The experience of the CSO Forum in ASEAN – a platform that distills key messages from indigenous peoples and civil society organizations on social forestry and related concerns in ASEAN – finds its space in the halls of the 27th Session of the Asia-Pacific Forestry Commission (APFC) with the theme “Forestry in a new Landscape” to be held from October 23-27, 2017 in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Indigenous and forest dependent communities continue to face challenges and barriers such as the lack of recognition of their customary tenure, their vulnerability to conflicts, and their lack of capacity to access market opportunities, to name a few.
The APFC is enjoined to take decisive positions to support indigenous and forest dependent communities in the following strategic actions:
- establishment of co-management areas, indigenous and local community conserved areas (ICCAs),
- adoption and support of other proven management and governance arrangements in forested landscapes, and the
- establishment of free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) regional guidelines (e.g. in the ASEAN) especially to safeguard indigenous and other forest dependent communities from critical and large-scale developments and projects in forested landscapes.
- support for community forest enterprises in strengthening their business capacity, working capital and market linkages.