IUCN - The World Conservation Union

Founded in 1948, IUCN - the World Conservation Union brings together States, government agencies and a diverse range of non-governmental organisations in unique world partnership; some 954 members in all, spread accross 140 countries.

As a Union, IUCN exists to serve its members - to represent their views on the world stage and to provide them with the concepts, strategies and technical support they need to achieve their goals. Through six Commisions, IUCN draws togehter over 5000 expert volunteers in project teams and action groups. A central secretariat coordinates IUCN programme and leads initiatives on the conservation and sustainable use of the world's biological diversity and the management of habitats and natural resources, as well as providing a range of services. The union has helped many countries to prepare National Conervation Strategies, and the demonstrates the application of its knowledge through the field projects it supervises. Poperations are increasingly decentralised and are carried forward by an expanding network of regional and country offices, located principally in developing countries.

IUCN Headquartes Site

IUCN South & Southeast Asia

In South and Southeast Asia, the administrative region of IUCN extends from Pakistan in the west to the Philippines in the east, 17 coutnries in the zone geographically south of China. IUCN has secretariat offices in Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Lao PDR and a presence Cambodia. It has a regional coordination office with additional country responsibility in Bangkok, Thailand. Based on programme rquiremenets, it is expected that Secretariat presence will be established in the near future in some other countries in the region. There are 68 IUCN members in the region. This includes eight States, 11 Government Agencies and 48 NGOs. Almost all major nature conservation NGOs in the region are memebers of IUCN.