IR Global & Sinchi: working to make a difference

IR Global founding philosophy is based on making a positive difference in the business world and to instigate meaningful social impact.

For this purpose, in 2015, the founder of IR, Tom Wheeler created a charity called the Sinchi Foundation that focuses on Indigenous rights, the preservation of cultural and the protection of nature.

Over the years, IR has been proud to sponsor and collaborate with members through multiple initiatives to achieve tangible results. Addressing human rights violations, illegal actions in the Amazon and providing the tools / resources to those on the frontlines of protecting the environment.

The network in action

Unser globales Netzwerk unterstützt Sinchi bei der Erreichung seiner Ziele durch;

Unser Programm "Eine abrechenbare Stunde". Beitragende Mitglieder spenden den finanziellen Gegenwert einer Beratungsstunde pro Jahr. Die gesammelten Mittel werden an von Einheimischen geführte Projekte verteilt.
Access to Justice; Creation of Forest Guardians sponsorship model. IR member firms directly supporting Indigenous communities with the tools and resources needed to defend their territories.
Vermittlung der Geschichten indigener Völker und der wichtigen Rolle, die sie beim Schutz der biologischen Vielfalt spielen. Sensibilisierung und Verstärkung der Stimmen derjenigen, die es am meisten brauchen.
Einbindung/Verbindung von Kunden mit unseren Initiativen; Schaffung einer Gemeinschaft von gleichgesinnten Einzelpersonen und Unternehmen auf der ganzen Welt zum Zwecke der Zusammenarbeit.

Wenn Sie mehr erfahren möchten, wenden Sie sich bitte an [email protected].

Über

Weltweit gibt es schätzungsweise 370 Millionen indigene Völker, die in 90 Ländern leben. Sie machen weniger als 5 % der Weltbevölkerung aus, stellen 15 % der Ärmsten, schützen aber über 80 % der biologischen Vielfalt der Welt.

Sie sprechen eine überwältigende Mehrheit der schätzungsweise 7.000 Sprachen der Welt und repräsentieren 5.000 verschiedene Kulturen. Bis heute haben sie sich soziale, kulturelle, wirtschaftliche und politische Merkmale bewahrt, die sich von denen der dominanten Gesellschaften, in denen sie leben, unterscheiden.

Seit Jahrhunderten bemühen sie sich um die Anerkennung ihrer Identität, ihrer Lebensweise und ihres Rechts auf traditionelles Land und natürliche Ressourcen, doch im Laufe der Geschichte wurden ihre Rechte immer wieder von Kolonialmächten, der Rohstoffindustrie und anderen Formen der Ausbeutung verletzt.

Ihre Widerstandsbewegungen und Hilferufe wurden allzu oft ignoriert, weshalb wir uns zusammenschließen müssen. Sowohl für den Schutz dieser marginalisierten Kulturen, des Erbes, das sie repräsentieren, als auch für den Schutz der Umwelt, für die gesamte Menschheit!

Treesistance Initiative

Treesistance was launched in 2023 as a new platform for the foundations work in the Amazon.

Treesistance is a movement and an impact blueprint centered on the protection of the Amazon and other tropical forests of the world. Working at the intersection where Indigenous knowledge and science meet. We create disruptive models that have long lasting tangible impact. The mission to revolutionise forest crime prevention, the protection of global biodiversity and how the world interacts with nature.

Treesistance distributes resources directly to the Indigenous people on the frontlines of the climate battle. All activities are Indigenous-Led and ran in consultation with the relevant Indigenous representative bodies in the region. Our mission is to stop the destruction of primary rainforest, protect biodiversity and uphold human rights.

Read More Via the Website.

Access to Justice and the Forest Guardians Model

The access for justice model was created by Dr. Tim Boekhout van Solinge, the Head of Forest Crime Prevention for the Treesistance. Tim is a criminologist specialised in forest and wildlife crime, illegal markets, and rule of law. He is a UN consultant and a research fellow at the Erasmus University Rotterdam and UFOPA University in Brazil. He has been active in the Brazilian Amazon since 2003. It comprising of 3 parts;

Demarcating lands / Land Rights

Depending on the situation/land rights status of the community, they may first need to demarcate and make the necessary land right claims through the courts. This can be a long process, however the good news is when a land claim is processed in the court, it automatically freezes the land which makes it illegal for any extractive industry to continue cutting down the forest. In most cases the claim should be accepted (the Brazilian constitution upholds Indigenous peoples rights).

This first step is essential to prove the illegality of deforestation by individuals or corporations extracting resources.

Formation of Indigenous Forest Guardians

Each group of Forest Guardians consists of many members. Both male and female and ranging from the chief to teachers to students. They are provided training by Chief Dadá and his team (Indigenous peer to peer training) in using the technical equipment, de-escalation / safe confrontational techniques and safety. The amount of people here is vital as they need to outnumber those encroaching illegally. One person will take pictures with the GPS camera to take evidence of illegal activities, the location (gps provides exact coordinators for federal police) whilst the other members are spread out and documenting the exchange with mobile cameras for security.

The emphasis here is protection through prevention. This is the best deterrent and method to stop deforestation.

Access to Justice – Relationship Development with public prosecutors and federal police.

Perhaps the most important but often overlooked part is action/implementation. Showing illegality, monitoring deforestation, and even building evidence doesn’t mean anything if the evidence is not acted upon. And this requires the backing and support of strong institutions.

Our Strategies have been developed with public prosecutors, federal police and legal collectives on the ground over the last decade and ensure that when illegal activity is documented, the necessary action will be taken. This may involve federal police for removal and arrests to the appropriate legal actions to remove permits to hold larger corporations accountable.

Accountability is essential in ensuring not just to stop current activities but to highlight that these acts will not go unpunished.

Sponsors

A special thanks to the headline sponsors of this initiative who have provided funding for 6 new Forest Guardian units in different territories to be created.