Globally, a strong consensus has emerged on the centrality of recognition of forest rights for local communities and Indigenous Peoples as a core strategy for sustainable forest governance, reduction in deforestation, biodiversity and carbon conservation, local sustainable development and poverty alleviation, food security and reduction of climate vulnerability and reduction of land and forest conflicts. Local communities and Indigenous Peoples lay customary claim to most of the forests in the Asia-Pacific; however, most governments have been slow in acknowledging these claims. Even in countries which have taken important steps towards recognizing rights of local communities and IPs, the actual implementation of rights recognition has been difficult and challenging.

This three session dialogue, part of Asia-Pacific Forestry Week, will focus on the forest tenure reform experiences of critical countries in the Asia Pacific region, discuss key challenges of recognizing rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities and present The Tenure Facility, a new instrument for facilitating recognition of forest and land rights.

0900-1030 Session I
Scaling up Communities’ and IP’s Forest Resource Rights: Challenges and opportunities from India, Nepal, Indonesia and Philippines

• Global Overview of Communities and IP land and forest Rights – Andy White, Co-Ordinator, RRI
• Forest tenure reforms challenges in Nepal: Ghan Shyam Pandey, Green Foundation
• Forest Tenure Reforms in Philippines- Atty. Ingrid Gorre
• Forest Tenure Reforms in Indonesia: Sisilia Nurmala Dewi, HuMa, Indonesia
• Undoing historical Injustices? India’s Forest Rights Act: Ms Madhu Sarin, RRI Fellow

1100-1230 Session II

Scaling up Communities’ and IP’s Forest Resource Rights: Challenges and Opportunities

Chairperson: Jeffrey Campbell, FAO

• Political Economy of Rights Recognition: Norman Jiwan, TUK, Indonesia
• Human Rights and Forest Rights of IPs and Local Communities- Women’s perspective on Conflicts and Criminalization: Siti Maimunah, Sajogyo Institute, Indonesia
• Forest Based Industry and Community/IP Forest Right: Kent Wheiler

1330-1500 Session III

Scaling up Communities’ and IP’s Forest Resource Rights: The Tenure Facility

Chairperson: Ujjwal Pradhan, ICRAF

• Introduction of The Tenure Facility: Andy White, Co-ordinator, RRI
• The Tenure Facility Pilot Project in Indonesia: Yoga Saeful Rizal, AMAN
• The Tenure Facility and The Indigenous People: Joan Carling, AIPP