Rights and Resources Initiative
Encyclopedia
The Rights and Resources Initiative (RRI) is a non-governmental organization
working to encourage forest tenure and policy reforms and the transformation of the forest economy so that business reflects local development agendas and supports local livelihood
s. RRI works at the country, regional and global levels, collaborating on research, advocacy and convening strategic actors.
The RRI Coalition
is formed by a group of core partners who work in areas of their regional and thematic expertise. Partners also engage with a wide group of Collaborators who participate in and support RRI activities. The Initiative's 14 partners and 120 plus collaborator organizations are directly engaged in land and forest policy reforms in close to 20 countries throughout Africa, Asia and Latin America. Together, they are working to encourage greater global commitment and action on pro-poor tenure, policy and market reforms.
This strategic coalition goes beyond the traditional set of international development actors to involve a wide spectrum of organizations, each of which provides a critical perspective in the larger chain of actors necessary to advance change.
The Rights and Resources Initiative was formally established in 2005 by the Coordinating Association of Indigenous and Community Agroforestry in Central America (ACICAFOC), Forest Trends, Foundation for People and Community Development Papua New Guinea (FPCD), and RECOFTC - The Center for People and Forests
. In 2006, the Forest Peoples Programme
, Intercooperation, and the World Agroforestry Centre joined as RRI Partners. Civic Response joined in 2007, Federation of Community Forest Users Nepal (FECOFUN) joined in 2008 and the Samdhana Institute joined in January 2009. In late 2010, the Indigenous Peoples' International Centre for Policy Research and Education (Tebtebba), International Forestry Resources and Institutions
(IFRI) and the Salvadoran Research Program on Development and Environment (PRISMA) became partners. In May 2011, the Center for Environment and Development, Cameroon became the newest partner to the RRI Coalition. The coalition is headquartered in Washington, D.C.
and community organization
s to encourage institutional reforms, advance new understanding of threats and opportunities, encourage innovative and promising new models of forest tenure and enterprise, and catalyze more effective intervention on tenure and governance
.
The coalition is coordinated and supported by the Rights and Resources Group, a small organization that serves as the coordination mechanism for the Rights and Resources Initiative. Rights and Resources Group is a non-profit 501 c(3)organization located in Washington DC.
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
working to encourage forest tenure and policy reforms and the transformation of the forest economy so that business reflects local development agendas and supports local livelihood
Livelihood
A person's livelihood referers to "means of securing the necessities of life". For instance a fisherman's livelihood depends on the availability and accessibility of fish.- In social sciences :...
s. RRI works at the country, regional and global levels, collaborating on research, advocacy and convening strategic actors.
The RRI Coalition
Coalition
A coalition is a pact or treaty among individuals or groups, during which they cooperate in joint action, each in their own self-interest, joining forces together for a common cause. This alliance may be temporary or a matter of convenience. A coalition thus differs from a more formal covenant...
is formed by a group of core partners who work in areas of their regional and thematic expertise. Partners also engage with a wide group of Collaborators who participate in and support RRI activities. The Initiative's 14 partners and 120 plus collaborator organizations are directly engaged in land and forest policy reforms in close to 20 countries throughout Africa, Asia and Latin America. Together, they are working to encourage greater global commitment and action on pro-poor tenure, policy and market reforms.
This strategic coalition goes beyond the traditional set of international development actors to involve a wide spectrum of organizations, each of which provides a critical perspective in the larger chain of actors necessary to advance change.
The Rights and Resources Initiative was formally established in 2005 by the Coordinating Association of Indigenous and Community Agroforestry in Central America (ACICAFOC), Forest Trends, Foundation for People and Community Development Papua New Guinea (FPCD), and RECOFTC - The Center for People and Forests
RECOFTC - The Center for People and Forests
RECOFTC - The Center for People and Forests is an international not-for-profit organization that focuses on capacity building for community forestry in the Asia Pacific region...
. In 2006, the Forest Peoples Programme
Forest Peoples Programme
The Forest Peoples Programme is a non-governmental organisation that campaigns for the rights of indigenous forest-dwellers. Founded in 1990 by the Uruguay-based World Rainforest Movement, FPP seeks to bridge the gap between policy makers and forest peoples. The Forest Peoples Project is its...
, Intercooperation, and the World Agroforestry Centre joined as RRI Partners. Civic Response joined in 2007, Federation of Community Forest Users Nepal (FECOFUN) joined in 2008 and the Samdhana Institute joined in January 2009. In late 2010, the Indigenous Peoples' International Centre for Policy Research and Education (Tebtebba), International Forestry Resources and Institutions
International Forestry Resources and Institutions
The International Forestry Resources and Institutions Network is a collective of research partners at 12 universities or non-governmental organizations in 11 countries around the world that focus on how institutions and governance arrangements shape forest use and management outcomes...
(IFRI) and the Salvadoran Research Program on Development and Environment (PRISMA) became partners. In May 2011, the Center for Environment and Development, Cameroon became the newest partner to the RRI Coalition. The coalition is headquartered in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
Mission
RRI’s Mission is to support local communities’ and indigenous peoples’ struggles against poverty and marginalization by promoting greater global commitment and action towards policy, market and legal reforms that secure their rights to own, control and benefit from natural resources, especially land and forests.Activities
RRI pro-actively engages with governments, civil societyCivil society
Civil society is composed of the totality of many voluntary social relationships, civic and social organizations, and institutions that form the basis of a functioning society, as distinct from the force-backed structures of a state , the commercial institutions of the market, and private criminal...
and community organization
Community organization
Community organizations are civil society non-profits that operate within a single local community. They are essentially a subset of the wider group of nonprofits. Like other nonprofits they are often run on a voluntary basis and are self funded...
s to encourage institutional reforms, advance new understanding of threats and opportunities, encourage innovative and promising new models of forest tenure and enterprise, and catalyze more effective intervention on tenure and governance
Governance
Governance is the act of governing. It relates to decisions that define expectations, grant power, or verify performance. It consists of either a separate process or part of management or leadership processes...
.
Governance
The Rights and Resources Initiative is governed by the Board of Directors, which meets three times a year. The Board also receives input on governance of the RRI from regular meetings of the Partners, which often take place simultaneously with meetings of the Board.The coalition is coordinated and supported by the Rights and Resources Group, a small organization that serves as the coordination mechanism for the Rights and Resources Initiative. Rights and Resources Group is a non-profit 501 c(3)organization located in Washington DC.
Current Coalition Partners
- ACICAFOC
- Center for Environment and Development, Cameroon
- Center for People and Forests
- Civic Response
- FECOFUN Nepal
- FPCD Papua New Guinea
- Forest Peoples Programme
- Forest Trends
- Intercooperation
- IFRI
- PRISMA
- Samdhana Institute
- Tebtebba
- World Agroforestry Centre