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Wildlife law and the legal empowerment of the poor in Sub-Saharan Africa: new case studies

Year of publication 2009

Pages 94 p.

Author Cirelli, M.T.;Morgera, E.

Publisher FAO ;

Product type Book (series)

Edition 1

Synopsis (short abstract) This is the second legal study focusing on wildlife legislation and the empowerment of the poor in Sub-Saharan Africa. It follows up on FAO Legal Paper Online 77 “Wildlife law and the legal empowerment of the poor in Sub-Saharan Africa” that was published in May 2009 (www.fao.org/Legal/prs-ol/lpo75.pdf).1 The purpose of this second paper is to analyze wildlife legislation in an additional fifteen African countries, and assess how similar issues (such as wildlife tenure, community-based wildlife management, benefit-sharing, public participation in decision-making and law enforcement, and human-wildlife conflicts) have been addressed. The lens through which available legislation has been analyzed is the concept of “legal empowerment of the poor,” as developed by the Commission on Legal Empowerment of the Poor, established under the aegis of the United Nations between 2005 and 2008.2 Accordingly, national legal frameworks were examined in their potential to support the objective of effect ive regulation of wildlife management to promote environmental sustainability and socio-economic development with a view to allowing all members of society, and particularly disadvantaged people, to directly benefit from sustainable wildlife management. Thus, the study sought to evaluate whether wildlife legislation can significantly contribute to improving food security, alleviating poverty and enhancing rural livelihoods, by fulfilling international obligations and following best practices rel ated to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.

Language English

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