Conservation and Rights – Effective Collaborations for Human Rights and Conservation

In the last decade, governments, donors, UN agencies, grassroots organizations and non-governmental organizations have increasingly understood that healthy environments are necessary to realize many fundamental human rights, and that realizing human rights is essential for achieving durable conservation outcomes. Nonetheless, progress on translating this insight into consistent action has been fitful. While organizations in both the conservation and rights communities have undertaken initiatives to promote rights-based approaches to conservation, these efforts have rarely produced the sustained collaboration and action that is necessary to see measurable improvements for both communities and conservation.

Key concerns discussed include:

• What can we do to overcome the slow pace of national policy and institutional reforms and implementation? How can more active collaboration among conservation and human rights actors influence change on the part of governments and other powerful actors?
• There is a lack of a consolidated set of standards that clearly articulates the human rights obligations of conservation actors (government and non-government), as a basis for their implementation and monitoring. What would good practice look like, and what are examples you have already seen or experienced?
• How do we address the lack of sufficiently effective mechanisms to resolve conflicts, particularly around protected areas? Are there any that already work well? How could they be improved upon?

Key Themes:

Governance, Rights & Conflict, Livelihoods, Engagement, Education & Empowerment, Conserved Areas

Presenters:

Jenny Springer (CEESP Theme on Governance, Equity and Rights)

Adrienne McKeehan (Conservation Initiative on Human Rights/ Conservation International)

Michael Painter (Wildlife Conservation Society)

Justin Kenrick (Forest Peoples Programme)