This third diagram demonstrated synergies and linkages in the areas of indigenous knowledge,
improving indigenous peoples’ well-being and the conservation of biodiversity.
Group n°4: Regional Organisations
This group was comprised of:
The Working Group of Indigenous Minorities in Southern Africa (WIMSA)
The Open Society for Southern Africa (OSISA)
The Indigenous Information Network (IIN)
The Heinrich Böll Stiftung Southern Africa
This groups’ diagram indicated that their common areas of work and potential for future
collaboration existed in relation to indigenous rights, environmental justice, human rights, sustainable
development, traditional knowledge, ABS, working towards community participation in decisions
that concern them and BCP development. The group also highlighted the importance of learning
from each other.
Group n°5: International Organisations
This last group included:
France Libertés
Natural Justice
ETC-COMPAS, Comparing and
Supporting Endogenous
Development
The ABS Initiative
The Shuttleworth Foundation
The diagram highlighted the synergies
between the different organisations,
especially with regard to their vision and
their aspirations to create an enabling
environment
in
their
work
for
communities. In the diagram, all these
organisations connect with each other
to make this enabling environment
happen.
5. Bio-Cultural Community Protocols: Experiences and Lessons Learnt
Mr. Verschuuren introduced the first session of the day by informing the participants that ETCCOMPAS, Natural Justice, CIKOD and the ABS Initiative had come together to use their collective
experience in facilitating the development of BCPs with communities in Africa. BCPs can be a
vehicle for community empowerment and development, which will in turn work towards protecting
lands, forests, cultures and traditional knowledge. It is therefore essential that communities share
experiences and discuss the diverse contexts in which BCPs are developed and how to address the
issues encountered in order to learn from them.
Mr Verschuuren then invited participants who have developed or are in the process of developing a
BCP to share their experiences and lessons learnt. Those participants were also asked to highlight in
their presentation why their community developed a BCP (or is developing), to give details about
the development process and if possible, how did they think a BCP could be recognised legally.
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