Indigenous land, our future

The FSC Indigenous Foundation will attend the UNCCD COP16 to promote Indigenous land rights and solutions to combat desertification

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“But Mother Earth – it’s us. It is everything that we belong to and that belongs to us,” says Niila Inga of the Saami People and a member of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Permanent Indigenous Peoples Committee, reflecting Indigenous Peoples’ deep spiritual connection with Mother Earth.

We see the land not as a resource to be exploited, but as a living, integral being that sustains all life and ensures the balance of ecosystems. It is the foundation of our identity, our culture, and our survival. It is through our connection to the land that Indigenous Peoples secure the future of our planet and for us all.

However, Indigenous communities often face threats to their land rights that hinder their ability to implement sustainable land practices effectively. Protecting Indigenous land rights and supporting their knowledge systems through partnerships and investments is crucial for addressing environmental challenges like desertification and drought.

For these reasons, the FSC Indigenous Foundation (FSC-IF) will actively participate in the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16) of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from December 2 – 13, 2024. This crucial conference will unite leaders from governments, the private sector, civil society, and global stakeholders to accelerate progress in sustainable land management and combat the growing threat of desertification.

At COP16, we will promote Indigenous land rights as a key solution to combat desertification, influence global climate policies, and engage stakeholders to foster new collaborations and resource mobilization.

Our work for land rights

The FSC Indigenous Foundation is advancing Indigenous land rights and governance through a variety of global initiatives.

In partnership with the Fund for the Development of Indigenous Peoples of America (FILAC), we have conducted studies on Indigenous land rights across Latin America and are expanding our research into Africa, providing critical data for advocacy. We are supporting Indigenous communities in remedy processes, where rights to land have not been respected previously.

We also support Indigenous governance by supporting traditional authorities and communities develop Charters of Rights, which help consolidate Indigenous governance in both recognized and unrecognized territories. For territories yet to be recognized, the Charter can become a valuable instrument and tool for advocacy. With territorial regulations aligned with their cosmovision and values, Indigenous communities can better steward their land and natural resources and grow businesses aligned with their worldviews.

In Panama and Honduras, we are helping to advance policies that support Indigenous economic empowerment, land rights, and the Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) processes. In Kenya, we are facilitating dialogue between the Ogiek Peoples and government institutions to align policies with Indigenous rights.

In Central Africa, we partnered with the regional network REPALEAC to organize a participatory mapping workshop, where 50 participants from eight countries developed a system for monitoring and collecting data on the rights, culture, lands, and territories of Indigenous Peoples, supporting REPALEAC’s goal of securing 4 million hectares of land by 2025.

Get involved

Indigenous Peoples are not just victims of land degradation but are integral to its solution. Indigenous land rights, traditional knowledge, and cultural landscapes offer powerful solutions to desertification and climate change. Protecting these rights and community land stewardship is key to restoring ecosystems, fostering resilience, and ensuring the future of all life on Earth.

Join us at COP16 and beyond as we bring Indigenous solutions to the center of global climate dialogues. Together, we can create a future where people and Mother Earth thrive in harmony.

Stay tuned for updates and reach out to us at fsc.if@fsc.org to get involved.

A milestone at COP16: Global recognition of Indigenous rights and their role in the protection of biodiversity

The creation of the Permanent Subsidiary Body on Article 8j and international partnerships pave the way for an active participation of Indigenous Peoples at COP30 in Brazil in 2025

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The historic decision at COP16: Indigenous Peoples get a Permanent Subsidiary Body on Traditional Knowledge

The recent UN COP16 marked a milestone for Indigenous Peoples by establishing a Permanent Subsidiary Body on Article 8j, which gives them an official voice in global conservation policies. After intense negotiations, the agreement was announced by Colombia’s Minister of Environment, representing a historic recognition of Indigenous knowledge systems and their profound relationship with nature. This breakthrough validates the ancestral wisdom of Indigenous communities in the protection of biodiversity and underscores their essential role in caring for the planet.

The creation of the Permanent Subsidiary Body on Article 8J represents a historic step forward for Indigenous Peoples, whose recognition goes beyond symbolism; it is a true inclusion in global decision-making on biodiversity.

In this achievement, the G9 of the Indigenous Amazon, an alliance of nine organizations of Indigenous Peoples of the Amazon, was fundamental, standing out at COP16 as a strategic actor.

Amazonian Indigenous Organizations form an alliance; G9

In their statement, they highlighted their ancestral role as guardians of the forests, warning that any dialogue on biodiversity and climate is meaningless without their participation. Faced with threats such as illegal mining and deforestation, they urged states to protect their territories and recognize their rights, requesting direct funding and participation in global policies. Their efforts contributed to the creation of the Permanent Subsidiary Body on Article 8J, a key achievement for their inclusion in global decision-making, and laid the groundwork for them to play a key role towards COP30 in Brazil in 2025.

Partnerships for Indigenous Peoples’ rights, economies and ecosystems in Africa

Highlights at COP16:

The FSC Indigenous Foundation and REPALEAC signed an agreement to strengthen initiatives with Indigenous Peoples in the Congo Basin, focusing on the defense of their rights, economic empowerment and sustainable management of forest ecosystems in Central Africa. This partnership with REPALEAC seeks to enhance the capacities of Indigenous organizations through participatory training and promote their participation in decision-making on natural resources, climate policy and biodiversity.
The FSC Indigenous Foundation signed an agreement with the Ogiek People’s Development Program (OPDP) to strengthen its collaboration with this community and protect the Mau Forest, a place of vital cultural and environmental importance to the Ogiek. This alliance seeks to empower Ogiek women and foster an inclusive dialogue by promoting policies that respect their rights and ancestral knowledge of biodiversity.
The FSC Indigenous Foundation has expanded its collaboration with the Indigenous Peoples of Africa Coordinating Committee (IPACC), the world’s largest Indigenous Peoples’ network, which brings together 135 organizations in 21 African countries. This alliance seeks to promote the defense of the rights, recognition and economic opportunities of Indigenous communities in the management of their lands, in addition to promoting economic activities based on their worldview and traditional knowledge.

These initiatives ensure that Indigenous communities actively participate in decision-making about their lands and resources, as highlighted by leaders such as Nadia Gómez and Maatal Pérez during COP16. The testimonies of these leaders invite us to reflect on the urgency of recognizing the importance of Indigenous participation in the preservation of biodiversity.

Voices from COP16: Listen to our delegation and Indigenous leaders:

Mohamed Handaine – Indigenous knowledge for biodiversity management:
- “If we take the Sahel as an example, we have a water shortage, so the Indigenous Peoples have created extraordinary systems to manage this water shortage.”
Yaily Castillo – Indigenous Youth and Leadership:
- COP16 serves as a space for Indigenous youth from Latin America and the Caribbean to connect and collaborate on leadership and participation strategies.
- “We seek to create useful platforms and tools for the youth network that we are promoting at the FSC Indigenous Foundation.”
Nadia Gómez – Importance of the Participation of Indigenous Peoples:
- COP16 represents a platform for Indigenous youth and veteran leaders to be heard at the global level.
- “Forests and rivers we consider them sources of energy and wisdom and historically, we have been the ones to protect these ecosystems so that today the world enjoys preserved landscapes.”
Carlos Blandón – Resource Mobilization for Indigenous Peoples:
- The objective at COP16 is to establish partnerships with actors from the public and private sectors and multilateral organizations to implement biodiversity agreements.
Maatal Perez – Economic Empowerment of Indigenous Peoples:
- We work under the principle of “free, prior and informed consent” before any intervention, which guarantees respect for the autonomy of the communities.

Listen to each of them and discover how their efforts at COP16 open a path of change and hope for all.

COP16 marked a significant advance in the recognition of the rights of Indigenous Peoples, underscoring their fundamental role in the protection of biodiversity and the sustainable management of ecosystems. This momentum towards inclusion and respect for their ancestral knowledge is crucially projected towards COP30 in Brazil in 2025, where the active participation of Indigenous Peoples will be essential to address the global challenges of biodiversity and climate change.

Rights, recognition, and economic opportunities for Indigenous Peoples across Africa

At COP16 the FSC Indigenous Foundation signed an agreement with the Indigenous Peoples of Africa Coordinating Committee (IPACC)

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The Indigenous Peoples of Africa Coordinating Committee (IPACC) is the largest Indigenous Peoples’ network in the world, made up of 135 Indigenous Peoples’ organizations in 21 African countries and headquartered in Cape Town, South Africa.

At the Convention on Biological Diversity COP16, the FSC Indigenous Foundation is pleased to announce that we are expanding our collaboration with IPACC. Together, we will work with and for Indigenous Peoples in Africa to promote rights, self-development, and landscapes across the continent.

Our collaboration will focus on:

Capacity sharing to advocate for Indigenous Peoples’ rights in Africa: including strategic planning, IPACC’s women’s strategy, and technical support.

Promoting recognition and participation of Indigenous Peoples: for rights and self-governance of Indigenous Peoples in decision-making related to land and resources management.

Diversifying economic activities rooted in Indigenous cosmovision and traditional knowledge: including resource mapping, partnerships, technical support, and small grants for Indigenous women-led enterprises.

The planned activities are part of the Indigenous Peoples Alliance for Rights and Development (IPARD) Program, supported by USAID, the Forest Stewardship Council, and private sector partners.

We believe that working together with Indigenous Peoples is crucial for both their communities and the well-being of our planet. Join us to create sustainable impact for Africa’s biodiversity and beyond.

For more information, please contact:

Salina Sanou

FSC-IF Regional Director for Africa and Asia and IPARD Deputy Director

s.sanou@fsc.org

Inclusive dialogue with Indigenous Peoples and the government in Kenya

We are excited to sign an agreement with the Ogiek Peoples Development Program at COP16 to expand our collaboration with and for the Ogiek Peoples and their forests.

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The Ogiek People have a deep, ancestral connection to the Mau Forest, viewing it as not just a physical space, but a vital part of their cultural identity and cosmovion. As guardians of this rich ecosystem, the Ogiek have practiced sustainable land management techniques for millenia that reflect their profound understanding of the forest’s biodiversity. Their traditional knowledge ensures the forest remains healthy and resilient.

In the framework of the Convention on Biological Diversity COP16, the FSC Indigenous Foundation signed an agreement with the Ogiek Peoples Development Program (OPDP) building on our existing project for Ogiek women’s socio-economic empowerment. We will expand our collaboration to support a dialogue between the Ogiek Peoples and government institutions regarding policies based on Indigenous Peoples’ rights.

Through this work, the Ogiek People will be able to sustainably manage and restore their forests while advocating for their rights and recognition of their traditional knowledge.

Read an article authored by OPDP Executive Director Daniel Kobei on how the Ogiek People are conserving medicinal forest plants for future generations.

Watch the video below to learn about the connection between the Ogiek People and biodiversity.

The planned activities are part of the Indigenous Peoples Alliance for Rights and Development (IPARD) Program, supported by USAID, the Forest Stewardship Council, and private sector partners.

Join us in supporting Indigenous Peoples’ rights and their invaluable connection to our forests. Together, we can support Indigenous Peoples to protect these vital landscapes for future generations.

For more information, please contact:

Salina Sanou

FSC-IF Regional Director for Africa and Asia and IPARD Deputy Director

s.sanou@fsc.org

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