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Theme 4: Rights and governance

Civil society organizations offer a mechanism for public participation in decision-making, as part of a broader effort toward empowering communities. This global indicator from Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) assesses both whether women are prevented from participating in civil society organizations and whether civil society organizations working on women’s issues are prevented from taking part in the civic discourse. This indicator is a measure of political freedoms and social equity – all members of society should have full access to civic life. As of 2022, 75% of countries allow women and/or women’s interests groups from participating in civil society organizations. This is a slight decrease from 76% in 2021. 

Civil society organizations offer a mechanism for public participation in decision-making, as part of a broader effort toward empowering communities. This global indicator from Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) assesses both whether women are prevented from participating in civil society organizations and whether civil society organizations working on women’s issues are prevented from taking part in the civic discourse. This indicator is a measure of political freedoms and social equity – all members of society should have full access to civic life. As of 2022, 75% of countries allow women and/or women’s interests groups from participating in civil society organizations. This is a slight decrease from 76% in 2021. 

233″,”ClassId”:1073872969,”Properties”:[469775450,”ui-provider”,201340122,”1″,134233614,”true”,469778129,”ui-provider”,335572020,”1″,469778324,”Default Paragraph Font”]}”>Access to electricity is a key ingredient for building resilience, enhancing rural livelihoods, and supporting the development of profitable, sustainable agriculture. Empirical investigations have indicated that the expansion of electricity availability contributes to an increase in the time allocated to income-generating activities. Access to electricity varies among regions, countries, and communities, as well as between urban and rural areas. As of 2014, access to electricity was notably more limited in rural areas, with 27% of the rural global population lacking access compared to only 4% of their urban counterparts. However, a positive trend can be seen in the overall rate of global electrification. In 1990, approximately 71% of the world’s population had access to electricity, and this figure rose to nearly 85% by 2021. As of 2020, about 80% of those deprived of electricity lived in rural areas, with three-quarters of those without electricity situated in Sub-Saharan Africa.  

233″,”ClassId”:1073872969,”Properties”:[469775450,”ui-provider”,201340122,”1″,134233614,”true”,469778129,”ui-provider”,335572020,”1″,469778324,”Default Paragraph Font”]}”>Access to electricity is a key ingredient for building resilience, enhancing rural livelihoods, and supporting the development of profitable, sustainable agriculture. Empirical investigations have indicated that the expansion of electricity availability contributes to an increase in the time allocated to income-generating activities. Access to electricity varies among regions, countries, and communities, as well as between urban and rural areas. As of 2014, access to electricity was notably more limited in rural areas, with 27% of the rural global population lacking access compared to only 4% of their urban counterparts. However, a positive trend can be seen in the overall rate of global electrification. In 1990, approximately 71% of the world’s population had access to electricity, and this figure rose to nearly 85% by 2021. As of 2020, about 80% of those deprived of electricity lived in rural areas, with three-quarters of those without electricity situated in Sub-Saharan Africa.  

Lack of secure land tenure is pervasive worldwide and is a commonly identified barrier to shifting to profitable, sustainable agriculture, and to restoring forest and land ecosystems. Documentation of rights contributes to tenure security and can create incentives for farmers to make longer-term investments in their croplands. Rights that are secure and of a set duration can also be the foundation for investing in restoration efforts where the benefits accrue over time. Yet, in countries where deforestation and forest conversion for commodity agriculture are a pervasive problem, such as Indonesia and Cote d’Ivoire, less than half of all adults have legal documentation of their rights to land.     

Lack of secure land tenure is pervasive worldwide and is a commonly identified barrier to shifting to profitable, sustainable agriculture, and to restoring forest and land ecosystems. Documentation of rights contributes to tenure security and can create incentives for farmers to make longer-term investments in their croplands. Rights that are secure and of a set duration can also be the foundation for investing in restoration efforts where the benefits accrue over time. Yet, in countries where deforestation and forest conversion for commodity agriculture are a pervasive problem, such as Indonesia and Cote d’Ivoire, less than half of all adults have legal documentation of their rights to land.     

Secure land rights play an essential role in enabling the restoration of ecosystems; defending lands that are under threat; supporting the development of profitable, sustainable agriculture; and reducing vulnerability to the impacts of climate change. In addition to formal documentation of land rights, communities and individuals need assurances that their land rights are secure and that they will accrue the benefits of, for example, improving cropland and pasture productivity, reestablishing trees, rewetting peatlands, or restoring mangroves. Without believing that they have long-term rights to land, they may have little incentive to devote their time, labor, and resources to such projects, particularly those that generate benefits over longer periods of time. Yet nearly one billion people worldwide believe they could lose part of their land or their right to use it within five years.  

Secure land rights play an essential role in enabling the restoration of ecosystems; defending lands that are under threat; supporting the development of profitable, sustainable agriculture; and reducing vulnerability to the impacts of climate change. In addition to formal documentation of land rights, communities and individuals need assurances that their land rights are secure and that they will accrue the benefits of, for example, improving cropland and pasture productivity, reestablishing trees, rewetting peatlands, or restoring mangroves. Without believing that they have long-term rights to land, they may have little incentive to devote their time, labor, and resources to such projects, particularly those that generate benefits over longer periods of time. Yet nearly one billion people worldwide believe they could lose part of their land or their right to use it within five years.  

Strengthening Indigenous Peoples’ tenure security offers one highly effective, relatively low-cost strategy to protect the world’s remaining intact forests, at least 36% of which stretch across these communities’ territories. Several studies find that, in the tropics, deforestation across Indigenous lands is significantly lower than in nearby forests, and, in some cases, comparable to or less than losses within strictly protected areas. Yet an analysis of legal frameworks in 73 countries covering 85% of Earth’s land finds that, despite holding and using at least half of the world’s land, Indigenous Peoples, Afro-descendent Peoples, and local communities legally own just 11% of global land. While the total area of land legally designated for and owned by these groups increased by just over 100 million hectares (Mha) from 2015 to 2020, at least 1,375 Mha of community lands – an area roughly the size of Antarctica – has not yet been recognized under national laws and regulations.  

Strengthening Indigenous Peoples’ tenure security offers one highly effective, relatively low-cost strategy to protect the world’s remaining intact forests, at least 36% of which stretch across these communities’ territories. Several studies find that, in the tropics, deforestation across Indigenous lands is significantly lower than in nearby forests, and, in some cases, comparable to or less than losses within strictly protected areas. Yet an analysis of legal frameworks in 73 countries covering 85% of Earth’s land finds that, despite holding and using at least half of the world’s land, Indigenous Peoples, Afro-descendent Peoples, and local communities legally own just 11% of global land. While the total area of land legally designated for and owned by these groups increased by just over 100 million hectares (Mha) from 2015 to 2020, at least 1,375 Mha of community lands – an area roughly the size of Antarctica – has not yet been recognized under national laws and regulations.  

In the last decade, Indigenous Peoples and local communities have made astounding headway in raising awareness at the international level of the critical role they play in safeguarding the world’s forests and other ecosystems. At the same time, environmental defenders face high rates of criminalization, physical violence, and assassinations.  
Indigenous Peoples and local communities are often among the most likely groups to mobilize for environmental protection, and face even higher rates of criminalization, violence, and assassinations than other groups. In a systematic mapping of resistance movements, violence was most common over projects related to hydropower, biomass, pipelines, and coal extraction. 
At least 177 land and environmental defenders were killed in 2022, according to Global Witness, and the agribusiness and mining and extractives sectors are ranked as the deadliest for defenders. Some killings are even facilitated by governments through systematic and deliberate suppression of Indigenous Peoples, local communities and grassroots environmentalists, justifying their actions through legal mechanisms such as penal laws and anti-terrorist legislations.  

In the last decade, Indigenous Peoples and local communities have made astounding headway in raising awareness at the international level of the critical role they play in safeguarding the world’s forests and other ecosystems. At the same time, environmental defenders face high rates of criminalization, physical violence, and assassinations.  
Indigenous Peoples and local communities are often among the most likely groups to mobilize for environmental protection, and face even higher rates of criminalization, violence, and assassinations than other groups. In a systematic mapping of resistance movements, violence was most common over projects related to hydropower, biomass, pipelines, and coal extraction. 
At least 177 land and environmental defenders were killed in 2022, according to Global Witness, and the agribusiness and mining and extractives sectors are ranked as the deadliest for defenders. Some killings are even facilitated by governments through systematic and deliberate suppression of Indigenous Peoples, local communities and grassroots environmentalists, justifying their actions through legal mechanisms such as penal laws and anti-terrorist legislations.