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This document is the preface and introduction to Volume I of the Towards Collaborative Peace (TCP) project series, published by the Institute for Security Studies. It examines the proliferation of small arms and light weapons (SALW) in Southern Africa and their role in fostering a 'culture of violence' that undermines democracy, security, and socio-economic development. The project employs a south-south comparative approach, contrasting Southern African trends with those in the southern part of South America to propose regional and local mechanisms for weapons control.

This report documents a workshop held in Kinshasa from May 17 to 19, 2004, organized by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) and Labor Optimus. The event brought together a delegation of SADC (Southern African Development Community) guests and officials from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to share regional experiences on military restructuring, demobilization, disarmament, and reintegration (DDR) to support the DRC's peace process.

This research paper examines the rise of transnational organised crime (TCOs) as a global security threat, analyzing how globalisation and the erosion of state authority have facilitated the growth of criminal networks. It explores the relationship between TCOs and various state types—particularly weak and transitional states—and provides a typology of state roles in facilitating or combating illicit activities. The document details the operational characteristics of TCOs, including their use of ethnic networks and risk management strategies, and assesses the specific threats they pose to national security, financial systems, and human rights.

This fact sheet by Natural Justice introduces Biocultural Community Protocols (BCPs) as tools for indigenous and local communities to document their values and rights to better engage with external actors and protect their territories. It details the endogenous process required to develop these protocols and provides case studies from Ghana, Malaysia, Kenya, India, and South Africa where BCPs have been used to combat illegal mining, secure land use zones, protect biodiversity, and manage traditional medicinal knowledge.

The 'Protocolos Comunitarios Bioculturales: Kit de Herramientas para Facilitadores Comunitarios' is a comprehensive guide published by Natural Justice. It provides a framework and practical tools for Indigenous Peoples and local communities to document their customary laws, values, and decision-making processes into 'biocultural community protocols'. These protocols are designed to help communities manage their territories, protect their rights, and engage constructively with external actors such as governments, researchers, and corporations, thereby reducing power asymmetries and preventing conflicts over natural resources.

This guide, published by Natural Justice, provides a framework for communities to document and develop Biocultural Community Protocols (BCPs). It outlines a process for evaluating the appropriateness of a protocol, mapping community foundations across identity, natural resources, sociocultural practices, economics, politics, and law, and consolidating this information into a strategic tool for engaging external actors and asserting community rights.

This guide provides a framework for communities to implement a Biocultural Community Protocol (BCP) to engage with external actors, raise awareness, participate in decision-making, and resolve conflicts regarding their territories and resources.

The "Biocultural Community Protocols: A Toolkit for Community Facilitators" is a guide published by Natural Justice to help Indigenous peoples and local communities document their customary laws, values, and decision-making processes. These protocols serve as instruments to manage interactions with external actors—such as governments, researchers, and companies—ensuring that community rights and stewardship of their territories are respected. The toolkit provides a comprehensive framework for facilitators to lead communities through the process of endogenous development, legal empowerment, and strategic advocacy.

This guide provides a practical framework for communities to develop biocultural community protocols to secure their rights, territories, and resources. It outlines a process for assessing the appropriateness of a protocol, mapping a community's identity and foundations (natural, social-cultural, economic, political, and legal), and consolidating this information into a strategic tool for engaging external actors.

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.

This briefing by Natural Justice introduces Biocultural Community Protocols (BCPs), which are community-determined frameworks used by Indigenous peoples and local communities to articulate their values and rights when engaging with external actors such as governments and companies.

This joint NGO briefing urges UNFCCC COP27 to integrate the protection of land and environmental defenders into climate justice efforts. It highlights the prevalence of violence and legal harassment (SLAPPs) against defenders and recommends that the ACE Action Plan and the Global Stocktake explicitly address human rights obligations. Additionally, it proposes a protocol to ensure host countries of COP meetings guarantee freedom of assembly and association for participants.

This report by Natural Justice and the ABS Capacity Development Initiative provides lessons and case studies on the development of community protocols in Africa to facilitate Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge (aTK) under the Nagoya Protocol.

This report by Natural Justice and Kalpavriksh analyzes the legal and institutional frameworks affecting Indigenous peoples’ and local communities’ conserved territories and areas (ICCAs). It identifies systemic threats to these areas, including a lack of legal recognition for customary land rights and the imposition of exclusionary conservation models. While noting positive developments in international law and specific national initiatives, the report argues that state institutions often continue to undermine ICCAs through discriminatory legislation and inaccessible judicial systems. It provides comprehensive recommendations for governments and international bodies to recognize the self-determination of Indigenous peoples and support the integrity of ICCAs through both legal reform and non-legal support mechanisms.

This guide provides an introduction to the United Nations human rights system, detailing the organs of the UN, the International Bill of Human Rights, and the specific mechanisms available for the protection and advocacy of Indigenous peoples and local communities.

This guide, published by Natural Justice, provides an introduction to the United Nations human rights system, specifically tailored for indigenous peoples and local communities. It explains the structure of the UN, the evolution of international human rights law, and the specific mechanisms available for the protection of indigenous rights.

A letter dated February 24, 2014, addressed to World Bank President Jim Yong Kim from a coalition of 168 organizations and individuals, urging the revival of B-SPAN, the Bank's Internet-based webcasting system.

This document is a presentation by Natural Justice (NJ), an African organization dedicated to social and environmental justice. It outlines the organization's mission to protect the collective rights of indigenous peoples and local communities through a "Litigation Plus" approach, which integrates legal empowerment, research, policy influence, and strategic litigation. The document details NJ's activities in 2024, highlighting legal victories against extractive industries, efforts to secure land tenure, and the protection of environmental defenders across Africa.

This guide by Natural Justice outlines a Just Energy Transition (JET) framework for African communities based on the "Three Ps": Principles, Policies and laws, and Practicalities. It advocates for energy democracy, community-owned renewable energy, and the application of environmental and restorative justice to ensure that the transition to clean energy does not repeat historical patterns of exploitation. The framework emphasizes the necessity of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), the right to a healthy environment, and the need for climate reparations and grants from the Global North to address energy inequality and historical carbon emissions.

This December 2016 report by Natural Justice and Public Eye analyzes discrepancies between the European Union's Access and Benefit-Sharing (ABS) regulation and the national legislations of provider countries implementing the Nagoya Protocol. The authors argue that the EU's narrow scope regarding temporal triggers, the definition of associated traditional knowledge, and the 'import loophole' creates legal uncertainty and undermines fair benefit sharing.