Reaching the Region

Building Regional Coherence for Socio-ecological Justice in the Indian Ocean

Countries: Mauritius

Partners: Centre for Alternative Research and Studies (CARES)

Allocated amount: DKK 1.999.821

Project start: 01/09/2022 Project end: 31/08/2025

Building on the success from The Rising Ocean, the aim of the proposed new intervention by Centre for Alternative Research and Studies (CARES) and Global Aktion (GA) is multifold and based on recent political developments in the region. 

Development objective:

The intervention’s overall aim is to contribute to the protection of environmental and human rights of local populations/communities in the Indian Ocean coastal region against foreign interference, privatisation, and ocean and coastal grabbing, whilst ensuring the people’s sovereignty.

Immediate objectives:

The intervention builds on three immediate objectives: 

1: The regional coalition of social movements and CSOs, the Indian Ocean People’s Coalition (IOPC), which is working to mobilise local communities in the region against social, political and ecological injustices, has increased in size (more members), developed strong common narratives, and increased its capacity for common strategizing.

2: CARES and the IOPC have mobilised broadly against the privatisation and enclosure agenda as a way of enhancing public participation in democratic processes regarding collective ownership of natural resources and advocacy for local/regional sovereignty.

3: CARES has mobilised local communities to seek justice for the victims of the Wakashio oil spill and spread the learnings from this case to the IOPC to put pressure on decision makers in the region to adjust legal frameworks on environmental pollution and holding responsible actors accountable.

Target groups:

1.The current and future members of the Indian Ocean People’s Coalition (IOPC). 2. Local communities and victims of the Wakashio oil spill. 3. The constituencies of the coalition members. 4. The broader public. 5. Policy makers in the region.

This project is organized by Indian Ocean-gruppen