Locally-Led Sustainable Development: Insights and Recommendations from GLA partners

Learning sessions with civil society organisations (CSOs) from eleven countries on the topic of locally-led sustainable development - where ‘local’ refers to levels varying from community to municipality to subnational - yielded the following insights and recommendations: 1. Value local knowledge and wisdom Local knowledge, rooted in generations of lived experience, is foundational, like roots to a tree. It shapes values, practices, and customs across all phases of locally-led initiatives. Recognise Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IP&LCs) as the true experts; adapt your methods to learn from them. Respect the diverse forms in which knowledge is expressed. Integrate Indigenous and local knowledge into project design, indicators, and reporting. 2. Prioritise basic needs and secure livelihoods Basic needs and secure livelihoods are not a luxury, they are the soil without which nothing can grow. Without them, long-term goals like forest protection remain out of reach. Prioritise urgent needs like food, shelter, and safety while introducing sustainability frameworks. Support initiatives that emerge from within the community, especially for marginalised groups. Leave room for immediate needs and urgencies. 3. Advance inclusion through practice True growth means moving in step with communities, honoring local customs, and uplifting marginalised voices such as women, youth, and elders. Adapt to the lived experience of marginalised groups Recognise that participation and inclusivity may differ from mainstream practices. Allow for an ample time frame needed for a thorough process. 4. Context matters: no one-size-fits-all Locally-led approaches must reflect unique ecological, cultural, and social conditions - and be adaptable as these conditions change over time. Support IP&LCs in creating their own methodologies, tools, processes, and indicators that reflect their own unique context and values. Treat locally-led initiatives as living systems that can evolve with time, shifting conditions, and community needs. Locally-Led Sustainable Development | Page 1 Photo: DRC © Paul Villaespesa/IUCN NL 5. CSOs can act as bridges CSOs can connect IP&LCs with external actors, amplifying voices and protecting space for self determination. Increase awareness on rights, and link to international law. Support community-decision making, ensuring space and time for dialogue. Ensure safety and security for both CSO staff and communities. Promote fair and transparent consultation processes. Safeguard land and cultural rights in alignment with legal frameworks (e.g. UNDRIP). 6.Strengthen collective voice Like a forest canopy, strong networks foster resilience and influence. Support trusted local leaders -especially women and youth- to build (intergenerational) networks. Facilitate inter-community exchanges and dialogues that deepen solidarity and shared strategies. Create spaces for communities to collectively advocate and negotiate with external actors. Invest in long-term support for network building. 7. Rethink funding mechanisms Shifts in funding structures are essential for moving forward with locally-led sustainable development. Invest in long-term flexible funding Simplify access to resources for local actors Align funding with community priorities

FINAL25.11.GLA-Locally-Led-Sustainable-Development.-1.pdf

Locally-Led conservation action  

Nature's Heartbeat Website

In the Nature's Heartbeat programme, we are working towards a world where conservationists are firmly embedded in the global conservation movement, with trust-based funding as the foundation. In this programme, we start in different landscapes across five countries, where we work with approximately 30 local conservationists and their organisations to protect Key Biodiversity Areas. Our approach: nature conservation by and with local communities, who understand their landscape like no one else and know what really works.