Unforeseen threats to indigenous and community land rights can arise quickly and require rapid action to be countered effectively. Just as rapidly, critical windows of opportunity to secure rights can appear–and if not seized, can easily be lost.
The Strategic Response Mechanism (SRM) is designed to enable timely, flexible responses to these unforeseen opportunities and threats. It complements RRI’s annual planning process by allowing for rapid response to unexpected and time-limited opportunities. Up to US$100,000 can be dispersed to grantees in as quickly as a few weeks, allowing Rights and Resources Initiative (RRI) to be effective in shifting political landscapes.
Since 2008, RRI has used the SRM to influence important legislation concerning land and resource rights, such as supporting civil society efforts to ensure passage of groundbreaking legislation that recognizes community land rights in Liberia. SRM projects have also been used to effectively respond to urgent threats, such as resisting the expansion of an oil palm company’s operations on indigenous lands in the Peruvian Amazon, as well as overturning a judicial ruling that had revoked traditional land rights from forest communities for the development of a superhighway in Nigeria. The SRM has also helped maximize opportunities to influence the private sector toward respecting local communities’ rights to their lands and resources.
SRM proposals are evaluated and approved through a simple, expedited process. In order for an activity or project to qualify for SRM support, the activity must meet all five criteria:
Search and view all past SRM projects below.
Date 2015
Country Indonesia
Region Asia
Implementor Epistema Institute
Funding Amount $23,000
Details
With RRI’s support, the Epistema Institute published six policy briefs on strategic issues of land tenure reform in response to the Indonesian land bill. The institute was also able to hold several meetings with Parliament legal drafters and experts as well as with Parliament Commissions and conduct regular information meetings with civil society organizations.
Date 2022
Country Global
Funding Amount 48,300
Details
With funding from the SRM, RRI contributed to a thematic report on criminalization and attacks against Indigenous Peoples. The report includes recommendations addressed to states, corporations, CSOs, and IPs on measures needed to protect indigenous communities from criminalization and end impunity. The report was successfully submitted to the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and can be found here: www.theyshouldhaveknownbetter.com.
Date 2021 - 2022
Country Peru
Region Latin America
Implementor IDL (Legal Defense Institute)
Funding Amount $15,000
Details
SRM funding supported Indigenous Peruvian communities affected by a 2014 oil spill in their ancestral territory through workshops, conversations, information gathering, and compliance monitoring. With RRI’s support, the Legal Defense Institute is working to ensure compliance with the Judicial ruling ordering the Regional Health Directorate of the Regional Government of Loreto to design, implement and finance a health plan for Indigenous communities.
For context, in 2014, 2500 barrels of oil spilled from the Norperuano Pipeline in the Cuninico ravine of Loreto (Peru). In 2015, OEFA concluded that Petroperú was responsible for the potential damage to the health of native communities because of the spill. In 2016, Cuninico’s leader participated in a public hearing of the IACHR, which ratified this ruling. In 2018, the Civil Chamber confirmed the sentence and ordered to design an emergency public health strategy to the affected communities. In January 2021 the Constitutional Court sided with the Indigenous communities, a historic victory.
Date 2021 - 2022
Country Ecuador
Region Latin America
Implementor Earth Law Center
Funding Amount $19,238
Details
RRI is supporting the town of Cofán, Eduador to protect the Indigenous community after six Petro Ecuador oil wells were built without community consultation. The wells significantly impacted the community as they cut through the center of their territory. PetroEcuador has shown no signs of intent to negotiate, and the community is bracing for armed conflict. Activities expected to be completed with SRM funding included:
Date 2021 - 2022
Country Colombia
Region Latin America
Implementor ASOMCAUCA (Association of Afro-descendant Women of Northern Cauca)
Funding Amount $100,000
Details
RRI is supporting the Association of Afro-descendant Women of Northern Cauca in its fight to to gain recognition and protection of Afro-descendant community conservation systems in the Pacific Cauca region in Colombia. Activities began in December 2021, but will be ongoing until 2023 and include:
Date 2021 - 2022
Country Nepal
Region Asia
Implementor FECOFUN (Federation of Community Forestry Users, Nepal)
Funding Amount $69,765
Details
After Nepal’s federal government announced its intention to demarcate nearly 110,000 hectares of community forest lands as strict protected areas, RRI’s collaborator FECOFUN, the Federation of Community Forestry Users, Nepal, sprung into action. With SRM funding, FECOFUN and its allies mobilized to counter this demarcation, drive, engage civil society, and generate resources and advocacy forums to build critical mass against the proposal. FECOFUN’s mobilization benefits from the increasing global attention to conservation-related human rights abuses in Nepal, highlighted in the review of the WWF by an Independent Panel of Experts and a recent publication from Amnesty International. Since the approval of the SRM in early November, a sustained media campaign is underway and is steadily building momentum.