Newsletter -February 2011

Program of Action to Strengthen the Participation of Indigenous Peoples in the Inter-American System

Within the framework of the Department’s “Program of Action to Strengthen the Participation of Indigenous Peoples in the Inter-American System,” launched in 2009 with financial support from the German Technical Cooperation Agency (GTZ), the Department has organized training activities for representatives of indigenous communities, as well as for NGOs and government officials working with indigenous populations in Central and South America.

In addition to providing scholarship recipients with the tools they need to make a difference in their respective communities and countries, another of our objectives is to help replicate the lessons learned at these training events in the participants’ communities. Since DIL launched this program in 2009, participants have carried out seven development projects based on their experience gained in the program and have replicated nine program experiences in countries throughout the region.

On September 13-17, 2010, the Department held a training seminar in San José, Costa Rica, on the rights of indigenous peoples in the inter-American system. This event was organized with support from the Intercultural Indigenous University (UII). The seminar’s objective was to provide insight regarding the promotion and use of the inter-American system, emphasizing indigenous peoples’ human rights. Participating in this event were 16 indigenous community leaders from Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Panama.

Moreover, on December 1-8, 2010, the Department organized two training seminars for South American indigenous community leaders in Quito, Ecuador. One concerned the logical framework for project preparation, while the other focused on the political participation of indigenous women. The objective of the former was to help facilitate the conceptualization, design, and evaluation of projects eligible for funding from foreign and domestic donors, with a view toward helping countries develop the requisite capacity and skills to carry out their own such projects going forward. The objective of the latter seminar was to strengthen the leadership capacity of indigenous women, so as to facilitate and enhance their participation in efforts to build citizenship. Participating in this training event were 22 scholarship recipients from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, Peru, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

The Department of International Law also supported other related initiatives. For example, on September 7-10, the Department gave a presentation on its efforts to address the needs of indigenous peoples to the government authorities represented at the Fund for the Development of the Indigenous Peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean during the Seventh Inter-Agency Meeting of Cooperation Agencies. This event was held in Madrid, Spain, within the framework of the Fund’s Ninth General Assembly. The Department also participated in a symposium organized by the National Museum of the American Indian and the OAS entitled “Centuries of Change: State of the Native Nations,” held on November 12, 2010, in Washington, D.C. The event provided an opportunity to disseminate information on the OAS Draft American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

In addition, on January 18-20, 2011, the DIL provided support to the Working Group to Prepare the Draft American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples during the Thirteenth Meeting of Negotiations in the Quest for Points of Consensus, held at OAS headquarters. As in previous years, the Conclave of Representatives of Indigenous Peoples of the Americas preceded the Meeting’s plenary session on January 15-17. The DIL, in its role as the Technical Secretariat of the Working Group, provided technical support to both events. The participation of indigenous representatives in these events was made possible through financial contributions from donor countries such as Mexico, Nicaragua, and Spain.

Finally, on January 21, 2011, the Department organized the “Seminar on Legal Situation, Public Policies, Best Practices, and Affirmative Action”. This event focused on topics of interest to indigenous peoples, including land, territory, and resources; self-determination, autonomy, and self-government; and treaties, agreements, and constructive arrangements. It was held in the Padilla Vidal Room of OAS headquarters, and featured the participation of four subject matter experts as well as government representatives and indigenous leaders.

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