Special Rapporteur's Annual Report to UN General Assembly

The UN General Assembly hall. (Courtesy of Wikipedia.)

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, James Anaya, presented his annual report to  the 67th Session of the General Assembly, pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 18/8. In his report (available here), the Special Rapporteur provides a summary of his activities since his previous report to the General Assembly in 2011.

According to the report's summary, he "also provides comments on the need to harmonize the myriad activities within the United Nations system which affect Indigenous peoples. Specific United Nations processes and programmes reviewed include those relating to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization; the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations; the World Intellectual Property Organization; the Convention on Biological Diversity; the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change; the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development; the World Bank Group; and programmes aimed at reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation. 

The Special Rapporteur notes that the United Nations system has done important work to promote the rights of Indigenous peoples. However, greater efforts are needed to maximize action throughout the United Nations system to promote the rights of Indigenous peoples and to ensure that all actions within the system which affect Indigenous peoples are in harmony with their rights, particularly their rights as affirmed by the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The Special Rapporteur makes a series of recommendations to this end."

More information about the Special Rapporteur is available on his website.

Dialogue on Rights-based REDD+ Held in Cape Town

Cath Traynor (Natural Justice Associate) presenting on

REDD+ Safeguards.

Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) is one of the key mitigation mechanisms under negotiation within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). If well-designed and implemented, REDD+ could offer many potential benefits but there are also numerous risks particularly to forest-dependent communities. The current UNFCCC REDD+ text outlines that when undertaking REDD+ activities, particular safeguards must be addressed and respected. These safeguards are guiding policies and measures to address the impacts of REDD+ on communities and ecosystems.

Natural Justice, the Heinrich Böll Foundation and the Open Society Initiative of Southern Africa co-hosted a Rights-Based REDD+ Dialogue from 11-12 November in Cape Town, South Africa. Over twenty civil society organisations (CSOs) and government and multilateral representatives from seven different African countries participated. Dialogue sessions included contextualising REDD+, safeguards, regional and national REDD+ readiness activities, CSO perspectives, synergising links between the UNFCCC and the Convention on Biological Diversity, a REDD+ role play scenario, and biocultural community protocols. Discussions were intense and key issues raised included the roles and responsibilities of REDD+ stakeholders, who benefits from REDD+ and how, effective participation, the need for independent REDD+ knowledge brokers and advisors, local level capacity building, complexities, variations and overlaps of safeguards, lack of safeguard compliance and grievance mechanisms, and the need for independent monitoring.

Looking ahead, Natural Justice will produce a report of the dialogue, outcomes of which we hope to share at the forthcoming 18th Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC in Doha. We will also develop an e-learning module on REDD+ Safeguards to complement the current introductory module on REDD+.

The final report on the dialogue can be accessed here.

ICCA Studies Featured in Stockholm Resilience Centre Research News

Indigenous rangers in Australia are increasingly gaining

recognition for "caring for country", including through the
Indigenous Protected Area programme. Photo courtesy:
Craig Wheeler, Mapoon Ranger

Two studies focusing on Indigenous peoples' and community conserved territories and areas (ICCAs) have been featured in the Stockholm Resilience Centre's Research News in an article entitled "The Invisible Guardians: Enforcing legal mechanisms can highlight Indigenous peoples' importance in natural resource governance".

The first study, coordinated by Kalpavriksh and co-edited by Natural Justice, focuses more on non-legal aspects and is published as Volume 64 of the Convention on Biological Diversity Technical Series along with 19 country studies. The second, coordinated by Natural Justice, focuses more on legal and institutional aspects and includes 15 national and three regional reviews and a review of international law and jurisprudence (all available here). The synthesis report (available in English, Spanish and French) argues that while there are a number of positive developments in the way ICCAs are recognized and supported at the international and national levels, Indigenous peoples and local communities are still often discriminated against in practice, including in ways that undermine the integrity and resilience of their territories, areas and natural resources.

The article on the Stockholm Resilience Centre's Research News also includes a video interview with Joji Carino (Indigenous Peoples' International Centre for Policy Research and Education, Tebtebba).

Workshop on Legal Empowerment in Southeast Asia

Rooftops in Jakarta.

From 6-7 November in Jakarta, Indonesia, Harry Jonas (Natural Justice) attended a two-day workshop on legal empowerment in Southeast Asia. Hosted by Namati, the Open Society Justice Initiative, the Indonesian Legal Resource Centre, and the TIFA Foundation, the workshop brought together over 30 lawyers and legal specialists focusing on legal empowerment in the region. Over the two days, the group heard presentations, engaged in participatory methodologies and developed a forward-looking strategy for the region. Participants also assessed how to ensure that justice issues are referenced in the post-2015 Millennium Development Goals process, which they considered to be a particularly strategic approach to creating systemic change. On behalf of the Natural Justice team, Harry thanks the organizers for the opportunity and looks forward to supporting next steps.

Presentation to GEF SGP - Kenya

Natural Justice was invited to present at a meeting of the GEF Small Grants Programme (SGP) Kenyan National Steering Committee on 9 November, 2012. The National Steering Committee includes representatives from  governmental, intergovernmental and civil society bodies such as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the Kenyan Ministry of Environment, Kenya Wildlife Service, Kenya Forest Service, WWF and Oxfam. It provides support to community based environment projects in the country with the aim of environmental conservation and sustainable livelihood development. Gino Cocchiaro presented on the work of Natural Justice, focusing on biocultural rights and biocultural community protocols as mechanisms to support the wellbeing of communities, conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.

Kenyan Civil Society Meeting on ICCAs

Natural Justice's Gino Cocchiaro attended a meeting of Kenyan civil society representatives investigating the promotion of Indigenous peoples' and community conserved territories and  areas (ICCAs)  on 7 November, 2012, in Nairobi, Kenya. During the meeting, which was facilitated by the GEF Small Grants Programme and UNDP, Natural Justice presented on the recently completed Kenyan ICCA legal review, developed by Natural Justice and its partners, and on biocultural community protocols, a legal tool being used by communities in Kenya to secure their ICCAs. Through its BCP Initiative, Natural Justice continues to work closely with Kenyan partners and lawyers to assist communities in the development and use of their BCPs and as they attempt to shape and leverage national law and policy that respect their territories and waters.

RRI Dialogue on Forests, Governance and Climate Change

The twelfth Rights and Resources Initiative (RRI) Dialogue on Forests, Governance and Climate Change was held at the Newseum in Washington, DC, on 5 November 2012, to consider the theme “Scaling-Up Strategies to Reduce Emissions and Advance Development in Forest Areas.” The event was organized by RRI in collaboration with The Nature Conservancy.

João Paulo Miranda and Jessica Campese (Natural Justice) attended the Dialogue, which included important discussions on addressing the obstacles of achieving sustainable use of forests. Participants included representatives from community and non-governmental organisations, governments, donors, and extractive industries, among others. The concept note and agenda, key presentations, and videos are available on the Dialogue webpage. The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) Reporting Services provided digital coverage and a summary report.