• Rights-based approaches

Rights-based approaches

This paper presents a collection of articles exploring the key issues surrounding the relationship between human rights and conservation. It looks at what human rights are and what do they have to do with conservation.

The editors argue that despite historic separation between the two, attention to linking conservation and human rights has recently been increasing. This trend poses new challenges for conservation organisations called to recognise and address some new direct and indirect responsibilities. Yet, as conservation protects resources critical to fulfill rights to life, health, food, water, and security, this trend also opens new doors for conservation organisations to be recognised as performing invaluable roles in the realisation of those rights, and in overall support to human societies.

Key points that arise throughout all the articles include:

• it is now evident that conservation has too often undermined human rights, most clearly through protected area-related displacement and oppressive enforcement measures. This phenomenon, common in the past, continues today in subtle and less subtle ways 
• conservation and human rights can also work in mutual support. Some mechanisms, practices, policies and principles guiding conduct appear successful in responding to the challenge of their integration 
• human rights instruments and rights-based codes of conduct can be leveraged to protect people from potential and/or realised violations arising from conservation practice
• natural resource management can (and should) be incorporated as a key factor in rights-based approaches to human development 
• the link between conservation and human rights is embedded in larger historical, political, cultural and socio-economic contexts that shape and determine its meaning.
  

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