Rainforest Foundation UK News
New Push For Hydropower Development In The Peruvian Amazon Raises Concerns About Impacts On Indigenous Rainforest Lands
The forthcoming visit of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff to Peru next May is giving new impetus to the approval of the energy agreement between Peru and Brazil. The main objective is to spur hydro-electric power production, mainly in the Peruvian Amazon. Most of the resulting electricity is likely to be exported to Brazil. RFUK and its partner in Peru, the Central Ashaninka del Río Ene (CARE), are actively campaigning to halt the construction of mega dam projects in indigenous peoples' territories (click here to help!). Whilst we scored an important victory at the end of last year as one Brazilian construction company pulled out, new developments indicate that the battle is far from over.
Not To Miss This Weekend - Acclaimed Documentaries About Baka People Of Cameroon's Struggle For Opportunities!
This Friday night, BBC 2 will screen two documentaries by Phil Agland on the lives of the Baka people of Cameroon, with whom the Rainforest Foundation UK has been working for years. The Bafta award winning films show the poverty and marginalisation this minority group suffers, and the desperate need for appropriate education programmes for Baka children.
Aware of this urgent need, in 2008, RFUK launched a project in Cameroon aiming to improve access of Baka, Bagyeli, Bedzang and Bakola indigenous children to culturally appropriate education, and increase their primary school completion-rates. This is the first project of its kind in the Central African region. Indigenous peoples' education has never been addressed in a specific manner in Central Africa before, despite the ample evidence to support that argument that the current education system is failing them. Cameroon's "one size fits all" education policy does not take into account different cultural backgrounds, language or traditions. These groups face serious discrimination from other pupils and teachers and, as a result, they have extremely high education drop-out and illiteracy rates. This exacerbates the disadvantages they face.
Rainforest Foundation UK publishes first national legal study on ILO Convention No. 169 in CAR!
The Central African Republic (CAR) ratified the International Labour Organisation's (ILO) Convention No. 169 on indigenous and tribal peoples in August 2010, becoming the first African country to adopt the Convention. Its adoption is a historic development for indigenous peoples in the country and on the continent. Under the Convention, the CAR Government has the obligation to ensure that national laws and policies are coherent with the provisions of C169.
In this context, the Rainforest Foundation UK, who supported the ratification process, has developed a first study in collaboration with the CAR High Commission on Human Rights and Good Governance (the national CAR institution in charge of the human rights policy), local NGOs, indigenous representatives and the ILO to analyze the conformity of the CAR legislation with Convention No. 169. The study reviews all national relevant laws and makes specific recommendations on how best to harmonize CAR legislation and ILO C169. The study will be presented and discussed at national level to develop further strategic and legal planning.
Pour lire l'article, cliquez sur le lien Read More ci-dessous.
Bid On Ecoluxe Fashion Week Items In Support of the Rainforest!
Leading sustainable fashion platform Ecoluxe London and the Rainforest Foundation UK have announced collaboration for the February 2012 edition of the Ecoluxe showroom which will be held on the 19th and 20th of February this year at the Kingsway Hotel in London. Now in its fourth season, the Ecoluxe London showroom is open only to press and buyers. The two-day exhibition will include the Rainforest Foundation UK silent auction, which will include sustainably produced garments and accessories donated by the Ecoluxe London exhibitors. Visitors will be able to post their sealed bids for the pieces on display. The exhibition will close on February 20th from 18:30-20:00 with a Rainforest Foundation presentation, the conclusion of the auction and the JP Selects Awards. Bidding will be via silent auction from 13th-20th February 2012 and all proceeds will go to the Rainforest Foundation.
For more information and to see the articles available click here.
New Report From Accra Caucus Shows Reality of REDD Schemes In Five Countries
As part of its ongoing work bringing the voices of forest communities and southern NGOs to national and international decision-makers, Rainforest Foundation UK has supported the publication of a report bringing together the experience of five countries engaged in a global scheme to reduce emissions from deforestation and degradation (REDD).
This new report, 'Is REDD-Readiness Taking Us In The Right Direction?', by the Accra Caucus shows how the implementation of REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) is focusing much more strongly on attracting carbon income rather than on protecting the environment or the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities.
Five new case studies show that in spite of the safeguards agreed upon in Cancun providing for the full and effective participation of all relevant stakeholders, the experience to date is discouraging.
› Download the Accra Caucus REDD Readiness Report (English)
› Download the Accra Caucus REDD Readiness Report (French)
RFUK’s New Project! Community Lawyers in the Central African Republic and Gabon.
RFUK is delighted to announce the launch of its new project in the Central African Republic and Gabon, aimed at enhancing legal capacity of forest communities to protect their rights to land and resources. The project will provide training and support to at least 10 law graduates and at least 15 community paralegals who will be based in forest communities on a permanent basis. This new network will provide support and training to forest communities enabling them to make more effective use of the laws that affect their communities, as well as to advocate for improved legal frameworks where they are needed. As a result, communities will have more secure land tenure arrangements, access to forest revenues, and will be adequately consulted on matters that concern them. RFUK will implement this project together with its partners Maison de l'Enfant et de La Femme Pygmées (MEFP) in CAR and Brainforest in Gabon.
Sign Up To Secure A Place Now And Run For The Rainforest In The 2012 Brighton Marathon!
The event takes place on 15th April 2012, so there is still time to train!
We still have a limited number of places available, so email matildef@rainforestuk.org or give us a call on +44 (0) 20 7485 0193, and we will send you an application form and info pack to get you off and running!
Click the Read more link below for all the event information!
Joint Letter To President Rousseff Raising Concerns After Brazil Passes Controversial Forest Code Reform
The Rainforest Foundation UK, along with other UK NGOs and members of Bond (the UK membership body for international development NGOs) have sent the Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff a collective statement raising concerns about the suggested amendments to the Brazilian Forest Code, as announced to the international press earlier this week after its passing at the Brazilian Senate on Monday.
You can read the letter in full by clicking 'Read More' below, or by downloading a copy at the below link.
An article regarding the revision of the Brazilian Forest Code can be found on Mongabay.com here.
Happy Birthday, Kemito Ene!
Kemito Ene, the association of Ashaninka cacao producers of the Ene river, celebrates its first birthday on the 9th of December. This association was created as part of the joint project "Protecting Rainforest in the Selva Central Region of Peru", run by the Central Asháninka del Río Ene (CARE) and the Rainforest Foundation UK (RFUK), under the sponsorship of Betty's and Taylor's of Harrogate. Throughout this year, the project has enabled Ashaninka families to increase their income and enhance their livelihoods in a way that is both respectful of their culture and of the environment.
COP17 UPDATE - Leading Southern NGOs Slam Durban Proposal To Create New Forest Carbon Market
Durban, South Africa (UNFCCC): Recent collapses in carbon markets and widespread opposition from forest peoples and non-governmental organisations have not stopped governments gathered in Durban from trying to build momentum for the creation of a new forest carbon market as part of the response to deforestation and climate change. The Accra Caucus on Forests and Climate Change, a coalition of around 100 civil society and indigenous peoples organisations from 38 countries, called on governments in Durban to reject forest carbon trading after a new draft decision [1] related to REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation) specifically includes "market-based" sources of financing, which opens the door for as forest carbon market allowing developed countries to ‘offset' emissions reductions.
