But as natural ecosystems across the region are threatened from unsustainable human activity, so are the people closest to it. Under a complex web of systemic inequalities and a historical lack of consideration of human rights issues in conservation, communities are faced with challenges in exercising their rights and participating in decision-making. As lack of governance and weak policies regulating corruption further drive natural degradation, the needs of many local communities remain unheard and neglected.

And we know it’s possible. We work with local communities to implement sustainable, rights-based approaches to natural resource management, and support capacity development pathways to ensure inclusive representation in policies and decision-making,  particularly by those who live within the affected landscapes.