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Understanding and
facilitating a biocultural
community protocol
process
16
by HOLLY SHRUMM and HARRY JONAS
The Regional Initiatives on Biocultural
Community Protocols have led to the
development of a dedicated toolkit and
website on biocultural community protocols. 1 2 The toolkit is comprised of the
following four parts:
• Understanding and using the toolkit
• Documenting and developing a biocultural community protocol
• Using a biocultural community protocol
• Reflecting, reporting and revising
The website contains further background information on key methods and
tools, examples of protocols from around
the world, and supplementary resources
such as publications, films, and e-learning
modules on legal frameworks. This article
highlights a number of considerations
from the toolkit about facilitating a protocol process.3
Key considerations before facilitating a
biocultural community protocol
Before beginning the process of documenting, developing and using a
biocultural community protocol, facilitators should have a solid understanding of
how the community defines itself, cultural
and internal dynamics, local institutions,
and participation and representation.
Considerations about how to facilitate a
protocol process include understanding
the role of the facilitator, managing expectations, timeframes and information,
supporting community catalysts, and seeking agreement about roles and
responsibilities in the protocol process.
These are not hard rules or step-bystep requirements, but could be
considered good practice guidelines to
adapt to the local context and the skills of
the facilitator. They can be explored in a
1 For more information on the Regional Initiatives on Biocultural Community Protocols, see:
http://naturaljustice.org/our-work/regional-initiatives/biocultural-community-protocol
2 See: www.community-protocols.org
3 Download the full toolkit at: www.community-protocols.org/toolkit