LocationsPublic Disclosure of Social & Environmental Standards Documents
We are pleased to announce the public disclosure of the Social & Environmental Standards (SES) documents for the project "Development of Value Chains for Products Derived from Genetic Resources in Compliance with the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing and the National Biodiversity Economy Strategy."
This disclosure process provides an opportunity for stakeholders to review the documents and offer valuable feedback on the proposed environmental and social management measures for the project. The public disclosure period will be open for 120 days, starting from 20th December 2024. During this time, we encourage all interested parties—including community members, organizations, and individuals—to carefully review the documents and submit any comments or concerns they may have.
SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFEGUARDS FOR DISCLOSURE/PUBLIC COMMENTS
COMMENTS SHOULD BE SENT TO THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS
Your feedback is crucial to ensuring that the project is aligned with best practices for sustainability, inclusivity, and respect for local communities. All comments should be sent to the following email address: biotradeza@dffe.gov.za
We look forward to your participation in this important process, and thank you for your contribution to the success and accountability of the project.
SUBMIT A COMPLAINT TO THE PROJECT GRIEVANCE REDRESS MECHANISM (GRM)
WHAT TO INCLUDE IN THE COMPLAINT?
Name, telephone or mobile number, email, and other contact details (if acting on behalf of someone or a community, please include your organisation's details and identify the community you represent).
Indicate if you require your identity to be kept secret/confidentiality
Details of the UNDP project you want to complain about: name, area, and what the project is about.
How the project has affected or likely to affect the people or the environment
Details of efforts, including other dispute resolution processes already explored to resolve their concerns.
HOW CAN I SUBMIT THE COMPLAINT?
- Visit the Project Offices: DFFE, Private Bag X447, Pretoria, 0001, Environment House, 473 Steve Biko Road, Pretoria, 0002
- Call: 086 111 2468
- Email to: biotradeza@dffe.gov.za
For illiterate persons, a claim may be filed by a trusted representative. Claims may be submitted in all official languages of South Africa.
MANDATE OF THE GRM
This GRM will be applied to stakeholder complaints and grievances, perceived or actual, which relate to the activities of the project' development of value chains for products derived from genetic resources in compliance with the Nagoya Protocol on access and benefit sharing and the national biodiversity economy strategy' and its responsible partners (implementation partners) and contractors' activities in relation to project implementation. A complaint or grievance is an issue, concern, problem, or claim (perceived or actual) that an individual stakeholder or community group has related to the project and its responsible partners and contractors' operations and activities. The mechanism does not impede access to judicial or administrative resolutions.
ELIGIBILITY OF COMPLAINTS
Eligible Complaints
To be eligible for a project GRM response, the complaint must pertain to this project and its activities. In addition, the complaint must:
- Indicate how project activity(ies) have caused or contributed, or may cause or contribute to social or environmental harm
- Be made by a person or people (directly or through an authorised representative) who could plausibly be affected by the harm(s) referenced in the complaint.
If further information is needed to determine eligibility, the GRM should seek such information from the complainant before making an eligibility determination.
Non-eligible Complaints
- Any complaint that is found by the project to have been filed fraudulently or maliciously.
- Complaints relating to projects that are not the described above project.
- Complaints by people or groups who have already raised the same issue with respect to the same project and received a GRM response, unless significant new information is available or there has been a significant change in circumstances.
- Anonymous complaints.
ALTERNATIVES TO RAISE A COMPLAINT
The complainant has the option to bring the complaint directly to:
- UNDP Country Office Stakeholder Response Mechanism
- Visit the UNDP South Africa offices at 351 Francis Baard Street, UN House Level 08, Metropark Building
- Call, SMS or WhatsApp: 063 409 4761
- Email to srm.za@undp.org
Details on the SRM are available on the UNDP South Africa website.
- UNDP Social and Environmental Compliance Unit, if the complaint is related to UNDP social and environmental standards non-compliance:
- Email: secuhotline@undp.org
- Details on the SECU process are available on UNDP's website.
PROTECTION OF THE COMPLAINANTS FROM RETALIATION
The project GRM seeks to identify, reduce, and address the risk of retaliation and reprisals against people who may seek information on and participation in project activities, express concerns and/or access project-level grievance redress processes/mechanisms. To minimise the risk of retaliation, the SRM will:
- maintain confidentiality of complainants' identities when requested.
- respond to complainant concerns or reports about retaliation; and ensure that an individual or group of individuals can freely exercise their rights to use any other complaint mechanisms under national or international law or the rules and regulations of other institutions, agencies, or commissions that they may otherwise have access to and wish to pursue, and it should be explicitly communicated that the existence and use of this SRM does not replace those mechanisms.
GMR FOR DISCLOSURE