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Guidelines on Indigenous Peoples’ Issues
The United Nations Development Group

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY / OUTLINE

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of the Guidelines is to assist the United Nations system to mainstream and integrate indigenous peoples’ issues in processes for operational activities and programmes at the country level.

• The Guidelines set out the broad normative, policy and operational framework for implementing a human rights-based and culturally sensitive approach to development for and with indigenous peoples.
• The Guidelines provide lines of action for planning, implementation and evaluation of programmes involving indigenous peoples.
• The Guidelines provide a framework for duly integrating the principles of cultural diversity into United Nations country programmes.

STRUCTURE

The Guidelines are divided into three main sections:

• Section I provides an overview of the situation of indigenous peoples and the existing international norms and standards adopted to ensure the realization of their rights and resolve some of the crucial issues that they face.
• Section II presents a practical table and checklist of key issues and related rights.
• Section III discusses specific programmatic implications for UNCTs for addressing and mainstreaming indigenous peoples’ issues.

SUMMARY

Section I - Overview of current realities confronting indigenous peoples and the international norms and standards established to address indigenous peoples’ issues

• Summary of international developments over the last two decades:
›› Approval of ILO Convention No. 169
›› First and Second International Decades of the World’s Indigenous People
›› Establishment of the UNPFII
›› Appointment of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people
›› Establishment of the Inter-Agency Support Group on Indigenous Issues
›› Adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples by the General Assembly in September 2007

• Who are indigenous peoples? – Overview of major attempts to outline the characteristics of indigenous peoples
›› ILO Convention No. 169
›› Martínez Cobo Study
›› Working Group on Indigenous Populations Working paper on the concept of “indigenous people”
›› Concept of self-identification

• Overview of existing international norms and standards
›› ILO Convention No. 169
›› United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
›› Other international standard-setting instruments that provide for the protection of indigenous peoples (i.e., Convention on the Rights of the Child, Convention on Biological Diversity, UNESCO instruments, etc.)

• Basic human rights and principles
›› Non-discrimination
›› Equality
›› Gender equality
›› Self-determination
›› Collective rights
›› The right to development

Section II - Practical table and checklist of key issues and related human rights

• This section is composed of a table that seeks to synthesize some of the key issues relating to indigenous peoples and the guiding human rights principles that address them. For each key issue, the table includes one or two paragraphs that provide basic information, as well as a list of the main guiding principles and the international instruments on which they are based. The issues addressed include:
›› Self-determination
›› Lands, territories and natural resources
›› Traditional knowledge
›› Health
›› Education
›› Indigenous women
›› Indigenous children and youth
›› Capacity development and employment

Section III - Specific programmatic implications for addressing and mainstreaming indigenous peoples’ issues

• This section provides guidelines for adopting a human rights-based and culturally sensitive approach to programming when addressing the specific situation of indigenous peoples.

• The elements of the United Nations Common Understanding on the Human Rights Based Approach to Development Cooperation are presented and linked with indigenous peoples’ issues.

• The section then provides an overview of the culturally sensitive approach to programming, including the following elements:
›› The use of positive practices of indigenous cultures to promote and advance gender equality and human rights
›› Mobilization of indigenous networks to assist in identifying and promoting the cultural and social values that help preserve their identities and that are also in conformity with international human rights standards
›› Encouraging the development of human capabilities and the participation of indigenous peoples in community and social contexts, policy design and implementation at local, national, regional and global levels, creating strategies that can help them escape poverty.

• The Guidelines then address some of the specific programmatic implications for UNCTs to mainstream and integrate indigenous peoples’ issues during the following stages of the programming process:
›› Plan of engagement
›› Country analysis
›› Strategic planning
›› Monitoring and evaluation
›› Organizing and managing results

• Some of the main issues that are addressed in this section are:
›› Participation
›› Free, prior and informed consent
›› Analysis of disparities
›› Data disaggregation and indicators of well-being
›› Creating an enabling environment