KESAN is a community-based, non-governmental, non-profit organization that works to improve livelihood security and to gain respect for indigenous people’s knowledge and rights in Karen State of Burma, where the violence and inequities of more than 60 years of civil war have created one of the most impoverished regions in the world.KESAN’s approach to the development of sustainable rural livelihoods is based on principles of democratization from below and “Free, Prior and Informed Consent.” We survey, carry out capacity building and facilitate dialogue to mobilize and empower local communities, leaders, organizations and policy makers who can then make better-informed development decisions.
Mission
- To secure Karen lands and sustainable livelihoods
- To create a durable and equitable peace
- To build climate resilience
- To advocate for gender equity
- To instill respect for biodiverse environments and for the Karen communities that live within them
- To assist displaced people seeking to rebuild their lives
Objectives
- To assist in securing access to lands, water, forests, and the agricultural biodiversity that is the basis of Karen people’s lives.
- To support improved livelihood capabilities and resilience for displaced and local communities.
- To strengthen and inform civil society networks that advocate for good environmental governance.
- To advocate for local, state and national policies and practices that safeguard the environment and the rights of local people while protecting against unsustainable and harmful development.