{"id":16043,"date":"2020-10-20T13:39:00","date_gmt":"2020-10-20T12:39:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/?p=16043"},"modified":"2023-06-23T13:58:13","modified_gmt":"2023-06-23T12:58:13","slug":"iucn-congress-2020-series-strengthening-civil-society-to-protect-indigenous-territory-in-the-gran-chaco","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/story\/iucn-congress-2020-series-strengthening-civil-society-to-protect-indigenous-territory-in-the-gran-chaco\/","title":{"rendered":"[IUCN Congress 2020 series] Strengthening civil society to protect indigenous territory in the Gran Chaco"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Header photo: Children of the Indigenous Guaran\u00ed community Kopere Brecha \u00a9 Natura Bolivia<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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The Gran Chaco is the largest continuous dry forest in South America and is the only ecoregion after the Amazon that still hosts isolated Indigenous groups living in the forest. But their livelihoods and the nature they protect are under increasing threat. Strengthening civil society organisations which represent these isolated people is the key for the conservation of natural resources and public goods.<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n\n
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The Gran Chaco covers Argentina, Bolivia and Paraguay. \u2018There are three Indigenous groups that still live in the dry forest,\u2019 says Fabiana Ben\u00edtez of our local partner organisation Guyra Paraguay. These are the Guaran\u00ed in Bolivia, the Yshir in Paraguay and the Ayoreo in both Paraguay and Bolivia. \u2018Some of the Ayoreo families still live in isolation in the forests. Although the other groups are part of the local economy, they are still dependent on natural resources,\u2019 Ben\u00edtez explains.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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In addition to these Indigenous communities, the region hosts a pristine biodiversity, including species like the jaguar, puma, ant eater and giant armadillo. However, the area is facing challenges like climate change, cattle ranching, deforestation and agro-industrial activities. \u2018This poses a risk to the livelihoods and survival of the local indigenous population and their forests,\u2019 says Sander van Andel, senior expert nature conservation at IUCN NL.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Natalia Araujo of our local partner organisation Natura Bolivia adds: \u2018Much of the forest cover in the Gran Chaco region is being transformed into agricultural and livestock lands, putting the ancestral territory of these groups at risk.\u2019 \u2018Fragmentation of land and ecosystems is a very big threat to them, as they are extremely dependent on it,\u2019 Araujo explains.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Practicing lobby and advocacy<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n
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To tackle the challenges that indigenous peoples across the Gran Chaco face, Guyra Paraguay and Natura Bolivia joined forces to strengthen the capacity of civil society to conserve their territory and livelihoods. Ben\u00edtez: \u2018We do this through several strategies, for example through multi-stakeholder platforms.\u2019 Here, indigenous people can learn how to defend their territories when engaging with other stakeholders. \u2018This is a good practice for lobby and advocacy,\u2019 Ben\u00edtez explains.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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In the district of Bahia Negra in Paraguay, a roundtable resulted in a Land Use Plan for the area. \u2018Through this platform, representatives of the Yshir and Ayoreo people were able to talk to cattle producers about their territories and how to keep them connected,\u2019 says Ben\u00edtez. \u2018The civil society organisations who represent the Indigenous peoples were prepared for this through workshops on dialogue and technical skills like cartography.\u2019<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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\u2018In 2015, the Guaran\u00ed people from Charagua Iyambae were one of the first to establish an indigenous autonomy in Bolivia. This status gives the local population the opportunity to exercise their full rights over the control of their territory, natural resources and their vision for further development of the region.’<\/p>\n<\/div>Natalia Araujo of partner organisation Natura Bolivia<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Community governance<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Another way for indigenous groups to safeguard their territories and ancestral sites is through engaging in community governance. \u2018In 2015, the Guaran\u00ed people from Charagua Iyambae were one of the first to establish an indigenous autonomy in Bolivia. This status gives the local population the opportunity to exercise their full rights over the control of their territory, natural resources and their vision for further development of the region,\u2019 Araujo explains.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Biocultural corridors<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n
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In both Bolivia and Paraguay, biocultural corridors are a widely used approach. Araujo explains: \u2018These corridors are an important part of the land use plans the groups drafted. The main goal is to ensure ecosystem connectivity and, at the same time, protect the important cultural and ancestral sites that are part of their territory.\u2019<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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In Paraguay, a small scale biocultural corridor was designed together with Ayoreos, Yshir and Guaran\u00ed communities. \u2018This corridor was then inserted into the territorial strategy that was part of the Land Use Plan for Bahia Negra,\u2019 says Ben\u00edtez. The local population now has more control over their land and natural resources. \u2018And it will also generate economic opportunities and raise the living standards of the local families,\u2019 Araujo adds.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Local water agreements<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Water is a critical resource in the Gran Chaco. Indigenous communities living in water-producing areas are establishing “Reciprocal Water Agreements<\/a>“, in which they make long-term commitments to protect the forest and water sources from threats such as livestock or deforestation. \u2018In this way they become active actors in the conservation of a common good that benefits all communities downstream,\u2019 says Araujo.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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New and strengthened protected areas<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n
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In Bolivia, the capacity building and community governance activities organized by our partner resulted in the creation of three new protected areas<\/a>, covering a total of 5,6 million hectares.  \u2018It is the first time that an Indigenous government proclaims legal protection for such a large area,\u2019 says Van Andel.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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This decision is not on only beneficial for the animals living in the areas, but also to the indigenous peoples who made an important step towards conserving their livelihoods and culture by creating the protected areas.  \u2018The reserves are key for the connectivity of the indigenous territories. And a connected forest is crucial for the protection of natural resources,\u2019 Ben\u00edtez explains.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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In Paraguay, the management of other Indigenous territories and protected areas has been strengthened thanks to the joint work to strengthen civil society. \u2018We focused especially on the people who work in these areas, like indigenous leaders, rangers and officials who are crucial for the protection of their territories,\u2019 Ben\u00edtez concludes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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IUCN Congress motions<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Leading up to and during the Member\u2019s Assembly at the IUCN World Conservation Congress 2020, IUCN Members can vote to approve motions. They are the mechanism by which IUCN Members influence third parties and guide the policy and Programme of IUCN. A number of the accepted motions are linked to the work of our partners in Bolivia and Paraguay. A part of the motions will be sent for vote by electronic ballot from 7-21 October 2020<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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More information and the full list of motions can be found on the official Congress website<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Motion 007- Declaration of priority for the conservation of tropical dry forests in South America<\/a><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n
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\u2018The Gran Chaco is the largest dry forest ecosystem in South America, and is home to a large diversity of species,\u2019 says Ben\u00edtez. The Tropical Dry Forests in South America are extremely vulnerable and only a small part of them are legally protected. \u2018This motion recognises the importance of these ecosystems and could help create more legally protected areas in South America,\u2019 says Ben\u00edtez.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Motion 045 – Recognising and supporting indigenous peoples\u2019 and local communities\u2019 rights and roles in conservation<\/a><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n
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\u2018The indigenous groups in the Gran Chaco depend on the areas\u2019 ecosystem services and have played a significant role in conserving them. Their importance and contribution needs to be recognised,\u2019 says Araujo. \u2018This motion can help to reinforce the importance of nature for people and more directly for indigenous communities. They do not have an alternative for nature, it is their only livelihood.\u2019<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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IUCN Congress 2020 series<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n
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The IUCN Congress 2020 will take place from 3 to 10 September 2021 and bring together the global nature conservation community and allow civil society organisations to share their work and knowledge. In a series of articles, IUCN NL\u2019s partner organisations from around the world tell us about their work for nature and people.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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View all articles in the Congress 2020 series<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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Sander \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tvan Andel<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Senior Expert Nature Conservation<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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Header photo: Children of the Indigenous Guaran\u00ed community Kopere Brecha \u00a9 Natura Bolivia The Gran Chaco is the largest continuous dry forest in South America and is the only ecoregion after the Amazon that still hosts isolated Indigenous groups living in the forest. But their livelihoods and the nature they protect are under increasing threat. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":16061,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[61],"tags":[172,183,174],"class_list":["post-16043","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-story","tag-community-governance","tag-human-rights-and-nature","tag-protected-areas"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16043","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16043"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16043\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":133924,"href":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16043\/revisions\/133924"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16061"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16043"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16043"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16043"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}