This is the first year that Natural Justice has officially moved from a directorship form of governance to a more horizontal approach. After two years of discussions, led by our Board, we have become an Association managed by a Coordinating Committee. The move is aligned with our overall philosophy of providing equal opportunities and being open to new ideas.
The overall shift in governance is mirrored in the increasing geographic reach of the organization that now has a presence on three continents. This year saw the Cape Town office increase in its capabilities, the Indian office hire two more lawyers and an American lawyer join the New York office.
This geographic spread is allowing us to further our work at every level. Locally, Natural Justice is coordinating the African and Asian regional initiatives on biocultural community protocols, as well as supporting a range of other communities outside that framework in Latin America, Africa, Asia and the Pacific.
