ICCAs: Support to indigenous peoples’ and community conserved areas and territories

Indigenous peoples and local communities play a crucial role in the conservation of biological diversity. The project supports these communities in 45 countries in preserving their traditional habitats and protecting biodiversity. Among other methods, this is done through a small project fund. Knowledge and resources are also built up in local communities to manage and preserve protected areas. The overall aim here is to create a fairly managed network of protected areas. The habitats of indigenous communities living in the areas are also to be improved and safeguarded. Traditional knowledge and uses should be recognized and addressed in state planning processes. The partner countries are also given advice on the implementation of their protected area strategies. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the project was expanded to mitigate the direct impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and to contribute to pandemic prevention.