NGO Branch

The Rainforest Fund, Inc.

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Sustainable Development

Major group affiliation:	Indigenous people Children and youth Women Non-governmental organization
Affiliation with other organizations:	Partnerships with Indigenous communities and local organizations to support projects protecting human rights and environments of Indigenous People. Some organizations since obtaining status in 2014 include: Rainforest Foundation United Kingdom; Rainforest Foundation Norway; Rainforest Foundation United States; Cheque Oitedie- Bolivia; Confederation of Indigenous Peoples of Bolivia- Bolivia; Equipe de Conservacao da Amazonia (ECAM)- Brazil; Hutakara- Brazil; House of Pygmy Women and Children (MEFP), Centre for Environment and Development (CED), Reseau Ressources Naturelles (RRN)- Cameroon, Central African Republic, DRC; Bribri People and the Consejo Ditsö Iriria Ajkönuk Wakpa- Costa Rica; Environment, Resources Naturelles et Development (ERND)- DRC; Alliance Nationale d’Appui et de Promotion des Aires du Patrimoine Autochtone et Communautaire (ANAPAC)- DRC; Association de Lutte contre le SIDA et le Paludisme de la Cuvette Ouest (ALSPCO), Observatoire Congolais des Droits de l’Homme (OCDH), Comptoir Juridique Junior and Forum pour la Gouvernance et les Droits de l’Homme (FGDH)- DRC; Congo; Comptoir Juridique Junior, Groupe d’Action pour Sauver l’Homme et son Environnement (GASHE)- DRC; Congo; Ceibo Alliance- Ecuador; Frente de Defensa de la Amazonia and ClearWater- Ecuador; Brainforest; Maison de L’enfant et de la Femme Pygmee (MEFP), Community Legal Fieldworkers (CLFW)- Gabon; Central African Republic; North Pakaraimas District Council- Guyana; Papuan People’s Movement for Sustainability Institute (GEMAPALA)- Indonesia; Perkumpulan Nurani Perempuan (PNP)- Indonesia;Yayasan Citra Mandiri Mentawai (YCMM)- Indonesia; Yayasan Paradisea- Indonesia; Chepkitale Indigenous Peoples’ Development Project (CIPDP)- Kenya; Indigenous Peoples Network of Malaysia (JOAS)- Malaysia; Tenasserim River; Indigenous Peoples’ Networks (Trip-Net)- Myanmar; Congreso General del Territorio Ancestral Dule Tagarkunyal- Panama; Congreso General de Tierras Colectivas Embera y Wounaan (CGTCEW); Congreso Nacional del Pueblo Wounaan (CNPW)- Panama; Bismarck Ramu Group (BRG)- Papua New Guinea; La Asociación Interétnica de Desarrollo de la Selva Peruana (AIDESEP)- Peru; Ejecutor del Contracto de Administracion (ECA RCA)- Peru; Federación Indígena Quechua del Pastaza (Fediquep)- Peru; Federación Nativa del Río Madre de Dios y Afluentes (FENAMAD)- Peru; Native Community of Alto Tamaya Saweto- Peru; Ninos de la Amazonia- Peru; Organización Regional de Pueblos Indígenas del Oriente (ORPIO)- Peru; Group Coalition Against Land Grabbing (CALG)- Phillipines; Standing Rock Sioux Tribe- United States.
Publications:	Annual and biennial project reports are published.
Statements or documents submitted Commission on Sustainable Development:	None.

Social Development

Affiliation with other organizations:	Partnerships with Indigenous communities and local organizations to support projects protecting human rights and environments of Indigenous People. Some organizations since obtaining status in 2014 include: Rainforest Foundation United Kingdom; Rainforest Foundation Norway; Rainforest Foundation United States; Cheque Oitedie- Bolivia; Confederation of Indigenous Peoples of Bolivia- Bolivia; Equipe de Conservacao da Amazonia (ECAM)- Brazil; Hutakara- Brazil; House of Pygmy Women and Children (MEFP), Centre for Environment and Development (CED), Reseau Ressources Naturelles (RRN)- Cameroon, Central African Republic, DRC; Bribri People and the Consejo Ditsö Iriria Ajkönuk Wakpa- Costa Rica; Environment, Resources Naturelles et Development (ERND)- DRC; Alliance Nationale d’Appui et de Promotion des Aires du Patrimoine Autochtone et Communautaire (ANAPAC)- DRC; Association de Lutte contre le SIDA et le Paludisme de la Cuvette Ouest (ALSPCO), Observatoire Congolais des Droits de l’Homme (OCDH), Comptoir Juridique Junior and Forum pour la Gouvernance et les Droits de l’Homme (FGDH)- DRC; Congo; Comptoir Juridique Junior, Groupe d’Action pour Sauver l’Homme et son Environnement (GASHE)- DRC; Congo; Ceibo Alliance- Ecuador; Frente de Defensa de la Amazonia and ClearWater- Ecuador; Brainforest; Maison de L’enfant et de la Femme Pygmee (MEFP), Community Legal Fieldworkers (CLFW)- Gabon; Central African Republic; North Pakaraimas District Council- Guyana; Papuan People’s Movement for Sustainability Institute (GEMAPALA)- Indonesia; Perkumpulan Nurani Perempuan (PNP)- Indonesia;Yayasan Citra Mandiri Mentawai (YCMM)- Indonesia; Yayasan Paradisea- Indonesia; Chepkitale Indigenous Peoples’ Development Project (CIPDP)- Kenya; Indigenous Peoples Network of Malaysia (JOAS)- Malaysia; Tenasserim River; Indigenous Peoples’ Networks (Trip-Net)- Myanmar; Congreso General del Territorio Ancestral Dule Tagarkunyal- Panama; Congreso General de Tierras Colectivas Embera y Wounaan (CGTCEW); Congreso Nacional del Pueblo Wounaan (CNPW)- Panama; Bismarck Ramu Group (BRG)- Papua New Guinea; La Asociación Interétnica de Desarrollo de la Selva Peruana (AIDESEP)- Peru; Ejecutor del Contracto de Administracion (ECA RCA)- Peru; Federación Indígena Quechua del Pastaza (Fediquep)- Peru; Federación Nativa del Río Madre de Dios y Afluentes (FENAMAD)- Peru; Native Community of Alto Tamaya Saweto- Peru; Ninos de la Amazonia- Peru; Organización Regional de Pueblos Indígenas del Oriente (ORPIO)- Peru; Group Coalition Against Land Grabbing (CALG)- Phillipines; Standing Rock Sioux Tribe- United States.
Publications:	Annual and biennial project reports are published.
Purpose of the organization:	For close to 25 years, the Rainforest Fund, Incorporated (RFUND) has fulfilled its mandate of supporting Indigenous and traditional populations of the rainforest to protect their lands and livelihoods throughout Africa, Asia and Latin America. State and international policies that perpetually seek to usurp lands and resources that have sustained local peoples for centuries threaten Indigenous Peoples’ existence – it is RFUND’s mission to ensure that local people have a voice in the decisions that affect their ancestral and demarcated lands as their lives rely on them. Along with the protection of lands and resources through legal titles and recognition by the state, RFUND aims to protect Indigenous and traditional peoples’ human rights. We believe that local people are the stewards of their environments and should direct and effectuate their lives and progress. Our work rests on the belief that the beneficiaries of our projects should be empowered from within to learn, for example, how to build and maintain a water purification tank or how to manage their lands through GPS mapping for years to come. Indigenous peoples’ capacities to not only protect their rights and lands now, but to teach each other, their children and fellow communities how to sustain their traditions, cultures and livelihoods is of utmost importance.
Activities relevant to the conference of States Parties to the convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities:	None.
Confirmation of the activities of the organization at the regional, national or international level:	RFUND regularly produces project reports, some with testimonials from our partners in the field, to describe and report on annual programming. Additionally, our tax and audited financial statements are available to the public on our website.
A list of members of the governing body of the organization, and their countries of nationality:	Franca Sciuto, Italian/French; Gordon Matthew Sumner (Sting), British; Trudie Styler, British; Li Lu, American/Chinese; John-Paul Davidson, British; Mickey Sumner, American/British.
Description of the membership of the organization, indicating the total number of members:	We are not a membership organization, but our hundreds of supporters who make donations and follow our work hail internationally. Since Rainforest Fund’s inception, the decision to not have a membership structure is based on the simple fact that membership requires attention, information, and participation which entails increased staff within the organization, the creation of more structures and funding which would not go directly to the field. We have kept our organization small, resourceful and cost effective. All donations we receive go to the field to increase efficiency of Indigenous structures rather than our own, and to give to the Indigenous People the right tools to defend and protect their lands.

Advancement of Women

Affiliation with other organizations:	Partnerships with Indigenous communities and local organizations to support projects protecting human rights and environments of Indigenous People. Some organizations since obtaining status in 2014 include: Rainforest Foundation United Kingdom; Rainforest Foundation Norway; Rainforest Foundation United States; Cheque Oitedie- Bolivia; Confederation of Indigenous Peoples of Bolivia- Bolivia; Equipe de Conservacao da Amazonia (ECAM)- Brazil; Hutakara- Brazil; House of Pygmy Women and Children (MEFP), Centre for Environment and Development (CED), Reseau Ressources Naturelles (RRN)- Cameroon, Central African Republic, DRC; Bribri People and the Consejo Ditsö Iriria Ajkönuk Wakpa- Costa Rica; Environment, Resources Naturelles et Development (ERND)- DRC; Alliance Nationale d’Appui et de Promotion des Aires du Patrimoine Autochtone et Communautaire (ANAPAC)- DRC; Association de Lutte contre le SIDA et le Paludisme de la Cuvette Ouest (ALSPCO), Observatoire Congolais des Droits de l’Homme (OCDH), Comptoir Juridique Junior and Forum pour la Gouvernance et les Droits de l’Homme (FGDH)- DRC; Congo; Comptoir Juridique Junior, Groupe d’Action pour Sauver l’Homme et son Environnement (GASHE)- DRC; Congo; Ceibo Alliance- Ecuador; Frente de Defensa de la Amazonia and ClearWater- Ecuador; Brainforest; Maison de L’enfant et de la Femme Pygmee (MEFP), Community Legal Fieldworkers (CLFW)- Gabon; Central African Republic; North Pakaraimas District Council- Guyana; Papuan People’s Movement for Sustainability Institute (GEMAPALA)- Indonesia; Perkumpulan Nurani Perempuan (PNP)- Indonesia;Yayasan Citra Mandiri Mentawai (YCMM)- Indonesia; Yayasan Paradisea- Indonesia; Chepkitale Indigenous Peoples’ Development Project (CIPDP)- Kenya; Indigenous Peoples Network of Malaysia (JOAS)- Malaysia; Tenasserim River; Indigenous Peoples’ Networks (Trip-Net)- Myanmar; Congreso General del Territorio Ancestral Dule Tagarkunyal- Panama; Congreso General de Tierras Colectivas Embera y Wounaan (CGTCEW); Congreso Nacional del Pueblo Wounaan (CNPW)- Panama; Bismarck Ramu Group (BRG)- Papua New Guinea; La Asociación Interétnica de Desarrollo de la Selva Peruana (AIDESEP)- Peru; Ejecutor del Contracto de Administracion (ECA RCA)- Peru; Federación Indígena Quechua del Pastaza (Fediquep)- Peru; Federación Nativa del Río Madre de Dios y Afluentes (FENAMAD)- Peru; Native Community of Alto Tamaya Saweto- Peru; Ninos de la Amazonia- Peru; Organización Regional de Pueblos Indígenas del Oriente (ORPIO)- Peru; Group Coalition Against Land Grabbing (CALG)- Phillipines; Standing Rock Sioux Tribe- United States.
Publications:	Annual and biennial project reports are published.
Statements or documents submitted to the Commission on the Status of Women:	None.
Statements or documents submitted to the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women:	None.

Forests

Major group affiliation:	Indigenous People
Affiliation with other organizations:	Partnerships with Indigenous communities and local organizations to support projects protecting human rights and environments of Indigenous People. Some organizations since obtaining status in 2014 include: Rainforest Foundation United Kingdom; Rainforest Foundation Norway; Rainforest Foundation United States; Comunidad Viva- Bolivia; Confederation of Indigenous Peoples of Bolivia- Bolivia; Equipe de Conservacao da Amazonia (ECAM)- Brazil; Hutakara- Brazil; House of Pygmy Women and Children (MEFP), Centre for Environment and Development (CED), Reseau Ressources Naturelles (RRN)- Cameroon, Central African Republic, DRC; Bribri People and the Consejo Ditsö Iriria Ajkönuk Wakpa- Costa Rica; Environment, Resources Naturelles et Development (ERND)- DRC; Alliance Nationale d’Appui et de Promotion des Aires du Patrimoine Autochtone et Communautaire (ANAPAC)- DRC; Association de Lutte contre le SIDA et le Paludisme de la Cuvette Ouest (ALSPCO), Observatoire Congolais des Droits de l’Homme (OCDH), Comptoir Juridique Junior and Forum pour la Gouvernance et les Droits de l’Homme (FGDH)- DRC; Congo; Comptoir Juridique Junior, Groupe d’Action pour Sauver l’Homme et son Environnement (GASHE)- DRC; Congo; Ceibo Alliance- Ecuador; Frente de Defensa de la Amazonia and ClearWater- Ecuador; Brainforest; Maison de L’enfant et de la Femme Pygmee (MEFP), Community Legal Fieldworkers (CLFW)- Gabon; Central African Republic; North Pakaraimas District Council- Guyana; Papuan People’s Movement for Sustainability Institute (GEMAPALA)- Indonesia; Perkumpulan Nurani Perempuan (PNP)- Indonesia;Yayasan Citra Mandiri Mentawai (YCMM)- Indonesia; Yayasan Paradisea- Indonesia; Chepkitale Indigenous Peoples’ Development Project (CIPDP)- Kenya; Indigenous Peoples Network of Malaysia (JOAS)- Malaysia; Tenasserim River; Indigenous Peoples’ Networks (Trip-Net)- Myanmar; Congreso General del Territorio Ancestral Dule Tagarkunyal- Panama; Congreso General de Tierras Colectivas Embera y Wounaan (CGTCEW); Congreso Nacional del Pueblo Wounaan (CNPW)- Panama; Bismarck Ramu Group (BRG)- Papua New Guinea; La Asociación Interétnica de Desarrollo de la Selva Peruana (AIDESEP)- Peru; Ejecutor del Contracto de Administracion (ECA RCA)- Peru; Federación Indígena Quechua del Pastaza (Fediquep)- Peru; Federación Nativa del Río Madre de Dios y Afluentes (FENAMAD)- Peru; Native Community of Alto Tamaya Saweto- Peru; Ninos de la Amazonia- Peru; Organización Regional de Pueblos Indígenas del Oriente (ORPIO)- Peru; Group Coalition Against Land Grabbing (CALG)- Phillipines; Standing Rock Sioux Tribe- United States.
Affiliation with UN bodies:	RFUND keeps a very small staff and leaves our partners in the field to partner with United Nations agencies in their countries (some have worked with United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Children's Fund, the United Nations Human Rights Commission, the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations). For RFUND, it is important that our Indigenous partners be the main actors.
Publications:	Annual and biennial project reports are published.
Statements or documents submitted to the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF):	None.
UNFF newsletter	Yes

Public Administration and Development Management

Involvement in Public Administration:	None.
Publications:	Annual and biennial reports are published.

Informal regional network of NGOs

UN-NGO-IRENE Newsletter:

Yes

Office of the Special Adviser on Africa
Purpose:
Illustrative Project:

Other UN Entities

Accreditation with other UN Entities:

DPI