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Plastic Governance and Democratic Institutions in East Africa Conference

Centre for Environment Justice and Development (CEJAD), in partnership with the Swedish International Centre for Local Democracy (ICLD) and with support from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), is hosting a regional conference exploring the link between plastic governance and democratic institutions.

Plastic pollution is one of the most urgent environmental and public health challenges of our time. As global negotiations for a plastic treaty advance, African nations, particularly within the East African Community, have a unique opportunity to shape effective, inclusive plastic governance. Yet, enforcement gaps, weak public participation, and institutional limitations persist. Local governments bear the responsibility for managing plastic waste, while informal waste pickers remain excluded from policy processes meant to support a just transition to a plastic-free future. Further still, opportunities for scientists, policy makers and civil society to work together towards a just plastic-free transition are rare. 

To address these gaps, the Centre for Environment Justice and Development (CEJAD), in partnership with the Swedish International Centre for Local Democracy (ICLD) and with support from The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), is hosting a regional conference from May 26 to May 28, 2025, PrideInn Hotel, Mombasa, Kenya to explore  the link between plastic governance and democratic institutions.

Themes include:

  • Plastic policy frameworks in Kenya, East Africa, and globally
  • Grassroots innovations in plastic waste reduction
  • Civil society engagement in plastic governance
  • Marine plastic pollution
  • The plastics and public health nexus

The conference will feature keynote presentations by researchers, policymakers, and practitioners; a Democracy Lab with local officials, CSOS, and grassroots waste pickers; film exhibitions showcasing community innovations; and site visits to learn from waste picker-led initiatives. Read more 

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Under this program, CEJAD aims to eliminate the risk posed by exposure to lead in paints to women and children, and improve the regulatory frameworks to phase out lead in paint at national, regional and international level.

Our work under this program aims to promote the phase out of Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHPs) from use, especially in agriculture to protect human health and the environment. The use of HHPs is threatening the lives of vulnerable populations, food systems, biodiversity and the environment at large.

Our work under the Mercury Program aims to protect human health and the environment from anthropogenic emissions and releases of mercury and mercury compounds in line with the Minamata Convention on Mercury, a legally binding global treaty adopted in 2013. Kenya is a party to the Minamata Convention.

The Montreal Protocol, adopted in 1987, protects the ozone layer by regulating ozone-depleting substances (ODS), such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs). It mandates the phase-out of CFC and HCFC production and consumption with specific timeframes for different Parties, based on their status as a developed or developing country.

Our work under this program aims to reduce the health and environmental impacts associated with waste and plastics throughout their life cycle. Over the years, plastic and plastic products have emerged as problematic and hazardous to human health and the environment.