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Opportunities and good practices for the integration of biodiversity and sustainable agriculture for gender equality and vulnerable groups in Latin America and the Caribbean

Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC)

COVID-19 has accentuated inequalities and dominant patterns of production and care of people and nature. Both women and indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs) have been exposed to increased violence during the pandemic. Human rights and collective rights depend on the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. Ensuring the rights related to nature and natural resources are of particular importance for IPLC livelihood systems and give greater opportunities to young people. Indigenous peoples and local communities occupy about 1/5 of the surface of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) their territories are predominantly forested (80%) and experience lower rates of deforestation than official protected areas. LAC is the region in the world with the highest participation of native peoples in the governance of protected areas (9%), while women in rural areas play a relevant role in the memory and transmission of traditional knowledge of resources. The role that IPLCs, women and youth have in safeguarding ecosystems is essential. The integration of biodiversity in productive sectors, including sustainable agriculture, has promoted the recognition of rights, empowerment and cultural changes towards women, youth and IPLCs, which contributes to reversing the loss and degradation of nature and is a relevant part of the new Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. This multi-stakeholder event will highlight LAC’s vast repository of best practices of integrating biodiversity and transformative governance, overcoming silos between diverse sectors /actors, showing concrete interlinkages between the SDGs, especially SDGs 5, 14, 15 connect to the overall theme of the 2022 HLPF.