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The “Countering wildlife trafficking in South Asia region through the wildlife crime prevention framework” project aims to counter illegal wildlife trafficking in South Asia regions through capacity building, enhanced regional cooperation and providing effective tools and technologies. South Asia is a major source and transit hub for illegal wildlife trade, however, limited capacities both in terms of the awareness of the law enforcement agencies on legislations related to wildlife as well as inadequate technical capacities for detection, investigation and prosecution of wildlife crimes, limited tools and technologies, and lack of coordination across the countries remains as some of the major challenges to countering illegal trade and related wildlife crimes. Therefore, the project seeks to strengthen the capacities of the law enforcement agencies in effective countering of illegal trade and wildlife crimes through various capacity building programs at the regional and national level. The projects activities are also designed to enhance the regional cooperation across the South Asian Wildlife Enforcement Networks (SAWEN) countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka during which different law enforcement agencies such as investigator and prosecutor will come together to share and understand the issues and challenges and also discuss the way forward for better coordination across the country as well as amongst the inter-agencies level.
Objectives
1. Build investigative and enforcement functions to target the transit of wildlife products.
2. Increase interdiction of the illegal trade of wildlife
3. Enhance prosecutorial and judicial capacity to prosecute traffickers
4. Coordinate cross-border coordination and information sharing to investigate networks of wildlife trafficking
Project approach
The project interventions are mainly focused on building the capacity of law enforcement agencies for effective interdiction, investigation and prosecution of wildlife crimes through regional level capacity building trainings and workshop for the SAWEN countries. The knowledge and learnings from the regional level trainings and workshops is further instituted at the local level through national level trainings and awareness workshops. The project activities will not only enhance the technical capacity of the law enforcement agencies but also strengthen coordination and collaboration amongst different agencies both at the regional and national level for effective countering of wildlife-related crimes. The technical capacity of the enforcement agencies is further complemented with leveraging of appropriate tools and technologies for increased interdiction, detection and monitoring of wildlife crimes.
Geographic coverage
The project is being implemented through the WWF network office of Bhutan, India and Nepal and the activities are implemented across the SAWEN countries with special focus in Bhutan, India and Nepal.
Partners
The Department of Forest and Park Services is the primary project partners for Bhutan. The project also partners with the Jigme Singye Wangchuck School of Law for carrying out awareness workshops related to wildlife legislation for the judiciaries and hotspots communities where wildlife crimes and illegal wildlife trade are prominent. SAWEN has been the primary partner in terms of bringing together the participation of the SAWEN member countries for the regional level training and workshops.
Implementing partners
1. WWF Bhutan.
2. Department of Forests and Park Services, MoENR, Bhutan
3. Jigme Singye Wangchuck School of Law, Pangbisa, Paro
4. SAWEN
Working to sustain the natural world for the benefit of people and nature