Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact

This programme is response to the pressing issues relating to climate change impacting on indigenous peoples. This programme aims to promote the recognition of the rights of indigenous peoples in mitigation and adaption actions relating to climate change at the local, national, and international levels, with focus on REDD (Reducing Emissions from deforestation and forest Degradation in developing countries). This programme includes awareness-raising, capacity building, lobbying, advocacy and networking activities at various levels relating to REDD and climate change. The project is implementing with partners from 6 countries listed below.

Indonesia:         Aliansi Aliansi Masyarakat Adat Nusantara (AMAN)

Nepal:               Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN)

Laos:                Global Association for People and the Environment (GAPE)

Vietnam:           Center for Sustainable Development in Mountainous Areas (CSDM)

Thailand:           Indigenous Peoples’ Foundation for Education and Environment (IPFEE)

Kenya:              Mainyoito Pastoralist Integrated Development Organization (MPIDO)

The specific purposes are:

1. To increase awareness on climate change and REDD, and national forest conservation policies and laws among indigenous peoples, and build their capacity for effective policy advocacy and negotiations and to participate actively in the development of national REDD strategies.

2. To increase awareness among national governments, their key line agencies, as well as among multilateral organisations on the need to include concerns of equity, social justice and poverty reduction, and in particular the rights and needs of indigenous peoples, in national forest conservation policies and REDD strategies.

3. To strengthen indigenous peoples’ community-based forest conservation, and enhance their capacity to critically assess, negotiate and prepare for REDD partnerships with government agencies, donors and private companies.

4. To increase understanding of community-based and collaborative approaches in forest conservation and REDD among relevant government agencies, and increase their capacity to enter into partnership with indigenous communities and their organisations for forests conservation and REDD.

Key Activities

• Awareness raising and capacity building on REDD for indigenous communities and leaders
• Advocacy for a rights-based, equitable and pro-poor approach in national REDD strategies
• Capacity building for community-base forest management and REDD
• Promotion of collaborative forest conservation and the community-based REDD approach among government agencies
• Lobbying advocacy as the national regional and International level and the donors (UNFCCC, ASEAN, UN-REDD, World Bank, government officers and politicians)

For more information, kindly visit Climate Change and REDD section at http://ccmin.aippnet.org.