Strengthening the Capacity of Indigenous Organizations in the Amazon FY2021 Annual 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. This is achieved by ensuring that indigenous peoples' rights to free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC) are respected, and mitigating the negative environmental, social, and economic impacts of these development projects. The project is implemented by Pact, Inc. and is supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The project's activities are designed to address four key results areas: Activity design adapted by incorporating Applied Political Economy Analysis (APEA) results, social inclusion strategy, and indigenous organizations' input; IPOs' capacities 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, October 1, 2020, to September 30, 2021, the project continued to face challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite these challenges, the project team adapted their engagement approaches and methodologies to continue working with the IPOs. The team also leveraged small grant funding to enable more fluid communication through improved internet connectivity. As a result, the IPOs demonstrated significant progress in their organizational performance, with twelve out of thirteen reassessed IPOs showing improvement. The project also organized a second remote Pause and Reflect (P&R) event, which included engagement with Country Director Organizations (CDOs) and IPOs in all five countries. The event created space to reflect on the participants' explicit and implicit learnings and determine a way forward that best supports the sustained success and progress of their efforts beyond the life of the project. Additionally, the project received additional funds to extend the period of performance through FY 23, include Ecuador as the sixth country in its regional scope, and increase the total number of IPOs benefiting from CD services to eighteen. The project's major achievements in Year 4 include the consolidation of APEA results, the development of a social inclusion strategy, and the implementation of Institutional Strengthening Plans (ISPs) by 13 IPOs to increase the involvement of women, youth, and underrepresented population groups in their organizational efforts. A total of 116 women participated in these efforts, and the project also developed a plan to carry out a lighter analysis of secondary information for Ecuador during the next reporting period. The project's activities have been successful in addressing the capacities gaps of the IPOs and cultivating their strengths. The IPOs have demonstrated improved financial and organizational performance, and the project has identified and developed key tools and resources to be shared with other IPOs facing infrastructure and extractives development on their lands. The project's achievements have been recognized by the IPOs, who have expressed their appreciation for the support and guidance provided by the project team.