Through a series of regional level meeting, workshop and regional dialogue, REDD+ stakeholders agree on Asia Pacific level key lessons learned, best practices and next steps for the full and effective participation of local communities, civil society organizations, indigenous people in REDD+ process. In 2019, ANSAB, as the regional recipient of the FCPF REDD+ capacity building program for local communities and civil society organizations, brought together the stakeholders, involving government representatives, also setting the direction for further support to the local communities and indigenous people incl. women to engage in REDD+ process.
As the continuous initiative of bringing the stakeholders in common platform, ANSAB organized a regional level workshop in Kathmandu from August 5 to 7, 2019, which brought over 40 individuals representing the government and civil society organizations from eleven FCPF Asia Pacific countries, international and regional level organizations, and the current and past FCPF CSO observers in the region participated the workshop. During the workshop, the participants exchanged first-hand learning and sharing of country level experiences on implementing REDD+ capacity building sub-projects, along with the sharing and discussion on broader experience from country/regional level capacity building of CSOs and LCs on REDD+. ANSAB also shared the lessons learnt on the REDD+ capacity building at country and regional level, that set the direction of discussion. The workshop concluded with the development of a set of recommendations for further capacity building needs to the local communities and civil society organizations in the region.
Similarly, a regional dialogue was organized together with Tebtebba (Indigenous Peoples’ International Centre for Policy Research and Education) and funding support from World Bank in Bangkok, Thailand from September 16-20, 2019. A total of 63 representatives, 32 males and 31 females, of indigenous people organizations and networks, CSOs, women’s organizations and governments from the FCPF countries, and the World Bank participated in the regional dialogue, and discussed on the lessons learned and best practices from the implementation of the capacity building program and the future needs. The regional dialogue included the “regional workshop on increasing women’s capacities and roles in REDD+ related programs and processes in the Asia Pacific region” – a 2-day discussion on gender-related gaps and actions on September 16-17, 2019, and the “regional dialogue for forest-dependent indigenous peoples, other forest dwellers and southern CSOs in the Asia-Pacific region” – a 3-day discussion on lessons learned, gaps and recommendations on future actions on September 18-20, 2019. During the dialogue, the participants a) shared the results and lessons learned from the grassroots in building the capacity of forest-dependent IPs, other forest dwellers and southern CSOs engaged in REDD+ strategies and programs; (b) discussed challenges faced in mainstreaming gender based on lessons learned from gender specific activities implemented, with the agreement on key reasons for the low participation of women in REDD+ related decision making and needed actions; and (c) agreed on a set of recommendations on further REDD+ related capacity needs support.
Learnings from these regional level initiatives and the recommendations developed in participation of the regional level stakeholders was captured in the global REDD+ dialogue organised in Washington DC, USA from November 7 to 9, 2019, for setting the direction for further support to indigenous peoples, local communities and southern civil society organizations to engage in FCPF REDD+ Programs beyond 2020. The learnings have also been instrumental for the development of the next stage of REDD+ Capacity Building Program of the FCPF, which is going to be implemented soon.
