are a key public space. Local markets serve the community in numerous ways, including acting as a main trading center where people can earn a living, creating social spaces in neighborhoods for locals to meet and interact with one another, and linking rural and urban communities. Until the latter half of the 20th century, most food was purchased at local markets, a trend which continues in Uganda today. Local public markets have many community benefits:

Publication4.jpg
INFROMAL .jpg

Informal Places For Active Recreation And Children's Play In Kampala Slums, Uganda

An earlier study carried out by Advocates for Public Spaces (APS) identified a lack of formal parks and open spaces in the city, particularly in outlying areas and slum settlements. Despite this, informal open spaces—that is, spaces not officially recognized as parks or other public spaces—may exist within slums and in proximity, wherein slum dwellers can undertake sports, play, relax, and other forms of recreation. Such informal spaces, more so than their formal counterparts, often exhibit safety hazards.

Public Space Policy Analysis in Uganda: Parks and Playgrounds, Streets, and Markets

brife.jpg

Public spaces – parks, open and green spaces, markets and streets – play a major role in making cities inclusive, resilient, and sustainable. This role is, however, largely dependent on the existence, implementation, and promotion of robust policies and legislation including explicit inclusion of these spaces in urban plans. The analysis in this policy brief assesses the quantity, quality, accessibility and usability of public space in Uganda’s capital city Kampala and the supportive environment (policies, legislation and plans) .

bottom of page