World Heritage and rights-based approaches to nature conservation

Abstract

The discourse and practice about protected areas and World Heritage sites has significantly evolved in the last decades. Efforts to empower local communities so that they can affirm their rights and act on their responsibilities, and to integrate natural and cultural values at sites overlapping with traditional lands, are increasingly seen as fundamental elements of conservation approaches. The fifth strategic objective of the World Heritage Committee encourages States Parties to pursue partnerships in the identification, nomination and protection of World Heritage sites, and to include communities as legitimate stakeholders in decision-making processes. However, there are weaknesses and challenges in achieving this objective. Rights-based approaches can help address such weaknesses, as they enable actors to understand the situation of marginalised communities in a systemic manner and to address the underlying factors of vulnerability, poverty and powerlessness. They can also help attain long-term conservation while supporting local people to live in dignity.

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