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Key Resources on Social Media and Information and Communication Technologies
Change at Hand: Web 2.0 for Development (IIED, 2009)
Web 2.0 Tools for NGOs (GlobaLab)
How NGOs Can Use Social Media (UN Department of Social and External Affairs, 2010)
The Social Media Guide (website)
Closer Than Ever: A Guide for Social Change Organizations Who Want to Start Working Online
(Association for Progressive Communications, 2011)
African Indigenous Peoples’ Workshop on Effective Use of Information Communication Technology (ICTs)
in Environmental Advocacy (IPACC, 2009)
Unbounded Possibilities: Observations on Sustaining Rural ICTs in Africa (Association for Progressive
Communications, 2008)
Global Voices Advocacy, Witness, and Eldis Communities Learning Networks (websites)
C3. Legal Awareness and Action
There are innumerable ways for communities to learn about and engage with the law. In the context of
developing and using a biocultural community protocol, the community and supporting organizations
should generally strive to:
Understand national, regional, and international laws and policies and how they relate to the
community and their territories and areas;
Understand the community’s rights and responsibilities as well as those of relevant external actors
such as governments and companies;
Plan how to engage with and influence them in accordance with the community’s customary laws
and endogenous development priorities; and
Ensure access to recourse and redress mechanisms, including formal legal support and alternative
dispute resolution, in cases of conflict or rights violations.
These should be seen as ongoing processes of learning and reflection with some inevitable challenges
along the way. Engaging with the law can be a long and frustrating process; even experienced lawyers find
laws and policies complex and difficult to understand. Extra patience and encouragement from
community facilitators are thus important to keeping up energy and momentum. Depending on existing
capacities and resources within the community, some external support from NGOs and pro bono lawyers
may be required, particularly regarding specific legal provisions. Overall, the process of understanding and
engaging with the law will be much more effective if the community is well-organized and has clear visions
and plans for what they’d like to accomplish through the law.
TOOL: E-learning Modules on Relevant Legal Frameworks
Purpose: This tool can be adapted and used to gain greater understanding of key legal frameworks and
how they relate to the community. It also provides guiding questions for the community to consider
how they could engage with the frameworks to fulfill the aims and objectives of their protocol.
Resource: Available online at www.community-protocols.org/toolkit and in the accompanying DVD
(developed by Natural Justice, 2012)
A number of e-learning modules are being developed specifically to support the legal aspects of
biocultural community protocols. The modules can be used as the basis for community discussions,
workshops, and action planning about key legal frameworks that affect Indigenous peoples and local
communities and their territories and areas. They can also be used in conjunction with in-person legal
advice and support from pro bono lawyers and human rights advocates in your country or region.