Social Development and Public Governance > Indigenous Peoples and Community Development
IND Unit Work Plan
- Introduction
- 2006 Achievements
- Accomplished during the First Semester (January-July 2006)
- Expected for the Second Semester (July-December 2006)
- Priority Activities for 2007
- Indigenous Policy and Strategy. During the first half of 2006, SDS/IND focused on the final stages of negotiation and drafting of the Operational Policy on Indigenous Peoples and the Strategy for Indigenous Development, which were approved by the Board on February 22.
- Operational Guidelines. In April 2006, an interdepartmental working group was convened to prepare the Operational Guidelines for the implementation of the Operational Policy on Indigenous Peoples. The CRG was held on July 7 and distributed to Programming Committee on August 16.
- Sourcebook on Indigenous Peoples and Development. Significant progress was made on a joint IDB-World Bank-Asian Development Bank project to publish a comprehensive set of best practices on indigenous peoples and development as a resource for development practitioners when implementing the provision of the three institutions newly adopted policies on indigenous peoples.
- Direct Support for Operations. In keeping with past practice, SDS/IND continued to devote approximately 50 percent of its resources to direct operational support, including support for the quality assurance process in CESI. In the absence of significant presence of specialized expertise on sociocultural issues in the regional departments and given the growing portfolio of projects targeted at indigenous people or requiring social safeguard analysis and mitigation, demand by the regional departments for this support is far exceeding the Unit's capacity to respond. The Unit spearheaded or provided leadership for the following operations for which, in most cases, it provided team members:
- Bolivia, Corredor Norte La Paz-Cobija (ATN/SF-8520 and JF-8521-BO).
- Guatemala, Cultural Tourism (GU-M1005).
- IIRSA Sustainability Assessment Framework.
- Argentina, Empresas Aborigenes y Turismo Sostenible (RG-M1044).
- Chile, Etnotourism Araucania.
- Honduras, PAPIN ethnoengineering program (HO-0193).
- Argentina, Indigenous Peoples Tourist Route (AR-M1019).
- Bolivia, Manejo Sostenible de Ecosistemas de Altura en el Norte de Potosí (BO-T1038).
- Guatemala, Desarrollo desde lo Rural (GU-L1006).
- Guatemala, Preinversión en cadenas productivas indígenas (GU-T1033).
- Proyecto para la Conservación del patrimonio Natural del Gran Chaco (RG-T1204).
- Guatemala Estado de Regularización de la Tierra de los Pueblos Indígenas (RS-T1218).
- Chile, Desarrollo Integral de Pueblos Indígenas Fase II (CH-L1014).
- Ecuador, Censo y Análisis Sociocultural de Vendedores Indígenas de Quito (EC-T1010).
- Best practice research and inventory of indigenous economic development projects to assist in the identification of projects with bankable potential. Two TCs were approved for this purpose (see Table 2).
- Indigenous land tenure and access to financial services. This study for which a TC was approved in 2005, got underway with an initial report expected by November 2006.
- Preparation of mapping and design of a protocol regarding isolated indigenous peoples initiated.
- Elaboration of mapping, typology, and methodology for assessing and mitigating IIRSA project impact on indigenous peoples initiated.
- Support for indigenous aspects of PPP (including workshop with CICA indigenous leadership, Panama, June 14-16).
- Study on sociocultural aspects of malnutrition and participation in seminar: Hacia la erradicación del hambre y la Desnutrición en Centro América y República Dominicana (Panama, June 5-6).
- Implementation of third phase of ongoing work on the Indigenous Legislation database including the development of a monitoring system on the implementation of legal provisions in the law.
- Seminar to present findings of a review of indigenous peoples access to post-secondary education prepared by a team of specialists coordinated by the University of Saskatchewan (March 1).
- Chapter in SDS publication on Sustainable Development for All.
- Cosponsoring with WB and IFAD of Conference on Indigenous Peoples and Poverty New York, May 9-10).
- Outreach of Indigenous Policy and Strategy (Laval University-Quebec City, May 20-23); Sorbonne-Paris-May 15; UN Permanent Forum WIPO seminar-New York-May 21; IASG working groups with IFIs-New York-May 21); IDB-Civil society consultation (Brazil, February 13-15).
- Contribution and Support to IDB Sustainability Report, Special Budget initiative, presentation on indigenous issues to the Blue Ribbon panel on the Environment (July 31) .
- Participation and contribution in IFI-UN Forum on Indigenous issues on harmonization (New York, May 19).
- Participation in project analysis and selection of proposals for the Social Inclusion Fund.
- Ongoing support for the Indigenous Fund, including the monitoring of four Bank funded TCs.
- Support for HRD Diversity Program.
- Publication of the Policy and Strategy in three languages.
- Finalizing and publication of the operational guidelines.
- Support for the drafting of Technical Notes on Indigenous Issues for Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, as inputs into the Country Strategies and the Programming process.
- Ongoing work on operations and pilot projects (see above).
- Publication of Studies on Indigenous Health and on Indigenous Access to Post-secondary Education.
- Organization of Forum and Exhibit on the Indigenous Peoples of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in Colombia (September 4-8).
- Support for the preparation and implementation of the Fund for Afrodescendant and Indigenous peoples (FAFIN).
- Outreach: Regional Seminar with Heads of Government offices responsible for Indigenous Issues (September 12, Antigua, Guatemala).
- Workshop with government officials and civil society representatives on Perus government strategy and programs for indigenous peoples (Lima, October).
- Interagency coordination: participation in IFAD hosted meeting of the Interagency Support Group on Indigenous Issues (IASG) (Rome, September 15-17).
- Seminar to present results of study on indigenous land tenure and access to financial services (December).
- Ongoing work on the indigenous legislation implementation process.
- Ongoing support for the Indigenous Fund (see above).
- Technical Notes for Country Studies. In an effort to mainstream indigenous issues at the initial stages of the project cycle, the Unit will actively support the preparation of Technical Notes as an input into the Country Studies and Country Strategy Papers. The preparation of these Technical Notes is a specific requirement under the new policy.
- Support for Mainstreaming of Indigenous Issues in Operations. The Unit will intensify its support for key operations, be they of the proactive or impact mitigation kind, at the demand of the operational departments. As in the past the input of the Unit would be at the conceptual stage and when necessary during implementation when critical issues arise and warrant specialized expertise.
- Fund for Afrodescendant and Indigenous Peoples (FAFIN). This new Fund which is closely related to the Building Opportunity for All initiative, is designed to complement other windows of the Special Fund created with OC resources, to help bridge the gap between indigenous and afrodescendant and other sectors of the majority, in order to have equal access to these resources and be able to compete on a level footing. The Unit would play a key role in the administration of this Fund (with special budget resources allocated for this purpose).
- Development Effectiveness Indicators. In order to mainstream indigenous issues in the Banks monitoring and evaluation process, within the process of developing new efficiency and effectiveness indicators for Bank Projects, the Unit will work closely with DEV to ensure that for projects affecting indigenous peoples, socioculturally sensitive indicators are included to ensure appropriate monitoring and evaluation. This is consistent with the mandate of the new policy and strategy.
- Isolated Indigenous Peoples. Given the Banks increasing involvement in financing projects, especially in the hydrocarbon and infrastructure sectors, that are located in biologically highly sensitive areas where isolated indigenous peoples continue to live, it is urgent to develop a better understanding of the location and habitat of these extremely vulnerable peoples, and support the Bank and its borrowers to develop in developing protocols to avoid or minimize impacts. The analytical work initiated in 2006, will continue during 2007 and culminate in a seminar on the subject.
- IIRSA and PPP. During 2007 the Unit will continue to support these regional initiatives, especially with regard to the creation and development of an indigenous projects pipeline as well as consultation and participation processes (PPP) and the creation of maps, impact typologies and impact mitigation methodologies to address potential adverse negative impacts and enhance the potential benefits to indigenous peoples of IIRSA projects.
- Indigenous Legislation. Based on the comparative indigenous legislation database established in previous years, the Unit will continue its work on monitoring implementation of the legislation. This information is important for Bank operational staff when addressing indigenous issues in Bank projects and in country dialogues.
- Indigenous Land Tenure and Access to Credit. A critical issue for the design of land titling and registration projects, rural finance and integrated rural development programs, analytical work on the relationship between individually or communally held lands will culminate in a 2007 workshop on the issue.
- Indigenous Governance Issues (political, economic). The Unit will support the pipeline of operations that addresses local governance issues and community based economic development activities, by developing analytical work to understand the articulation of political and economic factors in the complex relationship between municipalities and traditional authorities and within indigenous communities and organizations, with a view to design more socioculturally relevant institution building and community supported development activities.
- Seminar(s) on Good Practice Indigenous in Economic Development. The Unit has undertaken several efforts in terms of documenting best practices in indigenous economic development and the creation of inventories of "bankable" economic development activities. To disseminate advances in the conceptual framework underlying the new policy and strategy, and disseminating advances at the operational level, in coordination with MIF, SME and CII, the Unit will organize an event on this subject.
- Improve External Website In order to more effectively disseminate information on the Banks work with indigenous peoples and link with other relevant websites at the bank and at other institutions, the Unit will update and improve its external website the same time it is expanding and improving its intranet website.
- Hosting IASG Interagency Working Group on Indigenous Issues. This group meets once a year and is an effective mechanism for coordination, communications and reflection on emerging issues and new approaches. While the IDB hosted this event once several ears ago, in order to demonstrate and strengthen the IDBs leadership on the issues, the bank should host this event in 2007.
The Indigenous Peoples and Community Development (SDS/IND) is the Bank's focal point for indigenous issues, involuntary resettlement, and sociocultural issues as they relate to the Bank's priority areas of social sector reform, poverty reduction and environmentally sustainable growth as defined by its institutional strategy. Its mission is to assist the Bank in proactively mainstreaming these issues within the Banks operations and policy related activities and to ensure that sociocultural safeguards be implemented whenever necessary in order to avoid, compensate or mitigate negative impacts on indigenous peoples and other vulnerable population groups.
While SDS/IND's main focus is on indigenous peoples, the Unit is also the focal point for the appropriate implementation of the Involuntary Resettlement Policy adopted in 1998. In addition, the Unit is pioneering innovative methodologies for community consultation and participation and addresses broader sociocultural soundness issues 1/ Consistent with SDS's overall mission, SDS/IND provides services by means of: (a) policy and strategy related work; (b) technical support to Bank operations; (c) project review (especially via the CESI); (d) identification and development of innovative projects; and (e) training, dissemination, and outreach.
Accomplished during the First Semester (January-July 2006)
In addition, the Unit is in the process of helping to identify other potential pilot projects with indigenous peoples, such as: Ecuador Jatun Ayllu commercial center, Colombia Puracé Indigenous Mining project, Argentina Lake Pulo tourism plan; Ecuadors Cuenca Ingapirca hotel.
Expected for the Second Semester (July-December 2006)
During the second half of the year, the Unit will concentrate its efforts on the implementation of the policy and the strategy, on its support for projects in order to mainstream indigenous issues across the project portfolio and to continue with the identification of pilot projects for consideration by MIF, SME and other TC funds, and policy outreach activities. In addition as emphasized in the new strategy, the Unit will play an active role in the drafting of technical notes on indigenous issues as input into the country strategies. Also, more work is anticipated regarding the preparation and implementation of the new Fund for Afrodescendant and Indigenous Peoples, to be created with a view towards a mechanism to facilitate the inclusion of indigenous and afrodescendant peoples in activities related to the achievement of the Millenium Development Goals and the "Building Opportunities for the Majority" Initiative. Specifically the Unit will concentrate its efforts on:
IND's proposed work plan for 2007 will focus on the Implementation of the Indigenous Policy and Strategy, with a view toward mainstreaming indigenous issues in the Bank. The implementation of this new normative framework falls squarely within the mandates of attaining the Millennium Development Goals (supporting special efforts to ensure the inclusion of indigenous people) and of the "Building of Opportunities for the Majority Initiative" . In fact the focus of the new policy and strategy are to support indigenous socioeconomic development and well-being by enabling the potential of their cultural heritage, natural resources and social capital as assets for development, thus promoting a virtuous circle in which culture and development reinforce and strengthen each other. This concept of development with identity is the key concept which the policy and the strategy proactively support. In addition, these contain measures to ensuring safeguard implementation in projects that may negatively affect indigenous peoples.
Operational support is to be provided: (1) upstream at the country studies, programming and project identification level; and (2) downstream at the level of project design, monitoring and evaluation. The Unit will focus on four areas of activity: (1) support for operations including project team participation, peer review and CESI, (2) knowledge generation and management directly related to the Bank's country studies, sector work and projects; (3) support for operational staff within the Bank with regard to the implementation of the policy and the strategy; and (4) outreach of the new policy and strategy.
Support to Programming and Operations
With a view towards providing analytical support with a country focus, and addressing innovative areas and issues directly related to mainstreaming indigenous issues in the Banks portfolio, according to the orientation given in the Strategy for Indigenous Development, the Unit will concentrate its efforts in the following areas:
- Web Based Information System. As requested by the operational departments, the Unit needs to invest time and resources in establishing a more comprehensive and user-friendly website, including guidelines, tools, methodologies, as well as basic information on indigenous issues.
- RedIND Professional Network. In order to facilitate communications among Bank staff, it is necessary to redeploy the RedIND network and include specialists from the Field Offices, who according to the newly approved strategy should be more closely involved with indigenous issues.
- Safeguard Implementation Mechanism. SDS/IND, currently an active member of CESI, will participate in the redesign of the Banks new safeguard implementation mechanism, and work with ENV on assuring that both social and environmental safeguard issues are addressed in a comprehensive, coherent, and constructive fashion.
- Indigenous Advisory Council. As called for by the new Strategy for Indigenous Development, the Bank will establish an Indigenous Advisory Council, similar to the Advisory Council on Gender, which has been successfully operating for several years.
Table 3. 2007 Non-Financial Products to be financed with Administrative Budget
Table 5: Financial Activities Expected to be Approved in 2007
1/ See document AB-1704 for specific references to indigenous peoples (par.2.26) resettlement (par.2.44 (g) and community participation and consultation (2.44 (h) and 2.95).
