bcp-toolkit-part-iii-47996c4d931f30a2.pdf

This guide provides a framework for Indigenous peoples and local communities to use biocultural community protocols as tools for engaging with external actors, participating in decision-making, and resolving conflicts. It details strategies for proactive communication, raising awareness through participatory media, and navigating national and international legal processes to protect customary rights and territories.

• Biocultural community protocols serve as platforms for communities to engage with external actors—including government officials, companies, researchers, and NGOs—on their own terms and priorities. This engagement can begin by 'putting them on notice,' which involves proactively informing actors of the protocol's existence and any specific requests or procedures they must follow to encourage accountability and transparency.
• The guide recommends using a variety of participatory communication tools to raise awareness about protocols within the community, among other communities, and with the broader public. These tools include participatory video, photo stories, audio interviews, forum theatre, and social media, which help affirm collective identity and mobilize support.
• Communities can use protocols to participate in decision-making processes, particularly through impact assessments. While environmental and social assessments are common, the guide advocates for cultural and wellbeing impact assessments to ensure Indigenous worldviews and customary systems are accounted for, noting that assessments conducted solely by project-hired consultants may be biased.
• Strategic engagement with national, sub-national, and international laws and policies is critical for protecting customary rights. This includes participating in intergovernmental processes (such as the UN Convention on Biological Diversity) and lobbying government officials to implement existing laws, such as India's Biological Diversity Act (2002) or the Forest Rights Act (2006).
• Negotiations with external actors often involve significant power imbalances, making the process of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) essential. FPIC is described as an ongoing process rather than a one-time event, granting communities the right to seek more information, say "no", or withdraw from negotiations at any stage.
• To prevent and resolve conflicts arising from natural resource management or human rights violations, the guide encourages non-violent means and alternative dispute resolution over formal litigation, which is often costly and disempowering for communities. Suggested responses to violations include engaging mediated dialogues, lodging formal complaints, or seeking support from human rights advocacy groups.

APA

Natural Justice (n.d.). bcp-toolkit-part-iii-47996c4d931f30a2.pdf. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/BCP-Toolkit-Part-III.pdf

Chicago

Natural Justice. bcp-toolkit-part-iii-47996c4d931f30a2.pdf. n.d. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/BCP-Toolkit-Part-III.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Natural Justice |title=bcp-toolkit-part-iii-47996c4d931f30a2.pdf |url=https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/BCP-Toolkit-Part-III.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{naturaljusticendbcptoolkitpartiii47996c4d931f30a2pdf, author = {{Natural Justice}}, title = {{bcp-toolkit-part-iii-47996c4d931f30a2.pdf}}, institution = {Natural Justice}, url = {https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/BCP-Toolkit-Part-III.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }