Community Protocols Toolbox

The Community Protocols Toolbox, published by Natural Justice, is a guide for facilitators assisting communities in developing community protocols. It outlines five core elements—facilitator's perspective, community background, process, outcome, and legal landscape—to ensure the process is community-led, inclusive, and representative of the community's needs and rights.

• The role of the facilitator is critical, and they must recognize that community protocols are a "community-led process". External facilitators should identify "community catalysts from within the community" to drive development and must be prepared for a process that can take "several years".
• Defining the community's identity is essential for establishing the protocol's scope, but facilitators must handle this with sensitivity because "rigid definitions could exacerbate existing conflicts", such as differing views on mining activities within a single geographic area.
• Facilitators must analyze community governance beyond formal structures, as those established on "gender lines, for example, may not accurately reflect the full picture of how decisions are made". The process should ensure meaningful participation from women, youth, elders, and other marginalized groups.
• Community protocols serve various purposes, ranging from "defensive purposes" to stop harmful activities to "proactive or aspirational purposes" such as seeking recognition of ways of life or establishing benefit-sharing agreements.
• The integrity of the protocol depends on inclusive participation. To overcome barriers, facilitators may need translation services or "non-verbal techniques", as artistic methodologies can sometimes provide "safer platforms for people to express their real views" than verbal ones.
• The outcome of the process is not limited to a physical document; it can take various forms such as a "video, a different medium" depending on cultural appropriateness and the intended audience. The protocol should be a "living document" that is regularly revised to reflect changing community needs.
• The legal landscape involves both customary law and formal frameworks. The guide promotes "legal empowerment", suggesting that law should not be a "monopoly of trained professionals" and that alternative dispute resolution is often more suited to local realities.
• Facilitators should encourage communities to engage with a wide range of legal frameworks, including "sub-national, national, regional and international laws", as well as specific policies like the "UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights" and "Sustainable Development Goals".

APA

Natural Justice (n.d.). Community Protocols Toolbox. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/toolbox_1.pdf

Chicago

Natural Justice. Community Protocols Toolbox. n.d. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/toolbox_1.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Natural Justice |title=Community Protocols Toolbox |url=https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/toolbox_1.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{naturaljusticendcommunity, author = {{Natural Justice}}, title = {{Community Protocols Toolbox}}, institution = {Natural Justice}, url = {https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/toolbox_1.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }