Program of Action on Indigenous Peoples in the Americas

PROMOTING THE INDIGENOUS AGENDA

In order to highlight the rights of the indigenous peoples of the Americas, the Department of International Law has been able to::

● Sensitize public officials, members of OAS permanent missions, and society in general by means of seminars, round tables, and workshops;

● Include indigenous issues in the Courses and Workshops on International Law, which bring together teachers and experts from prestigious universities from cross the Americas; and

● Disseminate information through publications and its web site.

The Program also aims to promote topics dealing with indigenous children and youths, with an emphasis on education.

TRAINING AND EMPOWERMENT

The Program awards scholarships to indigenous peoples’ representatives, government officials, and staff of Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) involved in this field. Scholarships are offered to nationals of Central American and South American Member states. There are courses on “Good Governance,” seminars on “The Rights of Indigenous Peoples in the Inter-American System,” and workshops on the “Political Participation of Indigenous Women” and the “Logical Framework Approach to Project Preparation”. Nearly 100 people received training in 2009 and the goal is to double that number by 2013.

The Department of International Law also provides technical assistance and support to former scholarship recipients once the classes have concluded. Successful empowerment is achieved when training is replicated within their communities. These training activities are organized by the former scholarship recipients, using their own resources, making them multiplicators-of-knowledge. Former scholarship recipients have prepared development projects presented to cooperation agencies and, in some cases, obtained funding through the knowledge gained from the OAS workshops.

ATTENTION TO SPECIFIC NEEDS

The OAS Department of International Law has identified specific legal assistance needs for members of indigenous communities, including, among others, persons deprived of their liberty and internally displaced and migrant indigenous people.

MAINSTREAMING THE INDIGENOUS PERSPECTIVE

The Department is currently conducting a study of ways to mainstream the indigenous perspective in OAS programs, projects, and activities.

PROMOTING PARTICIPATION IN THE OAS

Indigenous representatives have the opportunity to learn about the structure and participatory mechanisms of the OAS and the inter-American system, through seminars, publications, and virtual forums. Examples include the possibility of registering indigenous organizations in the OAS’ civil society activities; involvement in the Summits of the Americas process; invitations to the negotiation meetings on the Draft Inter-American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.