Developing and Using Community Protocols

This guide by Natural Justice explains the development and application of community protocols—codified rules and procedures used by communities to manage interactions with external actors, such as governments and investors. It details the facilitation process, guiding principles for empowerment, and strategies for using these protocols in advocacy, negotiation, and conflict resolution, particularly in the context of extractive industries.

• Community protocols are the articulation of customary rules and procedures that regulate interactions between communities and outsiders, often developed to counter top-down approaches that disregard traditional laws.
• Protocols generally serve two primary purposes: aspirational, to ensure engagement with external actors occurs on the community's own terms for development opportunities, or defensive, to protect territories and resources from detrimental external actions.
• The development process is community-driven and typically involves identifying the community, training catalysts, documenting information through workshops, and finalizing the protocol for approval and publication.
• Communities can use protocols to 'put external actors on notice' by proactively informing them of the community's rights and expectations, which can encourage accountability and prevent conflict.
• Community protocols can be used as evidence to challenge impact assessments by contesting the legality of a process based on lack of participation or by using community-led tools to dispute findings.
• Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) is a critical standard in international law, particularly for extractive industries, ensuring communities can seek more information, say 'no', or withdraw from negotiations at any stage.
• Advocacy strategies using protocols include raising awareness within the community, between neighboring communities, and among the broader public through media, photography, and social media.

APA

Natural Justice (n.d.). Developing and Using Community Protocols. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/toolbox_3.pdf

Chicago

Natural Justice. Developing and Using Community Protocols. n.d. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/toolbox_3.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Natural Justice |title=Developing and Using Community Protocols |url=https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/toolbox_3.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{naturaljusticenddeveloping, author = {{Natural Justice}}, title = {{Developing and Using Community Protocols}}, institution = {Natural Justice}, url = {https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/toolbox_3.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }