On 21-23 August, ACRN (Africa Community Rights Network) hosted a regional workshop on using REDD+ to effectively strengthen community rights and participation. Participants explored options associated with REDD+ that can effectively strengthen community rights and participation in sustainable forest management. The workshop resulted in three advocacy messages which then served as a basis for a press conference: 1) continue the push for tenure reform to recognize forest community rights and the implementation of existing laws; 2) improve the participation of CSOs and communities in REDD+ discussions and 3) encourage a participative design of methodologies for assessing the drivers of deforestation.