Consultation Meeting on the USAID Draft Policy on Indigenous Peoples' Issues: Summary of Participant Perspectives

The meeting was facilitated by the Integrated Land and Resource Governance (ILRG) Program, a USAID program implemented by Tetra Tech. The program is a task order under the Strengthening Tenure and Resource Rights II (STARR II) Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract supported by the USAID Land and Urban Office. Forty-six people attended the consultation meeting, including 18 indigenous peoples' representatives, 13 INGO representatives, one independent consultant, eight US government representatives, and six Tetra Tech representatives. An online platform was also made available for invited persons to contribute written comments on the draft policy. Eight participants submitted comments before the November 9 deadline, and two more participants submitted comments by November 20. The consultation meeting consisted of two main elements of discussion: sessions for USAID to present the draft policy and its key components, and sessions for indigenous peoples' and INGO representatives to discuss the elements of the draft policy and express their views. The draft policy aims to guide USAID's engagement with indigenous peoples and ensure that every USAID activity that impacts the lives, territories, resources, and/or livelihoods of indigenous peoples engages them directly to ensure that their communities benefit, their rights are respected, and they can practice self-determined development. The draft policy has three main objectives: to ensure that indigenous peoples are engaged as partners in USAID's development programming, to build the capacity of indigenous peoples to participate in development programming, and to ensure that indigenous peoples' rights are respected and protected. The policy also outlines operating principles, including due diligence, consultation, safeguard, partnership, and communication and knowledge sharing. Indigenous peoples' representatives from 14 countries attended the consultation meeting, including Bangladesh, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ecuador, Guatemala, Guyana, Indonesia, Kenya, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, and Peru. Some representatives of INGOs that work closely with indigenous peoples, the United States Environmental Protection Agency, and USAID also participated. The consultation meeting provided an opportunity for indigenous peoples' representatives and INGOs to provide feedback on the draft policy and make recommendations for its improvement. The report provides a summary of the perspectives and recommendations as expressed at the consultation meeting and as provided on the online platform in writing. The report will be provided to all invited participants and made available in English, French, and Spanish. The draft policy is a significant step towards ensuring that indigenous peoples are engaged as partners in USAID's development programming and that their rights are respected and protected. The consultation meeting and the report provide valuable insights into the perspectives and recommendations of indigenous peoples' representatives and INGOs, which will inform the final version of the policy. The draft policy's operating principles, including due diligence, consultation, safeguard, partnership, and communication and knowledge sharing, are critical components of ensuring that indigenous peoples' rights are respected and protected. The policy's focus on building the capacity of indigenous peoples to participate in development programming is also an important step towards ensuring that indigenous peoples are engaged as partners in USAID's development programming. The consultation meeting and the report demonstrate USAID's commitment to engaging with indigenous peoples and ensuring that their rights are respected and protected. The final version of the policy will be informed by the perspectives and recommendations of indigenous peoples' representatives and INGOs, and will provide a framework for USAID's engagement with indigenous peoples in the future. The draft policy's focus on ensuring that indigenous peoples are engaged as partners in USAID's development programming is critical to achieving the agency's objectives. The policy's operating principles and focus on building the capacity of indigenous peoples to participate in development programming will help to ensure that indigenous peoples' rights are respected and protected. The consultation meeting and the report provide valuable insights into the perspectives and recommendations of indigenous peoples' representatives and INGOs, which will inform the final version of the policy. The report will be used by USAID as it produces the final version of the policy, and will provide a framework for USAID's engagement with indigenous peoples in the future.