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Community decision-making calendar
Historical timeline
Trend line analysis
Community visioning
actors
Multi-stakeholder role play
Forum theatre
Image theatre
The boxes below contain guiding questions for discussion about internal and external decisions that affect
the community. In the protocol, you may wish to include the following main types of information, among
others: decision-making processes, institutions, and values; identification of key actors and relationships
(existing and potential); understanding of power dynamics and influences of external actors and any
related assertions; methods for dispute resolution; and visions and plans for the future.
Internal Decision-making Systems
How are internal decisions made about the community’s territory or area? Who is involved and
in what ways?
How long have these institutions and decision-making processes been in place?
To what extent are customary institutions currently practiced? How does this compare to 10,
20, 50, or 100 years ago? What factors have affected these changes over time?
What are the different roles and responsibilities of the customary and local authorities?
How do the decision-making systems regulate different aspects of the community’s ways of life
(for example, social, cultural, spiritual, environmental, economic, political, and legal)?
What social norms, values, and beliefs underpin the systems?
For what kinds of decisions do they need to seek broader support from the community?
For what kinds of decisions do they have the mandate to act on the community's behalf?
How could they be further improved upon and strengthened? For example, if decisions would
be improved by broader participation, how could this be done in culturally appropriate ways?
How are disagreements or conflicts within the community addressed?
Overall, to what degree do these systems sustain the wellbeing of the whole community? What
are the gaps or shortfalls, if any?
Are there any tensions between customary and more recent decision-making processes? If so,
how are they currently being or could they be addressed?
Relations with External Decision-making Systems
What are the local structures of government decision-making and administration? How do they
relate to customary structures?
What other actors and decision-making processes affect the community? Examples may include
companies, researchers, and NGOs. How do power dynamics affect the relationship and the
community’s potential to influence the process and outcome?
Discuss some past experiences of interactions with these external actors. What were the factors
that led to the experiences being overall positive or negative? How could positive factors be
further supported? How could negative factors be constructively addressed?
If a potential threat or opportunity arises in the future with any of these actors, how would the
community respond? What decision-making process would be undertaken?
F.
MAPPING THE COMMUNITY’S LEGAL FOUNDATIONS
KEY READING
Part I: Section III
Part II: Section II (Introduction, Box 35-36)
KEY TOOLS
E-learning modules on relevant legal
frameworks
Understanding relationships between key
actors
Multi-stakeholder role play
Identifying appropriate forms of resource
mapping
Historical timeline