Global Forest Coalition

http://www.globalforestcoalition.org/

Mission
The mission of the Global Forest Coalition is to reduce poverty amongst, and avoid impoverishment of, Indigenous Peoples and other forest-dependent peoples, by advocating the rights of these peoples as a basis for forest policy and addressing the direct and underlying causes of deforestation and forest degradation.


Strategic Approach

The main strategic approach of the Global Forest Coalition is to build the capacity of NGOs and Indigenous Peoples´ Organizations (IPOs) to monitor and engage in international forest policy and support national initiatives to implement the results of international forest policy processes.

A second, complementary strategy is to facilitate joint advocacy campaigns by its members, targeting international forest policy processes to ensure that they promote socially just and effective forest policies that respect the rights and needs of Indigenous Peoples and other forest peoples.

Objectives
The specific objectives of the Global Forest Coalition are:

  • To facilitate the informed participation of NGOs and IPOs in global policy fora related to forests.
  • To monitor the implementation of the commitments made by governments at these global forest policy fora.
  • To raise the awareness of local communities, Indigenous Peoples, social movements, women’s groups and relevant policy-makers concerning the potential social and environmental impacts of market-based conservation schemes.
  • To build and strengthen the capacity of local communities, Indigenous Peoples, social movements and women’s groups to analyze and address the social and environmental impacts of market-based conservation schemes.
  • To build the capacity of NGOs, IPOs and other stakeholders and rights-holders to analyze and address the underlying causes of deforestation and forest degradation.
  • To further enhance public and political awareness of the importance of analyzing and addressing the underlying causes of deforestation and forest degradation.

Gender strategy
In February 2008, GFC adopted a gender mainstreaming strategy. The goal of the gender mainstreaming strategy is to ensure the rights, roles and needs of women and men are given equal attention in all the programs and activities of the Global Forest Coalition, and in its institutional structure. The overall goal is the achievement of gender equity.