Leadership and capacity development program (MESOLIDER School)
This project supports the first implementation year of MESOLIDER, a leadership school for indigenous leaders, developed by organizations ...
The AMPB evolved as a platform of indigenous territorial governments and community forestry organizations, and its members represent many of the communities that live on the most densely-forested lands in Mesoamerica. The Gunayala General Congress is one of their members; highly organized since immemorial time, it brings together traditional authorities and leaders of the 49 communities that constitutes the territory of Gunayala. The mission of the organization is to promote, facilitate and support the integral development of the Gunayala region, in territorial terms, cultural and socioeconomic conservation and protection of the natural environment.
It is necessary to promote sustainable livelihoods and respect the rights of indigenous peoples and forest communities. Most of the regions remaining forest, are land administered collectively, by indigenous peoples and forest communities, as General Congress of Gunayala in Panama. These communities have deep historical and cultural connection to their land and can help prevent forest destruction and maintain their forests as carbon sinks. The Gunayala congress have created their own indigenous protected area, this area is constantly invaded by settlers, for poaching, gold mining, genetic material and wood (deforestation).
The western edge, Santa Isabel, Colon Province, Gunas, have problems with ranch and landowners. With this project they have better understanding of the legal status of the boundary conflicts and their impact on the communities.