UNDP Assists Indigenous People in Documenting the Impact of Climate Change
UNDP Assists Indigenous People in Documenting the Impact of Climate Change
The UN Development Programme (UNDP), under its Global Human Rights Strengthening Programme, is training the Baka indigenous peoples in Eastern Cameroon to use video cameras to document and monitor the impact of climate change on their livelihoods.
The initiative supports a community organization known as Okani, which means ‘rise up,’ founded by the Baka people. The Okani train indigenous communities in filming and storytelling techniques to record stories about their lives, experiences and lessons learned. The Baka’s first video provides evidence of how climate change is transforming their natural habitats and their livelihoods. Land degradation and desertification are reducing hunting and gathering activities, as well as fishing. The films produced by local and indigenous peoples will be made available through the internet. UNDP expects that the participatory videos will allow indigenous communities a greater voice, helping to link them to policy makers. Funds for the initiative are channeled through the Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme (GEF-SGP).
For information:
The Baka's first video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgerTDO4r6M
Basic information on Baka indigenous people:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baka_(Cameroon_and_Gabon)
http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baka_(popolazione)
http://www.pygmies.info/baka/pigmei-baka.html
