Panta KasomaJane Goodall Institute-Uganda

ARCUS PROJECT AND MINORITY GROUPS

BACKGROUNDThe International Institute for Environment and

Development (IIED) was launched in 1971 by renowned economist and policy advisor Barbara Ward, making it one of the very first organizations to link environment with development.

It is an independent, non-profit organization promoting sustainable patterns of world development through collaborative research, policy studies, networking and advocacy.

IIED’s mission is to build a fairer, more sustainable world, using evidence, action and influence in partnership with others.

Poverty and Conservation Learning Group (PCLG)The PCLG is an international network of

conservation, development and indigenous/local community rights organisations concerned with the links between conservation and poverty.

Established by IIED in 2004.Latest phase (from 2008) funded by the Arcus

Foundation which led to its focus on great apes.

Collects and disseminates information on conservation-poverty linkages, undertakes or supports research on specific themes and organises targeted learning events

Previously operated predominantly at the international level but national chapters have been opened up in a number of countries including Uganda, Cameroon and DRC. Rwanda is under discussion

ARCUS GRANT TO PCLG: MAIN AIMSFurther strengthen the capacity of

conservation organisations to address poverty issues – both through the national chapters and through the international network.

To move beyond a focus on how conservation organisations tackle poverty on the ground, to how they make better links with development organisations, private sector, policy makers and other institutions that influence investment decisions in great ape ranges 

Priorities for UgandaDocumenting and mapping private sector

activities and their impact on Great Ape conservation, as a step to engaging the sector.

Engaging with development partners/ private sector on conservation-poverty issues to better understand their priorities and to develop a “business case” for biodiversity as a development asset.

Developing outreach and communications products for improved conservation-development interventions in key great ape habitats.

Minority Groups and conservationDiscussion started around August 2015 focused

on BatwaNumerous and varied contributions from

membersSome suggestions that perhaps we need to have

a broader outlook rather than focus on one ethnic group.

Additional suggestions of how we need to approach the issue of marginalized people were made.

As a group, perhaps it would be better to handle one group, the Batwa; at least initially.

The BatwaDifferent opinions were exchanged including:Many organizations already working on the Batwa

issue and so U-PCLG intervention might be redundant. 

A lot of resources have gone into supporting Batwa with no visible impact.

Too much focus on Batwa is alienating other communities and exercabating marginalisation

More research is needed to understand the Batwa problem

There is a misconception that nothing is happeneing with Batwa yet some visible progress is being made.

Batwa ContdDespite the differences in opinion, there is general consensus that:There is a Batwa issue with strong origins

from conservation.This issue has a strong bearing on

governance as it relates to equity and rights.There is need to discuss the issue so as to

agree on the most useful way forward to address the issue.

There is a broad spectrum of stakeholders who need to participate in this discussion.

Batwa contd.U-PCLG feels a strong obligation to

initiate these discussions because of the strong linkage of the Batwa issue with conservation.

The expectation is that this meeting will be able to identify key stakeholders to participate in the next meeting as well as what the group would like as outcomes.

THANK YOU!