Gabon's national government have recently proposed an amendment to the national parks law which threatens to further undermine community rights around protected areas and risks the politicisation of the national parks system. RFUK's Gabonese partner organisation Brainforest have delivered a public reaction including comments from local indigenous communities. "We are not against the national park, but it has to allow us to exist because our lives depend on the forest" - the community of Doumassi (pictured), on the periphery of Minkebé National Park, the largest in Gabon.

In 2002, Gabon made a commitment to global conservation efforts by declaring over 11% of the national territory as 13 national parks. Although the national parks system marks an important contribution towards preserving Gabon's biodiversity, it was created without the consultation of the estimated 15,000 local and indigenous peoples, who have since been denied access to their traditional lands and resources. While the National Parks Law passed in 2007 contains important provisions concerning the rights of affected communities to participate in the management of these areas, the current proposals, which advocate the imposing of further restrictions and penalties on resource use in the peripheral areas, risk seriously undermining this work and further alienating local and indigenous peoples.

For more info, please read Brainforest's response in full (in French) HERE.

First Central African Republic National workshop on Community Forestry: Bangui, August 19-20 2010.

Today, a national workshop on community forestry has begun in the Central African Republic. Supported by the Rainforest Foundation UK, this workshop is an initiative of CAR civil society, in coordination with the Ministry of Water, Forests, Hunting and Fishing.

NB: Vous pouvez lire ces informations en français en cliquant ci-dessous prochainement.

› Read more

Monday 9th August was indigenous people's day and we launched an appeal for change.

The future of indigenous peoples in Central African Republic is about to change. As the only charity working on indigenous peoples rights in the region we need your support. Indigenous peoples struggle to claim the basic human rights we take for granted and see their lands and livelihoods given away without consultation or consent. With your support we will ensure that new legislation for indigenous peoples in Central Africa is adopted.

Donate your small change to see big change HERE.

Read more HERE.