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However, Indigenous peoples and local communities have the right to participate in the development,
implementation, and monitoring of laws and policies. Political pressure from civil society and international
organizations is also helping government officials understand their obligations. Participating actively and
constructively in decision-making processes can thus greatly influence national or sub-national policies
that affect your and many other communities. Suggestions for how to connect with relevant government
officials are outlined in Box 43.
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Identify the particular law or policy that you are interested in and find out what decision-making
processes exist. Examples may include expert committees, multi-stakeholder committees,
technical working groups, or management boards.
Ask a local government official or search online for the contact details of the relevant national or
sub-national focal point.
Contact this person by phone, written letter, or email. Introduce yourself and why you are
contacting him or her. Present your message clearly and concisely. Consider appending the
community protocol and highlight any relevant government agencies or bodies referenced
therein.
Explain why you would like to participate in the decision-making process, how it would support
your community’s plans and priorities, and how it would help the process fulfill its mandate.
If you receive responses, follow up promptly to thank them. Update them about local progress
as well so they feel connected to and personally invested in the community.
If you have the opportunity to attend a meeting, find out as much information as possible
beforehand about when and where it will be held, who will be there, what the agenda is, and
how you can participate. Dress professionally and arrive prepared to make interventions,
provide recommendations, and ask questions.
Overall, strive to develop positive and ongoing relationships with individual officials and relevant
agencies – they have the potential to be highly beneficial in the long run.
Box 43: Suggestions for how to engage with government officials and decision-making processes
COMMUNITY EXPERIENCE:
Advocating for Livestock Keepers’ Rights in South Asia and East Africa
Resource: Adapted from material provided by members of the LIFE Network
View the Declaration on Livestock Keepers’ Rights (Life Network, 2010)
Pastoralist communities in India, Pakistan, and Kenya
are using biocultural community protocols as a means
to convey the importance of their breeds and ways of
life to biodiversity conservation and to advocate for
recognition of livestock keepers’ rights. With the
support of local NGOs and researchers, they are
engaging with government officials and national
committees in particular to promote fair agricultural
and biodiversity policies for the in situ conservation of
local livestock breeds and livelihoods. In Gujarat, India,
for example, the Maldhari pastoralists are seeking
urgent implementation of the Forest Rights Act (2006),
which recognizes their customary rights to the Banni Figure 21: Pastoralists from Kachchh, Gujarat
grasslands. As of early 2012, the state has yet to begin (India) conversing with a government official at a
implementation of the Act. Furthermore, the state biodiversity symposium (Courtesy: Sahjeevan)
forest department has begun implementation of a
working plan that prohibits livestock grazing in the grasslands. The Maldhari continue to advocate for
the realization of their customary rights and recognized rights under Indian and international law.