Forest Peoples Programme (FPP)

07/10/2026

In the latest newsletter, we bring you stories of Indigenous leadership, community action and collective futures from around the world.

We also feature spotlights on:

🌳 A three-day exchange in Sussex that brought together Indigenous representatives, community organisers, farmers and systems-change advocates to explore alternative economies.

🗺️ Batwa leaders in the Democratic Republic of the Congo turning a landmark ruling on Kahuzi-Biega National Park into a shared plan for what comes next.

🌿 Pgakenyaw (Karen) women across nine villages in northern Thailand reviving the K'Ne Muj "women's forest", re-establishing biodiversity zones, seed exchanges and cross-community learning networks.

📩 Sign up for our newsletter to discover community voices, stories, and updates from our partners and collaborators:

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21/09/2026

17/09/2026

Across the Congo Basin, Indigenous Peoples and local communities have developed diverse ways of using and managing resources and protecting the forests on which their lives, cultures and livelihoods depend.

Two recent participatory research studies: one from the Republic of Congo (RoC), the other from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) ask the same fundamental questions: what can community practices teach us about sustainable resource use, and what needs to change so that communities can continue to protect their lands, territories and biodiversity?

Both pieces of research were carried out with communities through village meetings, focus groups and time spent at resource-use sites with Mbenzelé and Ba'Aka communities in northern RoC and Babali and Indigenous Bakango communities in Tshopo Province in DRC.

Learn more about their findings: https://www.forestpeoples.org/publications-resources/news/article/stewards-of-the-congo-basins-forests-recognising-indigenous-peoples-role-in-sustainable-resource-management-1/

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Across the Congo Basin, Indigenous Peoples and local communities have developed diverse ways of using and managing resources and protecting the forests on wh...

08/09/2026

UN CERD issues statement to Tanzania following Early Warning and Urgent Action Procedure over reported rights violations against Maasai Indigenous Peoples in Ngorongoro and Loliondo.

In a statement dated 21 August 2026, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) expressed alarm at the ‘longstanding and persistent reported violations of the rights of the Maasai Indigenous Peoples in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Loliondo region, including forced evictions and relocations, restrictions on access to ancestral lands, territories and natural resources, racially motivated excessive use of force, arbitrary arrests and detention, intimidation and harassment.’

Particular concerns were also expressed about reports of forced evictions of large numbers of Maasai from their ancestral lands as a result of conservation and tourism projects, as well as imposed restrictions on access to grazing areas, water sources and cultural sites and about reported hate speech and stigmatization of Maasai including portraying them as obstacles to conservation and economic development.

CERD called upon the State to ensure that the Maasai enjoy their rights without discrimination, including their rights to equality before the law and to effective participation in decisions affecting them.

Read the complete statement here for UN CERD’s recommendations to the Tanzanian Government:https://www.forestpeoples.org/fileadmin/uploads/fpp/Test%20Images/INT_CERD_SWA_TZA_11528_E__1_.pdf

Image credit: 'View of Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania, East Africa' by Diana Robinson, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

United Nations Human Rights chraggtanzania United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

07/09/2026

UN sounds urgent alarm over Indonesia's failure to protect O'Hongana Manyawa Indigenous Peoples from nickel mining on Halmahera Island.

In their second letter dated August 25, 2026, - The Indonesian government did not respond to the first letter in January - the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination stated they were concerned about:

🌿 The creation of over 60 nickel mining concessions without requisite protection mechanisms or meaningful consultation
🌿 The domestic legislative framework, which does not sufficiently protect the status and rights of Indigenous Peoples under international law
🌿 Expanding mining and exploration projects which have caused irreversible harm to ancestral territories
🌿 The severe impacts on those living in voluntary isolation who depend on natural resources for food, water and medicine

Read the full article here for UN CERDs recommendations to the Indonesian government: https://www.forestpeoples.org/publications-resources/news/article/un-sounds-urgent-alarm-over-indonesias-failure-to-protect-ohongana-manyawa-indigenous-peoples-from-nickel-mining-in-halmahera-indonesia/

International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA) Indigenous Peoples Rights International Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact Komnas HAM Aliansi Masyarakat Adat Nusantara - AMAN London Mining Network Kementerian Energi dan Sumber Daya Mineral Kementerian Kehutanan Kementerian Luar Negeri RI



Image Credit: “Engaging communities in a just transition: North Morowali, Indonesia” by The EITI, CC BY-SA 2.0

03/09/2026

Batwa Indigenous leaders from the Kahuzi-Biega area, South Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, have called on the national Government to implement a landmark ACHPR ruling recognising violations of their rights and obligations to provide redress, related to the creation and expansion of the Kahuzi-Biega National Park.

At a community-led workshop, supported by FPP, Batwa leaders discussed for the first time, the implications of the decision, what this meant for their communities and how to advocate for land restitution, justice and respect for Batwa rights.

To read more click here:
English: https://www.forestpeoples.org/publications-resources/news/article/batwa-leaders-call-for-implementation-of-landmark-ruling-on-kahuzi-biega-national-park/?no_cache=1

French: https://www.forestpeoples.org/publications-resources/news/article/les-leaders-autochtones-batwa-reclament-la-mise-en-oeuvre-dune-decision-historique-concernant-le-parc-national-de-kahuzi-biega-pnkb/?no_cache=1

Les leaders autochtones Batwa de Kalehe littoral, Kabare, Kalonge et Bunyakiri, au Sud-Kivu en République démocratique du Congo, ont appelé l’État congolais ...

03/09/2026

Learning from the Wampís Nation: Exploring how the GTANW have successfully implemented their community-led freshwater turtle repopulation initiative, and using their experience to co-develop a guide for other communities to do the same.

Between 2023 and 2025, the Autonomous Territorial Government of the Wampis Nation have released over 11,000 native freshwater turtle hatchlings back into the Morona and Santiago river basins. Through protecting nesting beaches, responsibly managing eggs and releasing hatchlings, they have demonstrated that Indigenous land management can deliver tangible results for Amazonian biodiversity.

From this experience, worked with GTANW to develop a guide on Community Monitoring of Freshwater Turtles that provides practical, step-by-step support for establishing and implementing community-led freshwater turtle monitoring programmes.

Read more about the Wampis Nations turtle repopulation success and access the community monitoring guide:

https://transformativepathways.net/community-led-freshwater-turtle-conservation-learning-from-and-supporting-the-wampis-nation/

Gobierno Territorial Autónomo de la Nación Wampís United Nations Biodiversity Indigenous Information Network - IIN Chepkitale Indigenous People Development Project-CIPDP PASD Thailand สมาคม IMPECT Partners for Indigenous Knowledge Philippines - PIKP Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact CHIRAPAQ

02/09/2026

Baka and Bakwele Indigenous communities in the Republic of Congo have participated in an initiative to map their communities. The 'differential mapping' process documents not only the extent of their territories but where different resources, such as water points or medicinal plants, are located and how they are used.

The briefing highlights how 'divergent relationships with land in mixed communities are not reflected in current legal or administrative frameworks, which treat the village territory as an undifferentiated whole, and one where Indigenous communities are excluded from decision-making. With a differential mapping approach, the distinct nature of each community’s land use is made visible, which is a first, essential step towards equitable recognition.'

To read more please see this link:
https://www.forestpeoples.org/pt/publications-resources/briefing-papers/article/mapping-shared-territories-a-collaborative-journey-towards-peaceful-cohabitation-in-the-republic-of-congo/

UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre

01/09/2026

L’APEM, partenaire du FPP, a organisé aujourd’hui une séance de travail à l’Assemblée provinciale de Tshopo, en République démocratique du Congo, sur les thèmes de l’exploitation minière, de la protection de l’environnement et des droits des communautés locales.

Animée par le président ad intérim de l’Assemblée, cette séance a réuni des élus provinciaux et des organisations de la société civile.

L’APEM et ses partenaires ont présenté les conclusions tirées de plusieurs années de travail de terrain afin de soutenir une action plus forte en faveur des communautés locales et des peuples et espèces menacés, ainsi qu’un draft d’une avant-proposition d’édit provincial.

Cette réunion faisait suite à un atelier couronné de succès qui s’est tenu la semaine dernière et au cours duquel l’APEM a pu présenter sa stratégie de plaidoyer à d’autres ONG et à la société civile.

Pour en savoir plus, cliquez ici : https://depechesdelatshopo.com/tshopo-les-deputes-provinciaux-interesses-par-la-proposition-dedit-soumise-par-lapem/

Apem Rdc

30/08/2026

A FPP le entristece saber que uno de nuestros socios, el Resguardo Indígena de Origen Colonial Cañamomo Lomaprieta, cuya comunidad ya se había visto afectada por un terremoto devastador, ha sufrido ahora los efectos de un vendaval, lo que ha provocado daños adicionales en las viviendas de su comunidad.