17 August 2015: The UN Collaborative Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries (UN-REDD) and the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) have developed a joint guidance note that proposes an approach to strengthening in-country capacity for grievance resolution activities to be carried out during the readiness phase of projects on reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries, including the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks (REDD+).

Titled ‘Establishing and Strengthening Grievance Redress Mechanisms,’ the guidance note aims to help countries involved in REDD+ projects strengthen their capacity for grievance resolution in order to respond to contentious issues, complaints and disputes. A national feedback and grievance redress mechanism is an important aspect of national institutional arrangements, since the introduction of REDD+ in participating countries is likely to have a significant impact on the dynamics of conflicts over forest resources, and on land, oil, gas, minerals and other valuable resources in forested areas.

A grievance redress mechanism needs to be available from the earliest stages of readiness implementation in order to facilitate handling of any request for feedback or complaint by any REDD+ readiness stakeholder, with particular attention to providing access to geographically, culturally or economically isolated or excluded groups.

The note includes sections on: the definition, purpose and typical structure of a grievance redress mechanism; what principles should guide its design; grievance redress mechanisms and the REDD+ readiness phase; and the establishment and strengthening of such mechanisms in the REDD+ readiness phase. Two annexes included a grievance redress mechanism evaluation tool and information on assessing and strengthening national grievance redress mechanisms. [Publication: Joint FCPF/UN-REDD Programme Guidance Note for REDD+ Countries: Establishing and Strengthening Grievance Redress Mechanisms]