We welcome the findings of an independent evaluation report of our multi-year programme to embed human rights in our work and strengthen our approach to inclusive conservation.

This report is written by an external team, and assesses progress against our commitments at the outset of this programme.

Several years ago, allegations were raised about human rights abuses by government rangers and other law enforcement agents in and around protected areas where we work. As a result, we commissioned an Independent Panel to scrutinize WWF’s response to these allegations. Subsequently, and building upon work that was already underway, we developed the multi-year programme as outlined in our Management Response, and committed to annual updates. Our third and final update, published in early 2024, can be found here. We also committed to an external assessment at the end of the third year, and this has now been published. 

It confirms that by March 2024, we had implemented an estimated 93% of our commitments made at the start of the programme, with communities seeing and feeling the improvements from our efforts on the ground.

We are particularly pleased to see the evaluation’s authors recognize that we are more united than ever in how we carry out our mission. They write that “commitment and dedication to inclusive conservation represent WWF’s paramount strength at all levels.”

The evaluation also identifies areas where we continue to push for progress, which often involves navigating the different interests of diverse stakeholders in challenging circumstances. We believe we have made strong progress, but we also know that delivering inclusive conservation is an ongoing process, and we are dedicated to continuous learning and improvement. Vigilance and determination will both be required to address the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. People and nature can only thrive through harmonious coexistence and WWF is fully committed to this overarching vision.