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Inclusion at the heart of forest management in Madagascar: How people with disabilities contribute to nature conservation

Posted on 18 April 2025

Sustainable forest management is essential to preserve ecosystems and ensure the survival of communities that depend on them.

In Madagascar, this management relies on the participation of local communities, but a major challenge remains: ensuring genuine and equitable involvement of the entire population, including groups often excluded, such as people with disabilities.

WWF works closely with local communities to manage natural resources, especially forests, in a sustainable way. However, people with disabilities do not yet fully enjoy their right to participate in this management. Their exclusion is not only a social injustice but also a missed opportunity to improve forest conservation. This is why WWF is committed to including all stakeholders in forest management, from women's and youth associations to local authorities and people with disabilities. The organization firmly believes that every voice matters, and that the inclusion of all in forest management leads to more effective and equitable stewardship of natural resources.
People with disabilities, often left out of environmental initiatives, live in the same rural areas as their neighbors. They share the same natural environment and can play a key role in forest management and conservation. Their participation is not only a right but also a source of innovative solutions and fresh perspectives to enhance ecosystem sustainability.

In this context, community-based organizations autonomously manage their natural resources while taking into account the rights of people with disabilities in their actions. The Resilience for People and Biodiversity (R4PB) project supports this initiative by involving associations of people with disabilities to strengthen their participation in natural resource management and promote their inclusion in conservation efforts. WWF, in partnership with COPH (Collective of Organizations of People with Disabilities), organized a workshop to foster the participation of people with disabilities in forest management projects in Madagascar. This workshop brought together local stakeholders and community members to discuss ways to integrate people with disabilities into conservation strategies and identify barriers to their participation.

WWF's commitment goes beyond one-off actions. The goal is to implement sustainable solutions that enable every individual, regardless of their condition, to play a role in forest management and benefit from natural resources in a fair manner. For effective forest management in Madagascar, it is crucial that all members of the community, without exception, participate in environmental protection. This not only ensures social justice but also leads to more efficient and sustainable natural resource management.