Recommendations

Policies and procedures for proactively disseminating information to rural areas should be drafted through a consultative process so that it meets the real needs of target groups, and be implemented, including regular monitoring of performance.

All countries should have a long-term strategy for managing their resource base, prepared in an open and consultative way, and detailing a transparent decision-making process for deciding trade-offs between different extractive industries and forest-based landuse.

Customary rights over forest land should be respected in a process of land tenure regularisation that provides security and encouragement for small-scale multi-purpose forest management, including in particular environmental services.

Downward accountability must be made to work within forest authorities, for example by appointing representatives of forest-depended people to their governing board. Any conflict of interest between the role of forest manager and of regulator within the same institution should be eliminated.

The new openness to consultation exhibited in the negotiation of Voluntary Partnership Agreements should be maintained, and authorities should set and follow standards for consultation processes in all ongoing policy developments.

To civil society organisations and communities

Examine the findings of the report card and develop strategies for obtaining an increased access to information, for example by identifying elements that are both important and achievable.

Use realistic areas where transparency and communication can be improved through a few simple, collaborative steps, to boost momentum for more fundamental changes

Examine forest forums, perhaps through a comparative study between countries, for what works well and what could be improved.

Work to improve governance and representation within community groups, networks and coalitions so that representatives - especially those appointed through traditional systems of chieftaincy - can be held accountable.

In the context of decentralisation, lobby for greater openness in local government, acknowledging best practice and promoting it with other stakeholder groups or in other locations.

To donors and the international community

Encourage Freedom of Information legislation that meets international norms, through support to parliamentarians and civil society groups.

Avoid double-standards, by asserting that recognised protocols for access to information and to decision-making in their home countries are applied to bilateral negotiations and other work in developing countries.

Provide support to forest forums as a regular venue for citizens to hold their government to account, not just as one-off consultations. Give civil society representatives a 'seat at the table' on the governing boards of VPAs and similar bilateral and international agreements.

Respect and do not seek to undermine local civil society's own mechanisms for organisation, networking, and coalition-building, and their choice of any representatives or spokespersons.