Dialogue on land rights and biocultural heritages of indigenous people

Monday, 28 May 2018, 1–3 pm
Venue: Kaisa-room (7062), Library of University of Helsinki, Fabianinkatu 30, Helsinki /

Speakers and commentators:

• Ms. Nonette Royo; Executive Director, The International Land and Forest Tenure Facility
• Mr. Tapani Oksanen; Chair of the Board, Rights and Resources Group
• Ms. Aili Pyhälä; Council Member, The ICCA Consortium & Lecturer, University of Helsinki, Development Studies
• Ms. Tikli Loivaranta; Board Member, The Siemenpuu Foundation & Researcher, University of Turku
• Ms. Hanna Guttorm; Associate Professor, Sami University of Applied Sciences & Senior Researcher, Helsinki University
• Ms. Pirjo Kristiina Virtanen; Assistant Professor, University of Helsinki, Indigenous Studies
• Mr. Vesa Kaarakka; Senior Forest Adviser, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland

Background

One important source of inspiration in the search for solutions to the multi-faceted problems caused by industrial modernisation are the indigenous people who have a track record of ecologically sustainable livelihoods and ways of life. While the alienation of their lands and territories is increasing due to increased global and local pressures, also protective international agreements and national laws have been enacted.

During the past decades international and national laws have increasingly recognised the rights of indigenous communities to the land and territories they depend on. On international level such agreements include the Convention on Biological Diversity and the diverse human rights treaties' provisions presented also in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. In line with these, a number of governments have enacted laws that articulate the rights and provide processes for their recognition on the ground. However, the implementation of such agreements and laws are far from satisfactory. Bureaucratic hurdles, outside economic interests and unfavourable power hierarchies are among the reasons why the land rights of indigenous people are yet to be fulfilled.

In this context efforts to advance land rights of the indigenous communities have increased and yielded important results. One of the strongest approaches in such efforts is the combined advancement of biological and cultural (or bio-cultural) rights.

The concept of biocultural rights addresses people's rights to live on land by such diversity of life which the land itself grows. To survive, the diversity of Earth's life must not be displaced by human life. Human life and culture needs thus to be adapted by their diversity to Earth's biodiversity and its regeneration. To sustain the diversity of its life, the land needs to be held and guarded by such practices and cultures which have adapted their life to the local regeneration of Earth's life.

The diversity of Earth's life has often survived better in the areas where the diversity of local or indigenous cultures as adapted to the regeneration of the local biodiversity has survived.  People's rights to such biocultural diversity are thus in crucial respects also the rights of Earth's life to survive in its diversity. Indigenous cultures which have adapted to live the life of the land for centuries or milleniums need to be secured rights to such tenure on land, forest and water, which sustain the local biodiversity.

Dialogue

The aim of the dialogue is to bring together people working on the recognition, respect and protection of the biocultural and land rights of the indigenous peoples and local communities with different roles and networks to share ideas and experiences. It is envisaged that the dialogue will promote information sharing about the powerful approach and urgent need in the realm of land rights.

Ms. Tikli Loivaranta will give examples on Siemenpuu's approach on supporting the indigenous and local communities to secure their biocultural land and forest tenure.

Ms. Aili Pyhälä will give examples on how the ICCA Consortium is responding to threats and opportunities by actively upholding ICCAs by promoting ICCA self-strengthening processes at local level and networking, peer-support and advocacy at national, sub-national and  international level.

Ms. Nonette Royo will debate what is needed in achieving the two outcomes:  1) The land and forest rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities are made more secure by governments; and 2) Practical approaches for implementing land and forest tenure reforms are shared and leveraged by practitioners and stakeholders to enable greater support and investment in securing the land rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities.

Mr. Tapani Oksanen will introduce the  Rights and Resources Initiative and it’s work on analyzing and reporting on global trends in forest tenure and land rights.

Commentators include views from Sami community, research and policy.

Fb-tapahtuma: https://www.facebook.com/events/508273852908392