Conservation Initiative on Human Rights

Governance and rights security have significant implications for biodiversity conservation effectiveness and for the livelihoods of people relying on resources within and outside of protected areas. These linkages are recognized in numerous Articles, Programmes of Work, and Guidelines of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). Natural Justice attended a side event at the 10th Conference of the Parties to the CBD that explored the potential for the Conservation Initiative on Human Rights to provide concrete guidance to agencies when engaging in activities that have an impact on communities. Speakers included Gonzalo Oviedo (Senior Advisor, Social Policy, IUCN), Kristen Walker Painemilla (Vice President, Indigenous and Traditional Peoples Program, Conservation International), Vital Bambanze (President, Indigenous Peoples of Africa Coordinating Committee), Fernando Castro (CONAP, Guatemala), Yolanda Terán (Red de Mujeres), and Kristen Hite (Center for International Environmental Law), with Harry Jonas (Natural Justice) providing a commentary at the end.