Conservation International’s Indigenous Leaders Conservation Fellowship: 2014-2015 ANNOUNCEMENT The Indigenous Leaders Conservation Fellowship creates opportunities for leaders from indigenous and traditional peoples communities and organizations in East Africa, Asia (Mekong Delta & Indonesia), and the Amazon Basin. The fellowships are co-sponsored by regional indigenous organizations: Indigenous Peoples of Africa Coordination Committee (IPACC), Asian Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP), and Coordinadora de las Organizaciones Indígenas de la Cuenca Amazónica (COICA) in the Amazon Basin. Through research and/or on-the ground activities, fellows will contribute to local solutions and all levels of policy decision-making. This year, the fellowship will focus on the following themes: 1. How traditional knowledge can contribute to biodiversity conservation and/or climate change adaptation and mitigation 2. Gender dynamics and/or women’s empowerment within natural resource management (NRM) and traditional knowledge Fellowship details This nine month-long fellowship (September 2014 – May 2015) will be offered to three fellows, one from each region (East Africa, Asia, and Amazon Basin). One fellowship will focus on traditional knowledge/climate change/biodiversity, while two will focus on gender dynamics/women’s empowerment in NRM/traditional knowledge. The fellow will design a research project and produce a final report that contributes to one of the two themes above. Each research project should incorporate the contribution of traditional knowledge and practices. To accomplish this research project, each fellow will work directly with her/his own community or local indigenous/traditional organization. The final report may be published by Conservation International. Who can apply? 1. Applicants must be a member of an indigenous/traditional community and/or organization within East Africa, Asia, or the Amazon Basin. 2. Fellows must choose between the two themes: (1) Traditional knowledge, climate change and biodiversity conservation, OR (2) Gender dyanamics and/or women’s empowerment within natural resource management (NRM) and traditional knowledge. Recommendations for each theme include: Theme 1: Applicants should focus proposals in the following areas through the lens of traditional knowledge: climate change adaptation and/or mitigation, management of community conserved lands/indigenous territories and/or community managed marine areas, or development of community protocols.

Theme 2: Applicants should focus proposals in the following areas: gender dynamics in environmental decision-making, sustainable agriculture, land tenure, food security, traditional knowledge, climate change mitigation and adaptation. 3. There are no age or gender limitations to this fellowship. 4. You must be flexible and able to travel nationally and internationally. 5. This fellowship is intended for individuals who have the ability to write reports and keep good financial records; however the highest level of education should not exceed a Bachelor’s degree. 6. You must have some access to communication (e.g. phone, e-mail, etc.) on a frequent basis.

Additional requirements In selecting the fellows, the review committee will consider an array of experiences and educational backgrounds of applicants, and will consider who would benefit greatly from additional exposure, training and resources to grow and become a leader/expert in their identified theme. The fellows should also have advanced knowledge of the community/organization activities, such as an understanding of the land and territories and natural resources management where traditional knowledge is applied. The fellow must be committed to sharing their learning with the sponsoring community or organization, involving community members or organization staff in the research work where possible and appropriate. The fellow must also conduct at least 2 meetings with the sponsoring community/organization, one to present the research plan and one to report on the results of the work. Finally, fellowship candidates are required to obtain a letter of nomination support signed by the president of the community/organization. Benefits 1. A nine month-long fellowship, which can include a monthly stipend, for each fellow to work with her/his sponsoring community/organization. 2. Special training/capacity building activities with a recognized institution for each fellow based on identified needs. 3. Support for participation in national and international meetings that address related issues. 4. Access to participate in the activities of national and regional indigenous organizations. 5. Access to CI staff members working on similar themes, in addition to key CI partners. 6. A meeting and presentation at CI headquarters in Arlington, VA, as well as participation in the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in New York City (May 2015) Selection Process The selection committee will interview finalists by phone or skype the weeks of July 15th-31st, 2014. The fellowship recipients will be announced August 1st, 2014 and fellows will begin on or after September 1, 2014. How to apply? Deadline for application is June 15th, 2014. Please include the following in the application packet: 1. CV or resume of the applicant with a copy of personal identification 2. A nomination letter from the sponsoring community and/or indigenous organization. 3. A project proposal, following the proposal guidelines

4. Proposed budget worksheet The nomination letter and the project proposal should both clearly state “Indigenous Leaders Conservation Fellowship”. In the subject of the e-mail, please clearly indicate which theme you are targeting: (1) Traditional knowledge, climate change, biodiversity or (2) Gender dynamics, women’s empowerment, NRM and traditional knowledge. Please send all materials by June 15th 2014 to [email protected], attached either as a Word document or a pdf file. Applications received after this date will not be considered. Questions? Johnson Cerda Indigenous Advisor, Indigenous and Traditional Peoples Program Conservation International [email protected]