A/71/229 recognition of, and respect for, their rights. As stated by Conservation International, “stewards of some of the most biodiverse places on Earth, indigenous peoples play a unique and invaluable role in conserving nature’s vital resources and they often draw on their own traditional knowledge to design management practices that are best suited for their lands”. 38 The Special Rapporteur also held consultations with indigenous peoples on the theme. 45. IUCN has, through its World Conservation Congress, adopted numerous resolutions affirming indigenous peoples’ rights; however, each individual IUCN member organization designs and implements their own internal policies and guidelines. The majority of the large conservation organizations have adopted specific policies on indigenous peoples’ rights, and several have developed specific guidelines on how to implement free, prior and informed consent in their projects. The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) was the first international conservation organization to adopt principles on indigenous peoples’ rights, already in 1996. 46. Most conservation organizations recognize that additional resources are needed for the dissemination of policies and for training of staff at the national level in order to advance the practical application of policies and guidelines on indigenous peoples’ rights. Furthermore, monitoring of compliance and progress in advancing indigenous peoples’ rights in practice still remains sorely lacking in many conservation organizations. Without such indicators, assessments of progress cannot be properly undertaken and transparency regarding how i ndigenous peoples’ rights are promoted in practice will remain deficient. 47. Among the key challenges reported by conservation organizations in advancing in implementation at the national level are non -conducive political and legal settings in which indigenous peoples are not recognized. However, given the powerful position of conservation organizations vis-à-vis authorities in developing countries with weak rule of law, they should use their leverage better and more affirmatively in order to influence national authorities and advocate for legislative reform, the application of free, prior and informed consent and the restitution of ancestral lands of indigenous peoples. As indigenous rights to customary lands, territories and natural resources have yet to be effectively recognized in numerous countries, conservation organizations can play a key role in supporting indigenous peoples in such endeavours and encourage dialogue with authorities to this end. It is thus a positive development that several conservation organizations indicate that they are undertaking such efforts in numerous countries. The Special Rapporteur, however, urges that such engagement be significantly expanded to support legal and policy shifts in countries which still fail to recognize in digenous peoples’ rights. 48. Examples of best practice reported include the mapping exercise facilitated by IUCN in Central America, which identified that the bulk of remaining forests and marine resources are within or bordering indigenous traditional la nds. According to IUCN, the initiative provided a clear indication of the value and importance of supporting indigenous rights and tenure to meet conservation goals. WWF Indonesia states that, over the past five years, it has moved from including work with indigenous peoples under conservation targets to making it a specific target in itself, notably through working directly with indigenous peoples to document and integrate their territories in government plans, with a view to building stronger recognition of __________________ 38 16-13163 Conservation International submission to the Special Rapporteur, 3 May 2016. 17/25