New Publication and Website from UNDP-GEF

The Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme (GEF SGP), implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has published a major report on the work done since the Rio Earth Summit in 1992 to support communities and civil society organisations in their efforts to implement environment-cum-development initiatives entitled "20 Years: Community Action for the Global Environment." It has also released a new website, www.biodiversity-products.com, which showcases biodiversity products produced by partners of the SGP. 

The publication tracks the work of communities and affiliated organisations who have partnered with the GEF SGP to blend conservation and development. It describes itself as "a celebration of two decades of communities and civil society organizations proving themselves capable of the task, of their hard work, of the risks they took together with their partners and supporters, and of all SGP stakeholders demonstrating that sustainable development can be achieved."

The website, which currently features GEF SGP grantees in Latin America, the Middle East and Africa, will eventually have global scope. The site defines biodiversity products as any "consumable, useable, artistic, or medicinal remedy created from the wealth of biodiversity." The website offers visitors the opportunity to join an online community focused on biodiversity products and also enables visitors to search for biodiversity products by classification, nation or region. 

Find the GEF SGP summary of "20 Years: Community Action for the Global Environment" here and download it here. The biodiversity products website can be accessed here and products searched for here. 

CBD Secretariat Hosts Colloquium on ICCAs and Aichi Targets

Participants of national conference on ICCAs in the 

Philippines, which took place in March 2012. Photo via

iccaforum.org.

According to a notification of the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), Indigenous peoples’ and local community conserved territories and areas (ICCAs) provide multiple ecological, cultural and biodiversity values, contribute greatly to food and water security and other ecosystem processes, and help achieve the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and Aichi Biodiversity Targets. ICCAs play a critical role in ensuring access and respecting rights to customary sustainable use and facilitating inter-generational communication of traditional environmental knowledge, innovations and practices. The Secretariat continues by noting that ICCAs are increasingly recognised as the living embodiment of both Articles 8(j) and 10(c) of the CBD.

In an effort to support implementation of these Articles and several past CBD decisions, on 13 October at the 11th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP11), the CBD Secretariat co-hosted a one-day colloquium on the role of ICCAs in achieving the 2011-2020 Aichi Biodiversity Targets, along with the governments of Brazil, India, Mexico, the Philippines, Senegal, and South Africa, the ICCA Consortium, the International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity, and Conservation International.

The colloquium was opened by the Deccan Development Society and several Dalit farmers, who gave a spiritual blessing and spoke about the challenges they have faced on the road to securing food sovereignty. Opening remarks were given by the following esteemed speakers: Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias (Executive Secretary, CBD); Delfin Ganapin (Global Coordinator, GEF Small Grants Programme); Russell Mittermeier (President, Conservation International); Taghi Farvar (President, ICCA Consortium); and Trevor Sandwith (Director, IUCN Global Protected Areas Programme). Following a presentation by John Scott and Sarat Gidda (CBD Secretariat) on the linkages between ICCAs and global policy, Ashish Kothari (Kalpavriksh) gave a keynote address on a global study compiled by the ICCA Consortium, Kalpavriksh, Natural Justice, and IUCN-TILCEPA on legal and non-legal forms of recognition and support for ICCAs. The study was published as Technical Series Volume 64 by the CBD Secretariat. (A complementary global study coordinated by Natural Justice and Kalpavriksh on behalf of the ICCA Consortium focused in more depth on legal and institutional aspects of recognizing and supporting ICCAs and is available online.)

The rest of the colloquium consisted of three engaging panels that highlighted experiences and lessons learned from Asia-Pacific, Africa, and Latin America and the Caribbean. Each panel was chaired by a government representative from the respective region and included presentations by Indigenous peoples, NGOs, and governments.

The CBD Secretariat's official notification of the colloquium and the day's programme can be viewed here.  A summary report is available here. More information about the ICCA Consortium's engagement in COP11 can be found here.

In-Depth Article on Tana River Massacre

After the tragic loss of more than 50 Kenyans on 22 August in Riketa, a village in Kenya's Tana River Delta, numerous commentators identified long-standing conflict between the agricultural Orma community and the pastoralist Pokomo. Paul Goldsmith, a researcher who has worked with Natural Justice in Lamu, has drafted an in-depth article for the East African that challenges some of these assumptions. He notes that "nothing in the literature alludes to a long-standing state of conflict between herders and farmers in this area," and argues rather that "symbiotic relations between mobile producers of animal protein and carbohydrate producing agriculturalists was a basic prerequisite for the emergence of the mono-cultural pastoralism practised by the Orma and their Somali counterparts." He concludes that rather than drawing from timeless animosity, "recent Orma-Pokomo conflict stems from the expansion of riverine farms that block herders’ access to the river," a development which took place in the early 2000s. 

The full East African article can be accessed here. 

Workshop on National Federations and Coalitions of ICCAs

Jorge Nahuel (Mapuche Tribe, Argentina) speaking about a

tri-national coalition of Indigenous peoples. Photo credit: 

Aurelie Neumann / ICCA Consortium.

On 11 October at the 11th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP11), the ICCA Consortium, Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme (GEF-SGP), and many local partners co-hosted a 3-hour workshop entitled “National ICCA Federations and Coalitions Ready to Take Conservation Authority and Responsibilities Towards Fulfilling the Aichi Biodiversity Targets”. The workshop shared experiences of a range of federations and coalitions of Indigenous peoples’ and community conserved territories and areas (ICCAs) from around the world, including the Philippines, Madagascar, Nepal, India, Iran, and Argentina. Additional reflections were provided by representatives from GEF-SGP, Australia, Pakistan, Taiwan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Philippines.

Particular emphasis was placed on how federations, coalitions and related social movements are being mobilised at all levels to secure Indigenous peoples' and local communities' rights, customary territories, and ways of life. Delfin Ganapin (GEF-SGP) reminded workshop participants that because federations have the potential to challenge the political status quo, the stronger the social movements become, the more resistance they will likely face from governments and industries in power. In the words of Dave de Vera (Philippine Association for Intercultural Development), despite significant legal and policy gains, "There is still so much to be done; the struggle will always continue."

More information about the ICCA Consortium's engagement in CBD COP11 is available here.

Two New Biodiversity Resources from UNDP

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has released a significant new publication and an innovative database developed by the Equator Initiative. Both are developed from the lessons learned from a decade of the Equator Prize, which has been awarded to 127 outstanding local and indigenous community efforts to reduce poverty through the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity around the world. Natural Justice's Johanna von Braun was a reviewer for the publication. 

The publication, entitled "The Power of Local Action: Lessons from 10 Years of the Equator Prize,"undertakes a comprehensive analysis of the commonalities, trends and lessons across a pool of Equator Prize winners. The analysis focuses on twelve key lessons with the greatest relevance for understanding and catalyzing effective ecosystem-based action at the local level and provides targeted policy guidance for relevant stakeholders.

The Equator Initiative Case Study Database contains detailed case studies from all 127 Equator Prize communities. Each case study documents project catalysts, the genesis of winning ideas, institutional frameworks and governance systems, key activities and innovations, biodiversity impacts (species, habitats and ecosystems conserved), socio-economic impacts (changes in household income, community infrastructure, health, education and empowerment), policy impacts, financial and social sustainability, successes and challenges with replication, and the role of partnerships.

Those attending the Convention on Biological Diversity's (CBD) 11th Conference of Parties (COP-11) can attend a presentation on the Equator Initiative Case Study Database at 18:15 on 16 October in HITEX 1, Side Event Room 1. "The Power of Local Action" can be downloaded here. The database can be accessed here. 

New CBD Newsletter - Achieving the Aichi Biodiversity Targets

The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the CBD Alliance have released a new edition of Square Brackets, the newsletter they publish jointly. This edition’s focus is on Achieving the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, and includes interviews with six heads of agencies of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets Task Force. Natural Justice’s Holly Shrumm served on the editorial board for the publication. 

The interviews with the heads of the task force agencies seek to understand how their agencies are contributing to the objectives of the task force, the challenges in doing so, and how civil society, indigenous peoples, and local community organizations can work with their respective agencies in achieving the Aichi Targets. Each interview offers valuable insight into the task force’s work and areas for partnering with civil society. Other fascinating articles consider the enforcement of the CBD, the importance of input from community voices, a discussion of equitable governance and management in protected areas, and what can be expected from the 11th Conference of Parties of the CBD. 

The full newsletter can be downloaded here.

OPDP Seeking Interns in Kenya

Via www.ogiekpeoples.org

Natural Justice partner the Ogiek Peoples' Development Program (OPDP) is seeking two interns to support their work in their Nakuru, Kenya office. OPDP seeks to "provide a springboard from which Ogiek community," a marginalised indigenous community in western Kenya, "can take a lead role in articulating and advancing their developments, aspirations, priorities and social needs." The positions, one focused on human rights and the other on website design and development, will be for a minimum of eight weeks. The positions are currently unfunded but OPDP can work with prospective interns to source funding support. Accommodation will be provided by OPDP. 

Read more about the positions below. 

Ogiek Peoples’ Development Program (OPDP) - Nakuru, Kenya

Internship Position Opening (2 persons) – 

(i) Human Rights

(ii) Website Designer and developer

The Ogiek Peoples’ Development Program is currently accepting applications for the position of Human Rights Intern and Website designer & Developer. This position is available to Kenyan and non-Kenyan undergraduate or Postgraduate students who have demonstrated experience in human rights or in the field of Information systems or website designing and development. This is an unfunded positions but OPDP will work with prospective interns to assist them to apply for funding support.

About OPDP:

The Ogiek Peoples’ Development Program (OPDP) was founded in 1999, and registered as a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) in 2001 by the Kenyan government. OPDP is dedicated to serving the interests of the Ogiek people of Kenya, who are the indigenous inhabitants of Kenya’s last remaining rain forest, the Mau Forest and Mt.Elgon Forest. Key issues that the Ogiek face include marginalization amongst ethnic communities in Kenya, loss of culture and group identity, forced evictions, violence against women, land grabbing, environmental degradation, and ongoing economic, social and cultural violations. The Ogiek currently are litigating their rights at the African Court of Human and Peoples Rights, only the second case to be referred from the African Commission to the African Court. OPDP works with networks of indigenous advocates and human rights defenders across Kenya, Africa, and the globe to raise awareness of Ogiek issues and to bring real benefits to the Ogiek people. You can learn more about the Ogiek at www.ogiek.org and www.ogiekpeoples.org.

Intern Duties

1. Human Rights and Indigenous Peoples

• Assist with human rights monitoring and documentation projects related to the rights of indigenous peoples
• Writing and editing human rights reports, advocacy briefs, and other publications
• International human rights research
• Research on Kenyan and African regional human rights standards
• Develop on-line content
• Participate in other projects as assigned by the Executive Director  or  Programmes Officer

2. Website  designer and  developer

• Assist in reviewing our current website
• Work closely with our administrator in uploading documents to the website
• Develop an E-newsletter
• Develop a portal for OPDP by working closely with OPDP  administrator to ensure future continuity
• Participate in other projects as assigned by the Executive Director  or  Programmes Officer

Note

An intern who has both the experience will have an added advantage. OPDP will provide accommodation for the period of internship, which does not include food. We will also provide transport when going to the field as per OPDP policies.

Duration:

Interns must commit to a minimum of eight weeks commitment to work with OPDP.

Application:

Send a cover letter and resume or CV to OPDP, via opdp2001@yahoo.com or opdp@ogiekpeoples.org. Please describe why you are interested in working with an indigenous peoples’ organization in Africa, your experience in human rights work, how you will fund your expenses during the internship period, as well as any other relevant information to help us evaluate your application.