The best way to protect rights and investments? Get the consent of local people
Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC): what is it? How can it be implemented? This is the focus of an upcoming course run by RECOFTC – the Center for People and Forests.
The best way to protect rights and investments? Get the consent of local people
16 August 2016 Training announcements
Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC): what is it? How can it be implemented? This is the focus of an upcoming course run by our international stakeholder member RECOFTC – the Center for People and Forests.
The course
This course targets company, government and civil society staff working with communities so they can have a stronger grasp of how to incorporate FPIC in their projects, as well as supporting communities in safeguarding their rights under FPIC.
In addition to covering the theoretical principles and values that support FPIC, participants will explore practical examples of its implementation during a field trip. Participants will be able to apply their learning from classroom sessions as they interact with key actors in a natural resource context in Thailand.
It will take place from 26 to 30 September 2016 in Bangkok, Thailand.
A little background
When making an investment in a forest or forest land, a company or government naturally expects a return, to make a profit.
Too often in tropical forests this is not the case, as demonstrated by the occurrence of conflict, invariably with significant detrimental social and environmental impacts, including on local communities.
A key reason for these failures is that the investors fail to consider the rights and needs of those, including indigenous peoples, living in and around the forests that are the focus of the investment.
Free, Prior and Informed Consent
There are numerous legal measures in place, and tools available to support the investors. One of the most prominent is Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC). FPIC is increasingly being recognized as not just an obligation on, for example, REDD+ project proponents, but also an effective way to safeguard investments.
There is, however, a significant need to develop capacity among relevant stakeholders to understand the complex art of negotiating community consent, and to cultivate the necessary skills for effective FPIC implementation.
Register
- Find out more and register
- Registration closes 7 September 2016