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65 Holly Shrumm and Harry Jonas
Box 1: Documenting, developing and
using a community protocol
Overall, the process of documenting, developing
and using a community protocol should:
• Be defined and controlled by the community
• Be empowering and rooted within the
community’s values and procedures
• Create a space for trust, respect, sharing,
reflection and learning-by-doing
• Include the full and effective participation of as
many community members as possible
• Encourage dialogue and learning between
generations, between different groups in the
community, and with other communities with
shared heritage, resources or knowledge
• Value and build on the diversity of knowledge,
skills and capacities in the community
• Emphasise the inter-linkages between socialcultural, material and spiritual well-being
• Increase awareness of relevant legal frameworks
and clarity on how the community would like to
engage with them
• Inspire community mobilisation around key
issues
• Lead to tangible change in accordance with
community plans and priorities
number of different ways, including
through workshops, open-ended discussions with certain groups and focused
meetings with community leaders (Box 1).
Contextualising ‘community’
Ensuring clarity about who and what
comprise the community is integral to the
protocol process. Outsiders commonly use
the term ‘community’ to refer to people
living in a geographically defined space
without much consideration of what joins
them together or what may separate them.
People generally know the boundaries of
their own community and where another
one begins. This understanding of boundaries is governed by relations between
groups that are often historically determined. It is fluid and can change over
time, particularly in the context of new
threats or opportunities. Individuals can
also have multiple roles, identities and
alliances. Above all, the community must
define itself and determine how to address
external issues.
Cultural and internal dynamics
Culture plays a critical role in the protocol
process and should help define the
approach and tools that you use as a facilitator. Much like identity, it can only be fully
understood and meaningfully conveyed by
the community itself. If you are from an
outside organisation, establish a working
knowledge of the culture and internal
dynamics, for example, by informally
exploring key topics of importance to the
community such as natural resource
management practices, customary laws
and values, perceptions of ownership and
stewardship, traditional authorities and
governance systems, gender and family
structure, dance, music, folklore and spiritual beliefs. The aim is not to document
them for the sake of it, but to eventually
focus on the most foundational and pressing issues that the community would like
to address in the protocol.
Every community has unique internal
dynamics that are determined by relations
between individuals and groups. Pretending that there are no politics or tensions
may seem easier at the beginning, but is a
short-sighted approach which is likely to
backfire. Some degree of conflict is
inevitable, especially when livelihood security and well-being are at stake. The
protocol process should not be used as a
tool to create divisions or to advance the
political power of certain groups within
the community. Above all, it should instill
a sense of unity and common vision.
Local institutions and governance
Another fundamental aspect of a community protocol is who decides and how
decisions are made about the community
and surrounding environment. Also
known as governance, this is a matter of
power, responsibility, human relations,
participation, legitimacy, transparency
and equity. A comprehensive discussion
about governance structures should
feature strongly in the protocol process
itself. Focus on exploring stories and