Washington, D.C. (April 24, 2024) — The Rights and Resources Initiative (RRI) is pleased to announce the launch of a new digital guide, an online resource that demonstrates the scale and reach of our global coalition of rightsholder organizations and their allies.
RRI’s coalition is a remarkable example of collaborative synergy. While the coalition may engage in diverse activities and initiatives, partners and collaborators all share a unified mission: To secure and protect the rights of Indigenous Peoples, Afro-descendant Peoples, and local communities—especially the women and youth within these groups—over their lands, territories, freshwater, and resources.
Now, the wide range of efforts and advocacy are documented for the first time in a single location. This new guide includes a directory of RRI’s 19 fellows, 21 partners, and over 150 collaborators in 59 countries that lead, participate in, or support RRI activities worldwide.
It also includes an interactive map showing the regional and country-level locations of partner organizations, collaborators, fellows, and key projects as well as a breakdown of these organizations and projects into eight thematic areas: human rights, gender justice, youth and intergenerational leadership, climate and conservation, private sector engagement, livelihoods, monitoring and tracking community tenure, and freshwater rights.
Whether conducting extensive research, fostering conservation and resource management projects, empowering communities, or launching advocacy campaigns, these actions contribute to the overarching objective of ensuring that community land and resource rights are universally recognized and respected.
“Smaller partner organizations have interesting experiences that we don’t know about. This website provides an opportunity to highlight and share what everyone is working on, organizations both large and small, to advance our collective efforts,” said Dr. Jane Carter, Senior Advisor on Natural Resource Governance at Helvetas.
To prepare for the launch of this new guide, in 2023, RRI’s Secretariat undertook a coalition-wide mapping project and interviewed over 40 members to learn about their work, priorities, and recent achievements.
“This new guide is a game changer for the coalition and will be a crucial resource to enhance the connection between the members of our vast network. Now coalition members and allies alike will be able to quickly search where there is potential for synergy and collaboration, making it easier to keep up with all the incredible work being done on the ground around the world,” said Graziela Tanaka, Director of Coalition and Strategic Networks at RRI.
“Ultimately we hope it will help position the work of Indigenous Peoples, Afro-descendant Peoples, and local communities at the center of climate and conservation efforts.”
Click here to access the guide and learn more about the RRI coalition.
