Final report : grant no. LAC-0591-G-SS-3060-00 -- strengthening pluralism : a combined human rights/grass roots development program for Indians of Latin America and the Caribbean Basin

funds to undertake activities in several areas. These included: (1) financial support to 37 projects in a wide range of activities throughout Central and South America; (2) 23 formal evaluations of these projects; (3) publication and dissemination of 166 articles on Latin America in the Cultural Survival Quarterly; (4) publication and preparation of 5 book-length monographs; (5) research and preparation for publication of 6 additional monographs; (6) translation to Spanish and distribution throughout Latin America of all articles relating to Latin America from 8 issues of the Cultural Survival Quarterly and 6 research monographs; and (7) 5 staff-directed research reports on the relationship between Indians and development issues in 4 countries in Latin America and the Amazonian region in general. Cultural Survival has not eliminated the economic marginalization of Indians nor ended human rights violations against them. However, several significant changes have occurred as a direct or indirect result of Cultural Survival"s work: the unique nature of Indian human rights and development needs have now become more widely recognized, and numerous agencies and institutions have begun to develop specific programs to meet these needs. In many cases modest initial support from Cultural Survival has identified and strengthened legitimate Indian organizations and has allowed these groups to initiate activities to improve their economic and political status. Cultural Survival"s initial support has encouraged larger donor agencies to provide funds for more expanded programs with such groups. Similarly, Cultural Survival"s research and publications have served to alert individuals and agencies to the unique needs of indigenous people, and have thus promoted actions to modify or undertake programs to meet these needs. Not only have Indians and their needs become more visible, but, equally importantly, Indians themselves have taken increased responsibility for defining and promoting their rights and needs, and are developing their own programs to meet them. They are thus creating for themselves the sort of position which, in the future, will allow them to speak and act as independent sectors of plural societies. All of Cultural Survival"s work has supported this process of genuine democratization in Latin America. (Author abstract)