In the area of indigenous peoples, the Bank focuses its efforts on pressing issues such as the effects of climate change, incorporating indigenous issues in large-scale investments. Examples of this work are conditional cash transfer programs and water supply investments, and facilitating income-generating opportunities that are consistent with indigenous peoples’ concepts of sustainable development and well-being.

In the area of African descendant communities, the IDB concentrates on efforts that add to building greater understanding of the development needs and concerns of these communities in Latin America, and contribute to the 2011 International Year for People of African Descent. Specifically, the Bank will mobilize to improve data collection on African descendant populations in national censuses and household surveys; expand and evaluate a program that uses music as a means to improve African descendant youths’ social outcomes; and host a meeting of African descendant women political leaders to explore women’s potential in political representation.