Strengthening legal capacity to support the rights of forest communities in the Central African Republic and Gabon

The project will improve the capacities of law graduates and empower local CSOs and forest communities in CAR and Gabon to understand, analyse and use national laws related to forest management, land and resource rights, human rights and IP rights. As a result, selected IP groups and forest communities will be capable of devising and implementing legal and advocacy strategies and will have more secure land tenure arrangements, access to forest revenues, and will be consulted adequately on matters concerning them, exercising their right to FPIC. Local and national government officials will be aware of communities’ challenges, and processes will be underway to review selected pieces of legislation that do not adequately protect community rights. Selected CLFWs paralegals and communities in CAR and Gabon will benefit directly from the project