DR Congo
African Parks acknowledges multiple human rights violations in the Republic of Congo’s Odzala-Kokoua National Park
In a long-overdue move, African Parks has acknowledged human rights abuses committed against the Baka people in Odzala-Kokoua National Park in the Republic of Congo. These violations, reported years earlier by Survival International and Congolese civil society organisations,[1] highlight the persistent challenges facing Indigenous and local communities living around the Congo Basin’s strictly protected areas. … Read more
Civil Society Calls for Urgent Ban on Oil Exploration in Congo’s Conkouati-Douli National Park
As global attention turns to the Republic of Congo for the upcoming First Global Congress of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities of Forest Basins, Congolese and international civil society organisations have issued a statement demanding an immediate ban on oil and mining activities in the Conkouati-Douli National Park. The coalition has denounced the Congolese government’s … Read more
Carbon Markets and Our Rights: A Guide for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities
The voluntary carbon market is quickly evolving and being introduced in new territories, making it challenging to sort out who’s who and what the implications are for impacted communities. To support Indigenous communities and local communities to better understand carbon markets, our sister organisation Rainforest Foundation US has launched a six-part animated series to demystify … Read more
DRC government opens 52 oil blocks in the Cuvette Centrale peatlands, undermining green commitments
In a move that has sparked outrage among environmental and human rights campaigners, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has approved the opening of 52 new oil blocks in the Cuvette Centrale peatlands – the world’s largest terrestrial carbon sink and a critical ecosystem for biodiversity. The decision, announced during the Council of Ministers meeting … Read more
UK NGOs urge government to keep Forests Standing in Foreign Aid Budget
RFUK has come together with seven prominent UK-based environmental and human rights organisations in calling on the UK government to protect tropical forests from the recently announced foreign aid budget cuts. In a joint letter with Global Witness, Global Canopy, Earthsight, Forest Peoples Programme, Friends of the Earth, Fern and Mighty Earth, we appeal to … Read more
DRC Takes Important Step Towards Implementing Landmark Indigenous Peoples’ Law
Kinshasa, April 2025 – The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has officially launched a multi-stakeholder consultation framework to support the implementation of its landmark 2022 Law on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, through a Ministerial Order by the Ministry of the Interior, Security, Decentralisation and Customary Affairs, signed on … Read more
Reseau EDH meets with DRC Presidential Advisor on environmental issues
On 22 March, RFUK’s civil society organisation partners Network for the Environment and Human Rights (Réseau EDH) met with Tosi Mpanu Mpanu, Special Advisor to the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on Environment, Urbanism and Mobility, to discuss key environmental concerns. The meeting covered pressing issues such as the Kivu-Kinshasa Green … Read more
DRC announces creation of the world’s largest ‘community’ reserve: what needs to happen now
At the World Economic Forum in Davos, the DRC President Felix Tshisekedi has announced the creation of one of the world’s largest protected areas, covering more than 540,000 km² – an area the size of France. Stretching from Beni in the east of the country along the RN4 road and the Congo River basin to … Read more
BRIEFING: SUSTAINABLE CONSERVATION AND HUMAN RIGHTS
To find out more about RFUK’s Sustainable Conversation and Human Rights campaign, this briefing explains why conventional conservation models need to change, what needs to be done to effect this change and how RFUK and our local and Indigenous partners work on this issue.
RIGHTING WRONGS: HOW TO ENSURE GRIEVANCE MECHANISMS EFFECTIVELY SUPPORT COMMUNITIES IMPACTED BY PROTECTED AREAS IN THE CONGO BASIN
A new RFUK report highlights the continuing lack of protected area accountability in the Congo Basin.