This study was carried out to assess the effectiveness of environmental law in conservation of water resources at river Rwizi in Sⱨeema, Rwampara and Isingiro Districts based study objective which is to find out the relationship between environmental laws and conservation of water resources at river Rwizi in Sⱨeema, Rwampara and Isingiro Districts. The study employed a mixed research design where it used qualitative and quantitative techniques to analyze the data collected, data analysis was done through transforming information got to a more representative way, simple frequency tables and percentages were employed to facilitate analysis. Qualitative data was analyzed thematically. The research was carried out at river Rwizi in Sⱨeema, Rwampara and Isingiro Districts. The analysis on significance suggests that all three factors (Monitoring, Legal & Institutional Framework, and Institutional Interactions) likely play a role in influencing the conservation of water of resources. Further, analysis indicates a positive significant relationship the relationship between environmental laws and conservation of water resources at river Rwizi in Sⱨeema, Rwampara and Isingiro Districts. Basing on the study findings, it is concluded that Monitoring, Legal & Institutional Framework, and Institutional Interactions likely play a role in influencing the conservation of water of resources. Furthermore, it is also concluded that there is a positive significant relationship the relationship between environmental laws and conservation of water resources at river Rwizi in Sⱨeema, Rwampara and Isingiro Districts. Stronger legal frameworks with well-defined regulations and penalties, coupled with well-functioning institutions for enforcement, are associated with higher levels of conservation of water resources. Additionally, it is concluded that a multifaceted approach is needed for conservation of water resources. By strengthening legal frameworks, fostering collaboration between stakeholders, and implementing robust monitoring practices, communities can work towards a more sustainable future for their water resources.

This research aimed to comprehensively examine the essential role carried out by civil society organizations in mediating conflicts that inevitably arose amongst the culturally and ethnically diverse refugee population who had sought refuge at Nyumanzi refugee settlement located in the Kiryandongo District of Midwestern Uganda for over three decades, housing over forty-five thousand refugees from countries including Sudan, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Burundi, where prolonged violence, political instability, and human rights crises had forced millions to flee their homelands in search of safety and peace. Given the protracted nature of displacement and scarce resources within the settlement that exacerbated underlying prejudices, effective preventative mechanisms implemented by frontline grassroots organizations were crucial for maintaining stability. Through employing a mixed methods sequential exploratory research design combining both qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis techniques, this study sought to gain multifaceted insights into refugees' perceptions of how well civil society organizations were managing the inevitable tensions that arose through open-ended interviews with twenty key stakeholders and focused group discussions with forty-eight refugees themselves while also conducting a large-scale survey of three hundred eighty-four refugees, determined using Krejcie and Morgan’s sample size table, to determine attitudes across the population for enhanced generalizability. Statistical analysis found that trust in organizations, accessibility of services, responsiveness to needs, participation in decision-making and perceived fairness of conflict resolution all positively impacted perceptions of effectiveness. The study then aimed to identify existing gaps or weaknesses in the approach of these organizations through statistically analyzing respondents' experiences using logistic regressions, finding lack of training, insufficient resources, poor communication and more significantly associated with challenges. Finally, disseminating the actionable findings to the appropriate governmental and humanitarian actors supporting the settlement aimed to optimize coordination of efforts and resources in order to maximize the conflict resolution and peacebuilding impact of community-led civil society interventions for the sustained well-being of this vulnerable population.

The Covid-19 pandemic led to unprecedented school closures globally affecting over 1.6 billion students. In Uganda, all educational institutions were shuttered in March 2020 to curb virus spread. This study examined impacts of prolonged lockdowns and isolation on early pregnancies among school children in rural Kamuli District, Eastern Uganda. A mixed-methods sequential exploratory design combined qualitative interviews with key stakeholders and a household survey. In-depth interviews were conducted with 20 district health and education officials, community leaders, and adolescents. Additionally, a cross-sectional study utilizing multi-stage cluster sampling surveyed 300 young mothers aged 13-19 from 30 villages. Data underwent thematic coding and statistical analysis. Qualitative findings indicated socioeconomic strain related to loss of learning and play exacerbated childhood vulnerability to sexual exploitation. The survey found 22% of respondents reported becoming pregnant during lockdown, tripling district weekly averages. The majority cited parental neglect and seclusion due to school closures as precipitating factors. Pregnant students accounted for 30% dropouts thus far indicating long-term repercussions. Prolonged lockdowns critically threatened developmental needs of adolescents, disproportionately impacting girls. Holistic support integrating sexual health, gender equality and youth empowerment programming remained urgently needed. Strategies bolstering household economic security and remote learning alternatives could have helped curb unintended outcomes of future crises.

Social media is a rapidly evolving platform for people lately to communicate, express themselves and share content of all kinds regardless of the distance that separate them. It has given rise to a new cultural paradigm that drives technology and businesses while changing the way people interact. As a tool, social media is a double-edged sword; while it has many benefits, it can also influence people in unhealthy ways. The study focuses on the impact of social media on cultural practice. The study used non –probability sampling. It employed both the qualitative and quantitative data collection tools which included questionnaires, and, interviews. The study used both qualitative and quantitative and quantitative data collection tools in order to ensure efficiency and accuracy in data collection. Qualitative data was analyzed the thematically by coding, while information from questionnaires was analyzed by use of statistical package for Social Science (SPSS) which generated the tables and percentages. The findings of the study revealed that social media has been a major part of our lives. It has totally affected our cultural practices in both positive and negative ways. There are so many positive impacts of social media on culture. Social media has increased connections between people and created an environment in which you can share your opinion, pictures and share knowledge on different spheres of life been academic, spiritual materials and just about life in general. It has also become important for businesses because at the same point, you need to use social media in your business for example for marketing and advertising. On the other hand social media has influenced our cultural practices in negative ways. People can share whatever they want to on social media and some of this information might be inappropriate. People have become more conservative about each other’s perceptive related to political views, religion, social rights and culture. The ugly part of social media is that there tons of unnecessary information shared by people and also bullying and harassment on social media has been increased. People can make brutal and negative comments about anything and anyone. Kids might be affected and are manipulated by some sites in which there is inappropriate information. For example, the positive influence of social media on children is that it allows them to be competent citizens in a digital age where they can fully participate in the broader society and learn the social skills of that generation while the negative side of social media on children according to Mrunal (2018) is that screen relationships also detract real life relationships and building social skills in children and teenagers. This happens as they grow up without learning how to read non-verbal cues and facial gestures of people. Social interaction is critical to developing the skills needed to understand other people’s moods and emotions. Hence children growing up interacting mostly with social media may turn out nonempathetic and also become poor at communicating verbally and nonverbally. In line with its findings, the study made a number of recommendations to policy makers and parents; government should restrict on what should be posted on Received: 03.08.2024 Accepted: 07.08.2024 Published on: 30.08.2024 Corresponding: Author: research@miu.ac.ug/publications 357 Metropolitan Journal Of Academic Multidisciplinary Research ISSN: 3006-4384 Vol. 3 Issue 8, August2024, Pages: 357-368 social media, to work hand in hand with mobile providers in monitoring of social media and brings to book for those found wanting and that parents should also monitor what the children are doing on social media.