There are strong linkages between biodiversity conservation and human health, the health of domestic animals, wildlife health, and ecosystem health. ABCG implements and promotes effective approaches that integrate biodiversity with actions that contribute to improved global health. Through the Population, Health and Environment (PHE) working group, we have built and continue to support multi-sectoral partnerships to ensure biodiversity conservation and human wellbeing outcomes are achieved in tandem.

PHE approaches can take many forms, and in general involve conservation and health organizations partnering to deliver voluntary family planning and reproductive health (FP/RH) services in remote areas with high biodiversity. The goal of these projects is to engage communities living in and around biodiversity hotspots in activities that integrate livelihoods, food security and natural resource management with improved access to health services including Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), nutrition, and a range of other services. The projects helped local communities and policymakers understand the relationship between having healthy families with an improved stewardship of natural resources.

Our research provides an evidence base of successful examples that integrate biodiversity indicators into conservation and development planning. This working group, including CI, JGI and WWF, is focusing on two strategic approaches to achieve its goals.

Ensure understanding and engagement of donors and policy makers to integrate gender-responsive PHE approaches into their future programming for improved conservation outcomes.
Promote PHE best practices and projects at national and regional scales, based on field lessons garnered by WWF US and partners in southern Cameroon and JGI and partners in Western Tanzania

Throughout these activities, the inclusion of women and marginalized populations, such as the poor and youth, in decision-making processes is particularly important in relation to health and ecosystem services, and a key component of piloting and promoting best practices in PHE activities.