[MPWG] International perspectives - CITES & Global Forestry Mgmt

[Patricia_DeAngelis at fws.gov]

Thanks to one of our listservers, I am forwarding these two messages to the
group....

I would like to add a little info to the first newsbite (the summary of
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and
Flora (CITES) COP13):  Although it may not be readily apparent, this is the
work that my office performs on behalf of the United States, as one of the
166 signatory countries to CITES.  We, in the Scientific Authority, submit,
evaluate, and respond both to the proposals to amend the CITES Appendices
as well as developing policy to execute this international trade agreement.
We work closely with the Management Authority, which handles implementation
issues (most people know about CITES permits, that's part of the Management
Authority's bailiwick).

This year, there were several proposals involving medicinal plants,
including: Taxus and Hoodia.  There were also several policy issues that
affect medicinal plants, such as medicinal plant annotations and
sustainable use guidelines.  If you are interested to see how these issues
are being discussed in the international trade arena, I encourage you to
see the full agenda and working documents at:
<http://www.cites.org/eng/cop/index.shtml>.  I also encourage you to
explore the CITES website from the home page at: <http://www.cites.org/>.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me!

Patricia S. De Angelis, Ph.D.
Botanist - Division of Scientific Authority
Chair - Plant Conservation Alliance - Medicinal Plant Working Group
US Fish & Wildlife Service
4401 N. Fairfax Dr., Suite 750
Arlington, VA  22203
703-358-1708 x1753
FAX: 703-358-2276
Working for the conservation and sustainable use of our green natural
resources.
<www.nps.gov/plants/medicinal>


1. SUMMARY OF THE THIRTEENTH CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES TO THE
CONVENTION ON INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN ENDANGERED SPECIES OF WILD
FAUNA AND FLORA:

2-14 OCTOBER 2004

The thirteenth Conference of the Parties (COP-13) to the Convention
on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
(CITES) convened from 2-14 October 2004, in Bangkok, Thailand.
Drawing together 1,200 participants representing governments,
intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations (IGOs and NGOs),
the meeting considered 64 agenda items on a range of topics,
including: reports and recommendations from the Animals and Plants
Committees; the 2006-2008 budget and other administrative matters;
implementation of the Convention; species trade and conservation
issues; management of annual export quotas; the relationship between
in situ conservation and ex situ captive breed ing; trade control and
marking issues; enforcement matters; cooperation with the Convention
on Biological Diversity and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization;
and 50 proposals to amend the CITES appendices.

http://www.iisd.ca/cites/cop13/


2. GLOBAL FORUM ON THE REVIEW OF WOMEN'S PROGRESS ON FORESTRY MANAGEMENT
SINCE BEIJING 1995: TOWARDS A COMMON AGENDA

25th ? 29th January 2005
Speke Resort Conference Centre Munyonyo
Kampala Uganda

Purpose of the Forum

     ? The Global Forum on the Review of Women's Progress on Forestry
Management since Beijing 1995: Towards a Common Agenda will focus on SFM
related policies, practice and implementation of national forestry plans
since the Beijing and other Regional Platforms of Action. It will seek
to examine the progress made by non-state actors, governments and inter
governmental agencies.
     ? The Forum will take into consideration the diversity in policy,
regulatory reforms, practice, geographical locations, and economic
aspects such as industrialization and mechanized agriculture vis-à-vis
forestry and the establishments of institutional frameworks since the
abo ve landmark pronouncements were made ten years ago.
   ? It will explore the levels of involvement of the various
stakeholders especially women in the forestry sector and assesses their
impact in contributing to the development agenda in the forestry sector.
It takes note of the fact that some of the forestry practices extend
over and above the local borders in areas where the forests are shared
among different states and the implications thereof.
     ? And, finally, it aims at providing a platform and creating an
interactive dialogue where information/ knowledge, best practices, gaps
and challenges of implementation shall be shared.

Background to the Forum

The Beijing Platform of Action, 1995 (BPA) recognized gender
inequalities as a major concern in safeguarding the environment and
management of natural resources. During the meeting, it was further
recognized that although women provide for th eir families and
communities through their management and use of natural resources they
remain largely absent at all levels of policy formulation and
decision-making in natural resource and environment conservation,
including protection and rehabilitation of ecosystems.

Consequently the BPA urged governments and their development partners to
take action in 12 critical areas. Unfortunately most governments have
remained indifferent to their commitments especially in as far as women
and environment (forests) is concerned. In view of the forthcoming
10-year review of the BPA, it is important to take stock of the progress
made by women as citizens and as a group in their own right in
sustainable forest management (SFM).

Objectives of the Forum

Main Objective

The objective of the review exercise is to objectively examine the gains
made and challenges met by women in implementing SFM actions to which
governments commi tted themselves. The Forum will focus on the
involvement of women in:

? Forestry in improving family livelihoods including contributions of
timber and non-timber forest products and in agroforestry; ? Energy
conservation with specific reference to biomass energy; ? Biodiversity
protection and environmental sustainability..

Specific Objectives

1. To provide a platform for exchange knowledge, skills, ideas and
information among women leaders, foresters and academicians in SFM with
particular focus on SFM.
2. To review and identify the areas where women have gained access and
control over forestry resources since Beijing 1995.
3. To create mechanisms for monitoring the implementation of IPF/IFF
Proposals for Action (PfA) and compliance by governments, international
agencies and civil society organizations (CSOs) with specific reference
to SFM.
4. Assess the contributions made by women in the SFM in achieving the
Mi llennium Development Goals (MDGs) with specific reference to MDG No. 7
"Ensuring Environmental sustainability".

Sub themes to be addressed in parallel workshops:

? Energy crisis & food production
? Agro forestry & food security
? Population & the environment
? Forestry & biodiversity
? Women's access to policy making & decision making in forestry and agro
forestry ? Forestry and environmental education ? Forestry related
poverty alleviation and sustainable livelihoods ? Land use, forestry &
financial resources

Expected Outcomes

I. Concrete recommendations to be forwarded to the UNFF (5) which shall
specify the following areas:
    ? Increasing participation of women in implementing IPF/IFF PfA;
    ? Enhancing the future achievements of the MDGs;
    ? Addressing the relevant critical areas in the BPA in relation to
SFM;
    ;  ? Increasing participation of women in biomass energy conservation;
II. An International Women's Network for SFM established together with a
Coordinating secretariat responsive to UNFF and other International
agencies; III. Regional networks of women NGOs in forestry sector
formed; IV. Potential policy/legal and regulatory issues for policy
makers; V. Practical resolutions that address the identified challenges
in SFM and  harnessing the opportunities realized.

Conference Design

The nature of practice in the various regions necessitates the
examination of the legal, regulatory and institutional frameworks and
responses to forestry. This will take a comparative review of the
instruments used in the regions in the last decade to address the
challenges related to sustainable forestry management. Critical to this
Forum will be the effort to understand and appreciate the role of women
in SFM.

Each country has been requested to prepare a report that will be no more
than 15 ? 20 page. Academic and research institutions at the national,
regional and international levels with knowledge, experience and best
practices have been requested to make presentations based on their work
and technical expertise. All conference papers should have been
submitted by the 15th December 2004.

Coordination

The Uganda Women's Tree Planting Movement is coordinating this
conference in corporation with UNFF, and with the assistance of the
following partners in
Uganda: Ministry of Water, Lands and Environment, Ministry of Labour,
Gender, and Social Development. Other national Partners are Uganda Land
Alliance, Uganda Forestry Association, National Association of Women
NGO's in Uganda, CARE (Uganda), Action Aid, National Agricultural
Research Organisation, Faculty of Forestry of Makerere University,
Faculty of Gender Studies of Makerere University. Intern ational Partners
include UNECA East African Sub region office, UNDP, UNEP, UNIFEM, UNESCO
Kampala Office, UNCCD and CBD Secretariats, SIDS, GTZ-Uganda,
RIOD-Canada (Friederike Knabe).
Partner UN Embassies are: Republic of Brazil, Peoples' Republic of
China, Republic of Ecuador, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of India,
Republic of Sweden, and Republic of Switzerland, Republic of Finland,
The Netherlands Embassy, Norwegian Embassy, Federal Republic of Germany.

Cost of participation

Participants will cater for their own tickets and DSA. However, we have
negotiated for full Board cost at US$100. Registration fee is US$150 for
all  participants, which will cover all conference papers and
stationery. We  encourage participants to source for their own funds for
this forum although  we are trying to request funding to cover costs for
participants from poor  countries and specific regions.

Contacts
For further information and to request a registration form please do
not  hesitate to contact any of the following:

1. UNFF Secretariat
Afsa Kemitare
E-mail unff at un.org

2. Ruth Mubiru
Uganda Women's Tree Planting Movement
E-mail ruthmubiru at yahoo.com

3. Lorna Juliet Amutojo
Uganda Land Alliance
E-mail: ula at africaonline.co.ug

4. Mr. Onyango
Ministry of Water, Land and Environment
E-mail: info at nfa.org.ug

5. Nsita Steve
National Forest Management
E-mail steven at nfa.org.ug


Friederike Knabe
==== ==============
KNABE KONSULTING
Ottawa, Ontario Canada
f.knabe at sympatico.ca

Spécialiste dans les problèmes relatifs aux terres arides dans la
perspective d'un développement durable
--------------------------------------------------
Consultant, specializing in International Drylands Issues in the context
of sustainable development