Rights and Resources Initiative

Rights and Resources Initiative
Name	Rights and Resources Initiative
Formation	2005
Type	Coalition, non-governmental organization
Headquarters	Washington, D.C.
Region served	Global

Rights and Resources Initiative The Rights and Resources Initiative is a global coalition focused on advancing forest tenure, community land rights, and indigenous peoples' resource claims. Founded in 2005, the coalition brings together philanthropic organizations, research institutions, and advocacy groups working across Latin America, Africa, and Asia to influence international policy arenas such as the United Nations, the World Bank, and multilateral development banks. The Initiative engages with indigenous networks, environmental organizations, and academic partners to document tenure data, push for legal reforms, and promote investment safeguards.

History

The Initiative emerged from conversations among leaders at Ford Foundation, Wellspring Philanthropic Fund, World Resources Institute, Forest Trends, and civil society actors following international gatherings such as the World Summit on Sustainable Development and the Convention on Biological Diversity meetings. Early collaborators included representatives from Rainforest Foundation, Oxfam International, and Conservation International, who responded to policy developments at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change negotiations and disputes over projects funded by the International Finance Corporation and the World Bank Group. In its formative years the coalition produced influential reports synthesizing data from case studies in countries like Peru, Indonesia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nepal, and Cameroon, which informed discussions at the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.

Mission and Objectives

The Initiative’s mission emphasizes securing legal recognition for community and indigenous land rights, influencing international finance policies, and strengthening local governance linked to forests and natural resources. Objectives target shifts in donor practice at institutions such as the Asian Development Bank, the African Development Bank, and the European Investment Bank, while promoting standards articulated in instruments like the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and principles upheld by the International Labour Organization Convention No. 169. The Initiative prioritizes evidence generation for policy audiences at forums including the G20, the United Nations General Assembly, and the World Economic Forum.

Organizational Structure and Leadership

The coalition is organized as a secretariat headquartered in Washington, D.C. with a governance model connecting partner organizations, affiliated research centers, and regional coordinators. Leadership historically included executives drawn from Forest Trends, academic partners at institutions like Yale University and University College London, and representatives from networks such as the Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact and the Indigenous Peoples of Africa Co-ordinating Committee. The steering committee comprises leaders from philanthropic foundations, NGOs such as Global Witness and Amazon Watch, and research institutes including CIFOR and IIED.

Programs and Initiatives

Programs encompass tenure mapping, legal reform advocacy, community land use planning, and research on carbon finance mechanisms such as REDD+ under the UNFCCC framework. Initiatives have included collaborative studies with CIFOR on customary tenure, pilot projects in partnership with The Nature Conservancy and WWF on secure land rights, and policy briefs aimed at the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. The network supports capacity-building efforts with indigenous federations like COICA and regional NGOs active in countries including Brazil, Mozambique, Philippines, and India.

Partnerships and Collaborations

The coalition’s model relies on partnerships with international NGOs, academic institutions, and donor agencies, engaging entities such as Ford Foundation, Norad, USAID, and the European Commission for program support. It collaborates with advocacy groups including Survival International and Global Witness, research partners like CIFOR and IIED, and multilaterals including the World Bank and the Green Climate Fund for policy dialogue. Regional alliances involve organizations such as APWLD (Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development), Latin American Network of Rural Territorialities, and indigenous confederations active at the Organization of American States.

Impact and Criticism

The Initiative’s reports and advocacy have been credited with contributing to legal reforms recognizing community land titles in countries like Tanzania, Peru, and Indonesia, influencing safeguard policies at the World Bank and shaping donor investments in tenure regularization. Critics from some environmental NGOs and development scholars at universities such as Harvard University and London School of Economics argue the coalition’s engagement with market-based mechanisms like carbon offsets and partnerships with extractive-investment stakeholders may dilute rights-based agendas; others contend measurement methodologies used in tenure mapping require greater transparency and peer review in journals such as Nature and Science. Debates have arisen at forums including the UNFCCC and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change meetings over trade-offs between conservation, carbon finance, and community sovereignty.

Funding and Financials

Funding sources include philanthropic foundations like Ford Foundation and Wellspring Philanthropic Fund, grants from bilateral donors such as Norway and agencies like USAID, and project support from multilateral institutions including the World Bank and the European Union. Financial transparency and audit practices are coordinated through grant agreements with partner organizations including Forest Trends and research centers such as CIFOR; budget allocations have supported research, regional capacity-building, and convenings at venues like the UN Headquarters and international conferences such as the Conference of the Parties.

Category:Environmental organizations