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G.
KEY QUESTIONS
Indigenous peoples, local communities, and their supporting organizations in Asia, Africa, and the
Americas are exploring a number of interrelated questions. These include:
How can community protocols draw on customary laws and national and international rights and
responsibilities to address local pressures?
How can endogenous development processes be enhanced through legal empowerment and
strategic advocacy? Are community protocols a practical way to do this?
How can good practice guidelines for community protocols be developed while retaining the level
of flexibility required by diverse communities and contexts?
How can local and national experiences be used to influence international processes? How can
gains made in international fora be realized at the local level?
How can the development and use of community protocols catalyze theorizing and advocacy
around a new paradigm of community rights and responsibilities?
What is the role of community protocols in promoting the multiple ‘values’ of traditional
knowledge and natural and genetic resources?
How can customary laws be documented without misrepresenting or threatening them?
What is a ‘quality’ community protocol?
Is the term ‘community protocol’ sufficiently flexible or is a different term more appropriate?
Your feedback and suggestions are more than welcome. Please contact the editors directly (see Part I:
Section D above) or provide input to the dedicated website www.community-protocols.org.
Key Resources on Exploring Biocultural Community Protocols
Asian Initiative on Biocultural Community Protocols: Inception Meeting Report (Natural Justice, 2011)
African Bio-cultural Community Protocol Initiative Inception Meeting: Working Towards the Legal
Recognition of Biocultural Community Protocols within National Policies (Natural Justice, 2011)
Exploring Bio-cultural Community Protocols in the Sri Lankan Context: A Report of an International
Consultation and Training-of-Trainers Workshop (Natural Justice, 2010)
Exploring Bio-cultural Community Protocols in the Indian Context: A Report of a Training Workshop
(FRLHT and Natural Justice, 2010)