Planet unplugged – Land and environmental defenders

Join us for an inspiring evening with Phyllis Omido, a dedicated Environmental Rights defender.

Recipient of the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize, often referred to as "The Green Nobel," in 2015, Phyllis is renowned for her impactful activism. Notably, she successfully organized protests that led to the closure of a lead smelting plant situated in the heart of Owino Uhuru, an informal settlement near Mombasa.In a groundbreaking achievement, Phyllis won an Environmental Class Action Litigation Suit in July 2020. 

This victory secured compensation for the Owino Uhuru Community and for an environmental cleanup in the area. Phyllis will share her remarkable journey as a Land and Environment defender, providing insights into her experiences in environmental rights activism in Kenya.

Join us at 5pm for a short drinks reception, followed by the seminar at 5:30pm.

About the speaker:

Phyllis Omido, is a Kenyan Environmental Rights defender and founder and Executive director of the Center for Justice Governance and Environmental Action –(CJGEA), an organization that advocates for the environment and socio-economic rights of marginalized and ignored communities residing around extractive industries in Kenya. She was Africa’s recipient of the Goldman Environmental Prize Dubbed “The Green Nobel” in 2015. 

She is known for organizing protests and shutting down a lead smelting plant located in the middle of Owino Uhuru, an informal settlement near Mombasa. Phyllis is a global Author having published her book “With The Anger of a mother” in Germany in 2019. She was recently awarded “The Ethecon Blue Planet Award” which will be presented to her in June, 2022 in Germany since COVID-19 delayed her travel to Germany to receive the award. 

In July 2020 she won an Environmental Class Action Litigation Suit that Awarded the Owino Uhuru Community KShs 1.3 Billion in compensation and a further KShs 700 Million to her organization (CJGEA) to coordinate the environmental clean-up exercise in Owino Uhuru. The court further ordered that the costs spent during the litigation be refunded to her organization, this must be paid in spite of the appeal. The case was appealed by a section of the respondents and is currently in the court of appeal and awaiting hearing and ruling of the court.

Registration:

This event is free and open to the public. You will only need to register to attend online. 

Contact 

• Email: bo6@soas.ac.uk
• Organiser: SOAS Law, Environment and Development Centre