Speaker; Sandra McGuire, Communications Specialist. More than 2 billion of the world’s people live in, and depend on, forests and drylands. These areas cover roughly half of the earth’s surface and store 70% of the planet’s terrestrial carbon. Among these billions of people are the Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities who live on and manage approximately 65 percent of the world’s land area in customary or traditional systems. Despite existing laws that secure their rights, rarely do Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities have formally recognized ownership of their land. These rights are contested, often leading to human rights abuses and environmental degradation. Clarifying and securing forest and land tenure supports global development and environmental goals, including securing the rights of women and girls. http://thetenurefacility.org/