Nominations should be submitted to Iben Munck at iben.iucn.ceesp@gmail.com and should include a cover letter and a curriculum vitae. Self-nominations, and nominations of other people, are both permitted, but nominations of others should include a statement as to whether the person in question has agreed to serve, if appointed.

SPICEH, at its core, has a focus to deepen awareness, provide analysis, and offer recommendations for conservation that take into account indigenous peoples’ distinct human rights as it relates to their environment, lands, territories, and natural resources.  For indigenous peoples, their human rights are not separate from their lands and environment, therefore environmental and human rights must be fully integrated in all aspects of work.  The emphasis of the Specialist Group has been to contribute in the development of improved conservation practices with indigenous peoples, based on the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and linking it to existing IUCN commitments and mandates to ensure concrete recommendations for a rights-based approach - with specific emphasis on indigenous peoples' human rights within conservation.  

The terms of reference of the Chair/Co-Chairs are:

·       To provide overall strategic leadership of the SPICEH, and to expand the network so that it can deliver strategic direction.

·       To develop a work programme for the SPICEH in close collaboration with the Chairs of CEESP and TGER, with relevant Secretariat Programmes (both regional and thematic) and other commissions, where appropriate

·       To ensure close integration with the work of relevant CEESP Themes and Specialist Groups.

·       To raise funding for the work of the SPICEH in collaboration with the Chairs of CEESP and the TGER, and with relevant IUCN Secretariat Programmes (both regional and thematic).

·       To represent CEESP when agreed in the wider IUCN, at key meetings, and to promote the issues of SPICEH both within and beyond IUCN.

·       To provide regular reports on the work of the SPICEH to the Chairs of CEESP and the TGER.

·       Provide technical information for IUCN and/or CEESP contributions to international conventions (e.g. World Heritage, UNCBD, UNCCD, UNFCCC, etc.)

·       To recommend to the Chairs of CEESP and the TGER on longer term options for collaboration across IUCN Commission and with indigenous partners

While developing the full work programme of SPICEH, it will be the responsibility of the appointed Chair(s) to carryout the following tasks:

• monitor, report and engage on the implementation of relevant WCC resolutions, such as motion 80, in conjunction with WCPA and IUCN’s Mesoamerican office (ORMACC) on System of categories for indigenous collective management areas in Central America among others
• collaborate with key CEESP Themes to profile and progress SPICEH issues
• collaborate with WCPA and others on the implementation of outputs from 2014 World Parks Congress’s Promise of Sydney focusing on Stream 7: Respecting Indigenous Knowledge and Culture
• provide technical input into IUCN Knowledge Baskets, People in Nature (PiN) and the Natural Resource Governance Framework, and to both the Greenlist Standards and World Heritage Process, where appropriate
• collaborate with TGER Chair and UN Special Rapporteurs on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and Environment and Human Rights to engage on recent reports and develop a platform for dialogue and best practice and to addressing finding in reports.

SPICEH activities should utlimate contribute to supporting the CEEPS Mandate and contribute to the implementation CEESP Strategic Plan for 2016-2020

All appointments as CEESP Thematic Chairs, Regional Vice Chairs, Specialist Groups Chairs and Taskforce leads are subject the BYLAWS of the IUCN Commission on Environment, Economic and Social Policy