RIGHTING WRONGS: - HOW TO ENSURE GRIEVANCE MECHANISMS EFFECTIVELY SUPPORT COMMUNITIES

At the heart refugees’ – millions of people are estimated to have of the problem is that the bulk of protected areas in been displaced due to conservation globally, though the region – and in fact much of the Global South – specific data for the Congo Basin is hard to come by.9 continue to be established and managed following In the best cases, communities living in the periphery an exclusionary,. [...] In response to reports of human rights receiving and dealing with concerns and complaints of abuses tied to US support of certain conservation employees and members of the affected public, with projects, the US Congress included important an obligation to report back to KfW on how complaints safeguards in its Appropriations framework for were handled.36 the fiscal year 2020 and beyond. [...] Consultation and participation of the intended beneficiaries of the mechanism are essential to build trust and legitimacy and to enable learning and constant improvement. [...] Such official investigations by conservation NGOs and State agencies were carried out, for example, in the case of Ntokou Pikounda in Republic of Congo and Salonga and Kahuzi-Biega National Parks in DRC, each in response to media exposure, and all with serious questions over the integrity of the process and legitimacy of their findings.63 3.4 ACCESSIBILITY: A NEED FOR HIGHLY DECENTRALISED, CULTURA. [...] Targeted recommendations be clearly tied to international human rights laws • Develop a coherent approach to grievance and and instruments such as the UN Code of Conduct accountability mechanisms across the country’s for Law Enforcement Officials and the UN Basic protected area network, involving large and inclusive Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by consultation of civil society and t.