The phrase ‘free, prior and informed consent,’ and the acronym FPIC, refers to the right of indigenous peoples to give or withhold their free, prior and informed consent to proposed measures that will affect them. FPIC has already emerged as a core theme in several of TFD’s prior dialogue streams. Due to a lack of statutory recognition of these peoples’ rights, serious land conflicts have become common.  During more recent TFD dialogues, consensus has likewise built that respect for the right to FPIC is crucial for effectiveness in Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD). Likewise FPIC has emerged as a key principle in providing an effective framework for those Investing in Locally Controlled Forests.

The right to free, informed and prior consent is affirmed in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and in the jurisprudence of the international human rights treaty bodies. While the right itself is clearly affirmed, the practicalities for non-State parties to adhere to it are less clear. Additionally, given that recognition of the right to FPIC is most vital when statutory law and forest governance is weak, much more guidance is needed on how to respect this right in practice. In recognition of this gap, the forthcoming TFD dialogue stream will aim to develop answers to such practical challenges.

See below TFD's Research Paper by Marcus Colchester:

Free, Prior and Informed Consent: Making FPIC work for forests and peoples (English | Spanish | French)
 

Dialogues

21-25 May 2012 Second Dialogue on FPIC – DRC Field Dialogue

The Forests Dialogue (TFD)'s field dialogue on Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC), which will take place in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on May 21-25, 2012. TFD's DRC FPIC Dialogue is co-organized by Forests Peoples Programme and sponsored by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA).

“Free, prior, and informed consent” (FPIC) refers to the right of indigenous peoples to give or withhold their free, prior, and informed consent to activities that will affect their rights to their lands, territories and other resources including their intellectual property and cultural heritage. While the right itself is clearly affirmed, the practicalities for non-State parties to adhere to it are less clear and are to be the focus of the proposed TFD Initiative. This Dialogue will complement the lessons learned from the FPIC Dialogue that took place in Indonesia in 2010.

Field Dialogue on FPIC in Indonesia, 11-15 October 2010

Meeting materials available.

Scoping Dialogue on Free, Prior, and Informed Consent

The Forests Dialogue's Scoping Dialogue on Free, Prior, and Informed Consent took place on the Yale University campus on 13-14 April 2010.

“Free, prior, and informed consent” (FPIC) refers to the right of indigenous peoples to give or withhold their free, prior, and informed consent to activities that will affect their rights to their lands, territories and other resources including their intellectual property and cultural heritage. While the right itself is clearly affirmed, the practicalities for non-State parties to adhere to it are less clear and are to be the focus of the proposed TFD Initiative.

Meeting materials available.