First published on 12/31/2014, and last updated on 06/22/2017
Harry Jonas, Dilys Roe and J. Eli Makagon, 2014
Despite increased recognition that conservation initiatives can violate the human rights of indigenous peoples and local communities, addressing ‘unjust’ conservation remains a contemporary problem.
The International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) and Natural Justice are seeking feedback on a series of papers that aim to serve as a foundation for clear guidance about the human rights obligations of conservation actors, and specific details of the rights and forms of redress available.
IIED and Natural Justice have been working to systematically review and analyse relevant international law to answer the following three questions:
- Which actors bear human rights obligations and responsibilities in the context of conservation initiatives?
- What are their obligations and responsibilities?
- What are the grievance mechanisms available to peoples and communities in cases of violations of their human rights?
The results were released to coincide with the IUCN World Parks Congress in November 2014. The three-part series of discussion papers and the synthesis report will serve as an empirical basis for developing an accessible “Guide to Human Rights Standards for Conservation”.
