Recently six volunteers travelled to Africa to conduct a research for Both ENDS on how the Negotiated Approach is put into practice within Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM).The Negotiated Approach is an approach that enables local communities to defend their rights and to propose strategies that fight poverty and ensure a viable ecosystem in the long run. The succes of the approach was already proven in India, yet little is known about Africa. But the report the volunteers are writing can bring about a change.
Participatory Land Use Planning (PLUP) is a rights-based approach ensuring inclusive and gender-responsive land governance, especially for those whose rights to land are not fully acknowledged.
With our Wetlands without Borders program, we work towards environmentally sustainable and socially responsible governance of the wetlands system of the La Plata Basin in South America.
Large-scale infrastructural projects have detrimental effects on local people and the environment, while their benefits are felt elsewhere. Both ENDS is working to ensure that local people have a greater say in decision-making and is investigating the way these projects are funded.
In November 2011 Both ENDS organized a Negotiated Approach workshop in Entebbe, Uganda. Participants from Ethiopia, Ghana and Kenya were introduced to the negotiation method which guarantees that the local population will keep their access to natural resources such as water and land. When disputes over the use of rivers, lakes or land occurs the Negotiated Approach unites policy makers, researchers, companies and local NGO's. Together they will work towards sustainable solutions for the use of natural resources.