Access to information and participation in the elaboration of national action plans (articles 9 and 10)

In the elaboration of their national action plans Parties shall facilitate access by local populations to appropriate information. Parties shall provide for effective participation at the local, national and regional levels of non-governmental organizations and local populations, both women and men, particularly resource users, including farmers and pastoralists and their representative organizations, in policy planning, decision-making, and implementation and review of national action programmes.

Information exchange (article 16)

The Parties agree to coordinate in the exchange of relevant information to ensure systematic observation of land degradation in affected areas and to help accomplish early warning and advance planning for periods of adverse climatic variation in a form suited for practical application by users at all levels, including especially local populations. They shall also, subject to their respective national legislation and/or policies, exchange information on local and traditional knowledge, ensuring adequate protection for it and providing appropriate return from the benefits derived from it, on an equitable basis and on mutually agreed terms, to the local populations concerned.

Participation in decision making/ gender (articles 3 and 5)

In order to achieve the objective of this Convention and to implement its provisions, the Parties shall be guided, inter alia, by the following: the Parties should ensure that decisions on the design and implementation of programmes to combat desertification and/or mitigate the effects of drought are taken with the participation of populations and local communities and that an enabling environment is created at higher levels to facilitate action at national and local levels.

Under the provisions of the Convention Parties undertake to promote awareness and facilitate the participation of local populations, particularly women and youth, with the support of nongovernmental organizations, in efforts to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought.

Public participation in research and development (article 17.1f)

The Parties undertake, according to their respective capabilities, to promote technical and scientific cooperation in the fields of combating desertification and mitigating the effects of drought. To this end they shall support research activities that promote the conduct of joint research programmes between national, sub-regional, regional and international research organizations, in both the public and private sectors, for the development of improved, affordable and accessible technologies for sustainable development through effective participation of local populations and communities.

Capacity building, education and public awareness (article 19)

Teh parties shall promote capacity building through, among others, the full participation at all levels of local people, particularly at the local level, especially women and youth, with the cooperation of non-governmental and local organizations ; fostering the use and dissemination of the knowledge, know-how and practices of local people in technical cooperation programmes, wherever possible.

The Parties shall cooperate with each other and through competent intergovernmental organizations, as well as with non-governmental organizations, in undertaking and supporting public awareness and educational programmes. To that end, they shall: organize awareness campaigns for the general public; promote, on a permanent basis, access by the public to relevant information, and wide public participation in education and awareness activities; encourage the establishment of associations that contribute to public awareness; develop and exchange educational and public awareness material, where possible in local languages.