Strengthening the Capacity of Indigenous Organizations in the Amazon 2023 Q1 Quarterly Narrative Report

The project aims to enable IPOs to directly access international funding to advocate for indigenous peoples' governance of the Amazon, particularly in relation to significant infrastructure and extractive activities. The project also seeks to ensure that indigenous peoples' rights to free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC) are respected, and to mitigate the negative environmental, social, and economic impacts of these development projects. The project is implemented by Pact, Inc. and is supported by the Human Rights Support Mechanism. The project has four Key Results areas: Activity design adapted by incorporating Applied Political Economy Analysis (APEA) results, social inclusion strategy, and indigenous organizations' input; IPOs' capacity gaps addressed, and strengths cultivated; IPOs demonstrate improved financial and organizational performance; and at least one key tool or resource identified and developed to be shared with other IPOs facing infrastructure and extractives development on their lands. During the reporting period, covering October 2022 through December 2022, the SCIOA team and the Capacity Development Organizations (CDOs) continued with the implementation of activities in the field with the selected IPOs from Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, Suriname, and Guyana. The CDOs made significant progress providing technical assistance and mentorship to the IPOs. Fundación Esquel from Ecuador, Fundación para la Conservación y el Desarrollo Sostenible (FCDS) from Colombia, the Association of Indigenous Village Leaders Organization (VIDS) from Suriname, and Instituto del Bien Comun (IBC) from Peru created and started to implement the Capacity Development Plan with their IPOs, following the Institutional Strengthening Plans (ISPs) designed by the IPOs. The participation of indigenous women and youth in events, meetings, and workshops promoted by SCIOA is significant, with 168 out of 326 people trained or supported by CDOs in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Guyana, and Suriname being women, representing 51% of the total participants, and 23 participants, 13% of the total, being young people. The participation of indigenous women and youth in these activities empowers them to be more visible and allows them to improve their knowledge. In Colombia, FCDS trained thirty-two women out of sixty-three participants in accounting management, and fourteen youths, 22% of the total participants, in accounting management. In Ecuador, the Association of Indigenous Communities of Arajuno (ACIA) trained sixteen women in project management, and one youth participated during the workshops about project management. In Peru, Unión de Nacionalidades Ashaninkas y Yaneshas (UNAY) trained thirteen women in the use of semi-industrial machinery utilized in artisanal process, and two of the attendees to the training on how to use the machinery were youth. The project is working on a modification of the approved Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) plan for some targets that already surpass the goal. The modification will be presented in FY23Q2. The project continues to monitor and coordinate with the CDOs to identify possible changes in the planned activities with the IPOs, given the dynamic political context in the region.