WWF Annual Review 2021 - 53

T O GE T H E R P O S S IB L E
A community
forest in Nepal.
Indigenous Peoples and local communities
living closest to nature, and for
generations its resolute custodians, have a
vital role to play in building a sustainable
future for people and the planet. We
support their efforts to protect and restore
their ancestral lands and waters, to
challenge the frequent lack of recognition
of their rights, and to improve their
well-being. We are also advocating for
their role in and contributions to global
efforts to restore nature and stabilize
our climate to be fully recognized.
In 2021, our work in support of Indigenous
Peoples and local communities continued.
In collaboration with Indigenous
Peoples, rights organizations and
conservation experts, we undertook
a first-of-its-kind global analysis of
the extent, condition and ecological
value of Indigenous Peoples' and local
communities' lands and territories. Our
report shows that they cover about onethird
of the global land area, and that 91%
of these lands are considered to be in good
or fair ecological condition - compelling
evidence about the crucial global role of
Indigenous Peoples and local communities
in protecting nature, and the importance
of recognizing and respecting their rights,
governance approaches and conservation
efforts. This message was amplified by
WWF and others at a global level - both
at the World Conservation Congress
and in the ongoing negotiations for a
new Global Biodiversity Framework.
We continued our global initiative to
support peoples' and communities'
conservation leadership of their lands
and waters, building our capacity in 15+
countries. In addition, we embarked on a
process to develop guiding principles on
inclusive conservation; and we worked
with the Tribal Link Foundation to
gather suggestions from Indigenous
experts on the development of an Inclusive
Conservation Academy that will build
conservation sector capacity to work more
effectively through inclusive approaches.
OUR RESPONSE TO THE INDEPENDENT REVIEW
We continued to address the recommendations
of last year's WWF-commissioned independent
review of our response to reports of human
rights abuses by some government rangers in
Central Africa, India and Nepal. The review
panel found no evidence that WWF staff
directed, participated in or encouraged any
abuses. But it also concluded that we must do
more to ensure community voices are heard
and their rights respected, as well as advocate
for governments to uphold their human rights
obligations as part of our efforts to better
embed human rights into nature conservation.
Our response includes:
* Continuing to implement strengthened
environmental and social safeguards
in all major landscapes to manage risk and
safeguard human rights in conservation
projects.
* Establishing grievance mechanisms in
every country and appointing Gina Barbieri,
a human rights lawyer and international
mediator, as an independent ombudsperson
- a first for the conservation sector.
* Undertaking human rights training for
WWF staff and helping to establish a
Universal Rangers Support Alliance
dedicated to professionalizing rangers.
* Sharing an affirmative human rights
statement with key government partners
and embedding human rights into any
new contracts we negotiate with
conservation project partners.
* Advocating for the recognition and
respect of human rights - including
joining a global coalition seeking UN
recognition of the right to a healthy
environment (see page 41).
* Undertaking a public consultation
on our recently revised draft social
policies - covering issues such as gender,
human rights, Indigenous Peoples and
poverty - and our environmental
and social safeguards.
wwf.panda.org/independentreview
53
© Emmanuel Rondeau / WWF-US

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WWF Annual Review 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of WWF Annual Review 2021