Governance and Rights

The fulfilment of IUCN’s mission requires the Union to address and effectively integrate key social issues in its conservation programmes.

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Social justice, equity, transparency and inclusion are vital to achieving IUCN’s vision and mission. Rights-based and socially inclusive approaches to conservation are fundamental for effective natural resource management and its contribution to human wellbeing and biodiversity.

In advancing this work in conservation, IUCN focusses on these key areas:

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  • Indigenous Insights - Stewarding the Earth Photo: Designed by Estudio Relativo for IUCN
    In the spotlight:

    Indigenous Insights - Stewarding the Earth

    To amplify indigenous voices and priorities, IUCN collaborated with the Forest Farm Facility and IFNOTUSTHENWHO? in producing a communications campaign called Indigenous Insights - Stewarding the Earth. The campaign published a series of video messages from IPOs and partners and published news and events to help inform and advance indigenous rights in a key year of environmental policymaking.

  • A girl holds agricultural yields in her hands Photo: Shutterstock
    In the spotlight:

    Gender and Environment Resource Center

    This Resource Center supports the goals and delivery of numerous projects focused on advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment throughout natural resource management activities. Housing knowledge platforms and information hubs for specific gender and environment partnerships led by IUCN.

  • The NRGF Photo: Designed by Estudio Relativo for IUCN
    In the spotlight:

    The Natural Resource Governance Framework

    The Natural Resource Governance Framework (NRGF) is an IUCN initiative created to provide a robust, inclusive and credible approach to assessing and strengthening natural resource governance, at multiple levels and in diverse contexts.

News

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Indigenous people Photo: Colectivo Sinestesia - UICN América del Sur

Indigenous Peoples

Indigenous peoples hold and manage a significant part of the Earth’s most biodiverse regions and play a vital role in conserving lands, seas and resources. They cultivate strong economic, cultural and spiritual relationships with their natural environments and have developed and often...
In Kalongo, Uganda, IUCN works with local stakeholders during a community meeting on land use in the Agoro-Agu landscape as a part of its PLUS project Photo: CD Langoya, IUCN

An IUCN Natural Resource Governance Framework

Natural resource governance refers to the norms, institutions and processes that determine how power and responsibilities over natural resources are exercised, how decisions are taken and how people – including women, men, youth, indigenous peoples and local communities – participate in...
Women in Community Garden, Uganda Photo: Maggie Roth

Gender equality and women's empowerment

Gender equality and equity are matters of fundamental human rights and social justice, as well as a pre-condition for sustainable development. IUCN is committed to furthering gender equality and equity in order to build a Union that understands the importance of equal opportunity and...

Quick reads

Aimed at policy-makers and journalists, IUCN Issues Briefs provide key information on selected issues in a two-pager format.

Thumbnail_CC and Gender issues brief Photo: IUCN

Gender and climate change

Across societies the impacts of climate change affect women and men differently. Women are often responsible for gathering and producing food, collecting water and sourcing fuel for heating and...
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