Forests for a just future
The Green Livelihoods Alliance (GLA) was a strategic partnership between Milieudefensie, Gaia Amazonas, IUCN National Committee of the Netherlands (IUCN NL), Non-timber forest products – exchange programme (NTFP-EP), Sustainable Development Institute (SDI) and Tropenbos International (TBI) with technical partners Fern and Women Engage for a Common Future (WECF). The programme was funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs Directoraat Generaal Internationale Samenwerking (DGIS) through the DSO Power of Voices policy framework, in partnership with the Inclusive Green Growth (IGG) department.
The GLA implemented the Forests for a Just Future (FfJF) programme from January 2021 to December 2025 and had the long-term goal of ensuring that tropical forests and forest landscapes are sustainably and inclusively governed to mitigate and adapt to climate change, fulfil human rights and safeguard local livelihoods. It aimed to increase the participation of Indigenous people and local communities (IP&LCs), including women and youth, in policy and decision making regarding their (land) rights and forest governance; and to strengthen lobby and advocacy efforts to hold governments and agro-commodity, extractives, energy and infrastructure industries accountable for deforestation and human rights violations. The programme built on and extended the GLA Forested Landscapes for Equity programme that ran from 2016 until 2020.
The programme’s Theory of Change (ToC) took an intersectional and gender transformative approach and revolves around three mutually reinforcing pathways of change:
- Pathway A: Strengthening inclusive and sustainable IP&LC governance and management over increased areas of forest;
- Pathway B: Government and agro-commodities, extractives, energy and infrastructure sectors no longer drive deforestation; and
- Pathway C: Citizens enjoy human and women’s rights and safely participate in social movements.
To reach our goals, the alliance collaborated with over 70 civil society organisations (CSOs), IP&LCs, women’s organisations and social movements in 11 countries in South America, Africa, and Asia, as well as internationally. Recognising the risks faced by these collectives, the programme paid particular attention to ensuring the operational space and security of IP&LC leaders, CSO activists, and (women) environmental human rights defenders ((W)EHRDs).
For more information concerning the FfJF programme, please contact:
