Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) in the Context of Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS), an important social safeguard to protect indigenous people’s rights, territories and benefits

If implemented strongly, Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) can ensure the indigenous people’s rights to determine their own development, empowering them to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to any project proposed or external development that can potentially affect their livelihoods. To achieve this objective, RECOFTC – The Center for People and Forests through the ASEAN – Swiss Partnership on Social Forestry and Climate Change (ASFCC) project is currently conducting a national level training on  Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) in the Context of Access and Benefits Sharing (ABS) in Putrajaya, Malaysia.

The national level training on FPIC in ABS context focuses on the importance to include FPIC-related issues into the forestry and PIC contexts with respect to access to traditional knowledge and forest resources as demonstrated in Kampung Bukit Bakong community in Sepang district.

The course is designed for participants to examine the governance system within a community for decision-making, including FPIC-related issues in forestry and PIC with respect to their access to traditional knowledge (TK) and/ or genetic resources; to inform the general principles and steps involved in obtaining/ granting FPIC and PIC; to examine key elements of community protocols or other customary practices that exist with regards to the granting of FPIC and PIC; and to analyze key issues and concerns in the application or integration of FPIC in forestry sector and PIC in the ABS process.

Some 26 Participants, 16 of whom are women, working for government as well as civil society organizations from Malaysia will learn and understand the ABS process and the elements involved in obtaining and granting FPIC and PIC. The training kicked-off on 6 September 2016 and will run until 9th September 2016 in Putrajaya, Malaysia.