Tag: Indigenous leadership

News

Forests & Indigenous Voices | July 2026

Open call to join the FSC-IF Council and other news

FSC IF

Open Call to Join the FSC Indigenous Foundation Council

The FSC Indigenous Foundation (FSC-IF) has opened a call for nominations to join its Council for a three-year term beginning in 2026. This call seeks to appoint one Indigenous member from Central America, South America, or the Caribbean who will bring Indigenous Peoples’ perspectives to the Foundation’s strategic direction and contribute to strengthening forest governance at the global level.

Candidates must be endorsed by an Indigenous organization, council, network, or traditional authority and have demonstrated experience in Indigenous Peoples’ rights, forest governance, land and territorial issues, biodiversity, or related fields.

Applications are open until 26 July 2026 at 5:00 p.m. (UTC-05:00). The full call for nominations, eligibility requirements, and application instructions are available on the Foundation’s website.

Details

Indigenous Voices Shape Climate Finance at the FRLD board meeting

Indigenous Peoples are reshaping the conversation on climate finance.
At the Ninth Meeting of the Board of the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD), Indigenous Peoples called for climate finance that respects Indigenous rights, strengthens participation, and reaches communities directly.

Read more

UNCCD 17th session of the Conference of the Parties

The FSC Indigenous Foundation will participate at the UNCCD COP17, the world’s leading conference on desertification, land degradation, and drought, to amplify the voices of Indigenous Peoples in global discussions on land restoration and sustainable land management.

Visit the UNCCD COP17

Website

New UN Guidance on Free, Prior and Informed Consent

A new report provides practical guidance on implementing FPIC in business activities. Developed by the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights, the publication outlines how States and companies can better respect Indigenous Peoples’ rights throughout the lifecycle of business projects.

Explore the report

News

Indigenous Peoples Call for Rights-Based Climate Finance at Ninth FRLD Board Meeting

Putting Indigenous rights at the center of climate finance

FSC IF

Photos by FRLD, Kalea Aquino

Manila, Philippines | 8–10 July 2026

The Ninth Meeting of the Board of the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD) brought together Board members, governments, Indigenous Peoples, civil society, and international organizations in Manila, Philippines, to advance decisions on one of the world’s newest climate finance mechanisms.

Established under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement, the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage aims to provide financial support to countries and communities facing the irreversible impacts of climate change. As climate-related disasters become more frequent and severe, the decisions made by the Board will shape how resources are mobilized, governed, and delivered to those most affected.

FSC Indigenous Foundation participated in the meeting through Kalea Adrienne Aquino, Regional Focal Point for Asia and the Pacific, who followed the negotiations and supported the participation of the Indigenous Peoples’ Organizations (IPO) Constituency.

Indigenous Peoples call for meaningful participation and direct access

In its closing statement, delivered by Kalea, the IPO Constituency welcomed the opportunity to engage in the Board’s work while expressing concern that several key decisions were adopted without adequately reflecting Indigenous Peoples’ rights or participation.

The statement reaffirmed that Indigenous Peoples are rights-holders, recognized under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and ILO Convention No. 169, and emphasized that rights to lands, self-determination, and Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) are legal obligations, not discretionary commitments. Guided by the principle “Nothing about us, without us,” the Constituency called for Indigenous Peoples to be meaningfully involved in all decisions affecting their communities.

The Constituency also highlighted four key priorities for the Fund moving forward:

  • Increase the scale of climate finance to reflect the growing needs of communities experiencing loss and damage, with greater contributions from historically high-emitting countries.
  • Establish direct access to funding for Indigenous Peoples’ organizations and communities, reducing reliance on intermediary institutions.
  • Embed Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) within the Fund’s Results Management Framework to ensure activities affecting Indigenous territories respect Indigenous Peoples’ rights.
  • Strengthen Indigenous participation by adopting the Active Observer Policy, enabling Indigenous Peoples to engage more effectively and transparently in Board decision-making.

Looking ahead to the Tenth Board Meeting (B10) in Barbados, the IPO Constituency called for concrete progress on these priorities, emphasizing that climate finance must be rights-based, accessible, and accountable to the communities most affected by climate change.

For Indigenous Peoples, responding to loss and damage is not only about mobilizing financial resources. It is about ensuring that climate finance respects Indigenous rights, recognizes Indigenous governance systems, and reaches the communities that have long safeguarded the world’s ecosystems while bearing a disproportionate share of the climate crisis.

Missed the discussion? Watch the recording of Day 3 of the Ninth Meeting of the Board of the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD).

Watch now

News

Call for Nominations

Join the FSC Indigenous Foundation Council

FSC IF

Call for Nominations – FSC-IF Council Member

The FSC Indigenous Foundation (FSC-IF) is pleased to open a call for nominations for one member of its governing Council for a three-year term starting in 2026.  

The FSC Indigenous Foundation is an indigenous-led organization that seeks to support and work with and for Indigenous Peoples worldwide by creating Indigenous-based solutions to strengthen self-determined and sustainable resource management of Indigenous territories throughout the Planet and is governed by a Council composed of leaders from Indigenous Peoples organizations from Asia/Oceania, Latin America, North America and Africa who serve in their individual capacities.  The Council sets the strategic direction of the Foundation and supports its fundraising efforts.  The FSC Permanent Indigenous Peoples Committee (PIPC) is an Indigenous Global Governance Platform acting as an advisory body on Indigenous issues to the FSC Board of Directors. One of the roles of PIPC is to nominate members of the Council of the FSC Indigenous Foundation to the FSC Board of Directors. 

This call is intended to identify a candidate who is recognized by Indigenous Peoples globally, demonstrates strong commitment to collective rights, and can represent regional perspectives in global forest fora. This call is for a representative from Central and South America and the Caribbean. 

Purpose of the seat 

The nominated candidate will contribute to the Indigenous Council by bringing perspectives from Indigenous Peoples into FSC-IF discussions. 

  • Advising on FSC-IF policies, standards, and decisions that affect Indigenous Peoples and their forests. 
  • Supporting communication between FSC-IF governance bodies and Indigenous constituencies. 
  • Helping ensure that FSC-IF Vision and Mission reflect Indigenous rights, self-determination, and culturally grounded decision-making consistent with collective rights and Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC). 

Eligibility and Selection Process and other announcement package 

Eligibility criteria  

Candidates must meet all the following criteria: 

  1. Be an Indigenous person, preferably from a forest community.  
  1. Be formally endorsed by an Indigenous organization, council, network, or legitimate traditional authority. 
  1. Have demonstrated experience in Indigenous rights, forest governance, land and territorial issues, biodiversity, or related advocacy. 
  1. Be able to represent a regional perspective and consult regularly with Indigenous constituencies. 
  1. Be available to participate in online meetings and, where required, in-person meetings related to the Indigenous Council. 
  1. Be willing to uphold confidentiality, transparency, and conflict-of-interest standards. 

Desired attributes 

Preference may be given to candidates who demonstrate: 

  • Strong knowledge of FSC and/or forest certification issues. 
  • Experience in regional or international advocacy spaces. 
  • Must be able to communicate in any of the languages of FSC – English, Spanish, French.  Ability to read and speak in English is preferred but not mandatory. (Most of the documents of the Foundation are in English but interpretation is provided in meetings.) 
  • Commitment to gender balance, youth inclusion, and intergenerational dialogue. 
  • Ability to work collaboratively across diverse Indigenous Peoples and organizations. 
  • Ability to support the FSC-IF in fundraising, strategic partnerships, and institutional stability. 

Nomination package 

Each nomination should include: 

  •  CV (full name of the nominee, Indigenous Peoples/community affiliation and contact information) 
  • A nomination letter or resolution of support from an Indigenous Peoples Organization 
  • A statement from the nominee describing their motivation and relevant experience. 
  • Any relevant information on existing leadership roles or potential conflicts of interest. 

Selection process 

Nominations will be reviewed through a transparent process guided by Indigenous Peoples’ representation principles including fairness, regional balance, legitimacy, and accountability 

The selection process may include: 

  • Screening for eligibility and completeness. 
  • Review by an Indigenous-led selection group or advisory panel. 
  • Consultation with regional Indigenous networks, where appropriate. 
  • The nominations will be reviewed by the PIPC and they will make the final recommendation to the FSC Board who will then make the appointment, our timeline is as follows: 
  • 26 July 2026: deadline to receive candidacy. 
  • 5 August 2026: PIPC meeting to decide on the candidate to be nominated. 
  • 10 August 2026: Send all material to FSC Director General to be evaluated by the FSC BOD. 
  • FSC BOD makes the appointment. 
  • Candidate joins the Council. 

Key selection principles 

The selection of the Council member will prioritize: 

  • Community legitimacy and clear constituency backing. 
  • Representation of Indigenous Peoples from one of the regions of PIPC. 
  • Balance across gender, generation, and geographic diversity. 
  • Accountability to Indigenous constituencies. 
  • Integrity, independence, and commitment to Indigenous rights. 

Term and responsibilities 

The representative is expected to serve for the agreed term set by FSC-IF governance arrangements and to remain accountable to the constituency throughout the mandate. Responsibilities include regular communication with Indigenous constituencies, participation in council meetings, and timely reporting on key decisions and issues. 

How to submit a nomination 

Please submit the complete nomination package by 26 July 2026 (5:00pm Panama) to fsc.if@fsc.org with subject line as “Nomination – FSCIF Council Member.” Incomplete nominations may not be considered. 

For questions regarding this call, please contact fsc.if@fsc.org. 

Equal opportunity and accessibility 

FSC-IF encourages nominations from women, youth, elders, and representatives of underrepresented Indigenous Peoples. Reasonable accommodations will be considered to support participation in the nomination and selection process. 

Read and download the call for nominations.

News

Top 500 sustainability projects in Premios Verdes

Boosting Indigenous Nature-based Businesses Models

FSC IF

The pilot project “Boosting Indigenous Nature-Based Business Models” has been selected as one of the Top 500 sustainability projects in Latin America and the Caribbean by Premios Verdes. We celebrate this news together with our Emberá-Wounaan brothers and sisters from Darién, Panama. 

The project is led by the FSC Indigenous Foundation and the IDB Lab (the Inter-American Development Bank’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Lab), with support from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and Health in Harmony (HiH).

Forest Health and Indigenous Peoples 

The project focuses on a specific group of Indigenous communities, where, through a biodiversity monitoring system supported by artificial intelligence, 211 high-value species (9 of which are endangered) were identified, including 199 birds, five mammals, and seven amphibians, representing a significant advance in local knowledge of the biodiversity present in community forests.

Photos: FSC-IF / Hayro Cunampio

This initiative supported the Emberá-Wounaan peoples in sharing their knowledge about forest health and the importance of the species that inhabit their territories. In this context, Muriche Cheucarama, leader of the Puerto Lara community, noted: “With this knowledge, the people must take further steps to meet their goals and achieve greater sustainability through the forest. Everything that is being done is for the benefit of the community.”

Co-creation of an innovative label

At the heart of the initiative is the creation of a distinctive label that recognizes the contributions of Indigenous Cultural Landscapes and helps connect Indigenous products and services with consumers and markets that value culture, conservation, and sustainable livelihoods. To support its development, FSC-IF has begun working with Indigenous focus groups to ensure that the label reflects Indigenous perspectives, priorities, and realities.

Community Thriving Narrative 

In addition, the project incorporates the Community Well-being Narrative as a key component of the monitoring system, in partnership with HiH, If Not Us Then Who, and Ulu Films, with the aim of gathering and presenting a qualitative account of community well-being as told by Indigenous Peoples themselves.

Photo: FSC-IF / Fredy Duque

As part of this initiative, the communities produced videos based on the topics of greatest local interest. In Puerto Lara, the video addressed the issue of access to drinking water; in Alto Playón, the narrative focused on the impact of migration on local livelihoods; and in Arimae and Embera Puru, the video documented the impacts experienced during the protests against Law 462 in 2025 in Panama.

This process also helped build local capacity in the use of audiovisual tools as a means of expression, documentation, and community outreach. As young Samuel Cheucarama from the community of Puerto Lara put it, “We never thought this could happen—to see the video we recorded ourselves.” He added, “We learned a lot, and there were some points that really struck me, because just imagine that with videos alone we can create a story, record it, and publish it. Plus, this town is a tourist destination, and there are organizations we can support through this.”

Self-determination and Indigenous Rights 

All of this work is carried out in accordance with the principles of free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC), data sovereignty, and respect for Indigenous rights, combining innovation and ancestral knowledge in digital solutions validated by the Indigenous Peoples themselves.

Other initiatives, such as the community of practice, create a space for learning among Indigenous Peoples, which becomes a key tool for identifying their own paths to development, while strengthening community governance and the capacity to make long-term decisions.

Another key component of the project is participatory long-term economic planning through the FSC Economic Viability Tool. This process helps communities identify opportunities and challenges, and make collective, data-based decisions that increase their well-being.

Learn more about the project 

1 2 3 4 … 13