Initiative: IberJovenes (UNDP, OIJ, SEGIB)
Regional programme focused on youth participation and empowerment. UNDP provides technical assistance and support for implementation along OIJ and SEGIB. It counts with the participation of 11 countries from the Ibero-American region. The programme poses four components: 1. Youth participation; 2. Youth empowerment and capacity development; 3. Youth mobility; 4. Support for youth entrepreneurship and social innovation. It is focused on youth from 15 to 29 years old, targeting specific actions on youth indigenous, afro-descendants; young women and LGTBI.

Actividades: - Regional Forum of Intergenerational Dialogue. The regional dialogue will produce inputs ad policy recommendations for nurturing the upcoming XXV Ibero-American Summit on ¨Youth, Education and Entrepreneurship¨ to be held in December 2016
- E-debates and production of policy analysis on youth living conditions
- regional mapping of youth networks and organizations; regional mapping of training and empowerment demands from young social/ elected representatives and civil servants;
- Training programme design and conduction also of mentorships
- Mapping/ Regional analysis on financial mechanisms available for youth entrepreneurship and social innovation
- Mapping/ Regional analysis on youth mobility programmes
- Based on youth demands and regional comparative analyses, develop regional programming and technical support to national youth institutions.

Website: http://juventudconvoz.org/noticias/21-participacion-de-la-juventud/517-iberjovenes-una-ventana-de-oportunidades-para-america-latina-y-el-caribe

Beneficiaries: Ministries/ National Institutes of Youth, young elected representatives, civil servants
Youth networks and organizations. Special emphasis on youth from 15 to 29 years old, targeting specific actions on youth indigenous, afro-descendants; young women and LGTBI

Partnerships and Financing: UNDP RBLAC; Ibero-American General Secretariat (SEGIB); Ibero-American Organization of Youth- OIJ; 11 National Governments; Spanish International Cooperation Agency- AECID

Initiative: CITIZEN PARTICIPATION AND INCLUSION
UNDP in the LAC region has prioritized the promotion of an Agenda for Participation and Inclusion with a special focus on promoting the human rights of the most excluded and discriminated people: women, youth, Afrodescendants and indigenous peoples as agents of their own development. UNDP cooperates with governments to strengthen democratic governance by assisting public institutions to respond to citizens’ increasing demands and expectations. UNDP applies its convening power to create or strengthen spaces for dialogue that contribute to an increased respect for the human rights of all citizens. Policy advice and programme and technical assistance are provided on issues such as elections, transparency, local governance, youth, indigenous peoples and afrodescendants with a special focus in gender equality. UNDP also strengthens institutional and national stakeholders’ capacities to expand citizens’ participation in decision-making processes that concern them. UNDP systematically targets key obstacles contributing to the exclusion and discrimination against the most marginalized groups such indigenous peoples and afrodescendants.
UNDP’s work with indigenous peoples is an integral part of its broader work towards sustainable human development and is thus guided and shaped by international human rights standards and principles and supported by UNDP policies and guidelines. Work and engagement with indigenous peoples has been a priority focus area within UNDP’s overall mission to mainstream a human rights-based approach into development policies, programmes and projects and in global efforts to promote non-discrimination and support marginalized peoples and groups.

Activities: Some activities developed in 2015 by UNDP to promote participation and inclusion of indigenous peoples and afrodescendants in the region:
• Develop a Sub-Regional Project on Indigenous Peoples and Afrodescendants for Central America.
• UNDP, in partnership with the Global Steering Committee of the International Indigenous Peoples’ Forum on Climate Change, is supporting a process of engagement and visibility of indigenous peoples’ voices in the lead-up to and during the COP 21, to take place in Paris in December 2015. A series of national policy dialogues will be taking place in LAC.
• Cooperation and assistance to the Indigenous Parliament of America (PIA). This partnership enables to strengthen indigenous peoples’ representation and the positioning of indigenous issues in national parliaments and government agendas.
• UNDP is implementing a Human Rights Project in cooperation with OHCHR in Honduras with the objective to strengthen the capacities of public institutions in implementing their international human rights obligations, with a special focus on Indigenous Peoples and Afrodescendant rights. A consultation process with indigenous peoples and Afrodescendant to voice their priorities in the formulation of a National Plan against Racism and Racial Discrimination 2014-2022 (approved in September 2015).
• In Mexico, UNDP is supporting the National Commission for the Development of Indigenous Peoples (CDI) in four initiatives: 1) Programme for the improvement of indigenous production and productivity; 2) Programme of indigenous rights; 3) Programme for the support to indigenous education, and; 4) Programme of indigenous infrastructure.
• UNDP in Mexico has been supporting the Electoral Tribunal of the Judicial Power of the Federation in improving access to electoral justice of indigenous peoples taking into account their traditional institutions.
• In Peru, UNDP is supporting the Government in the implementation of the “Prevention of social conflicts in the use of natural resources” project. UNDP provides assistance to state institutions regulating the management of water and environmental assets in the establishment of a comprehensive framework for a human rights-based approach to sustainably managing natural resources, with special focus on the impact of extractive activities on indigenous peoples.
• UNDP has also assisted Peru in the creation of several instruments and mechanisms to support the implementation of the Prior Consultation Law, such as the “Guide to Public Facilitators of Prior Consultation Processes”, the “Guide on the Identification of Indigenous Peoples” and the national system for conflict prevention and conflict management in the use of natural resources.
• UNDP-REDD supports the formulation of a prior consultation draft bill in Honduras, the elaboration of a free, prior and informed consent protocol in Surinam, the creation and implementation of a grievance mechanism for REDD-related activities in Paraguay and Panama, and the institutional strengthening of indigenous organizations in Peru and Ecuador.
• In Panama, UNDP has supported the consultation process (over 90 local consultations with all 7 indigenous peoples over a period of a year) and the formulation of the Integral Development Plan of the Indigenous Peoples (to be approved by Parliament).
• In Uruguay, is working on affirmative actions for afrodescendant people to be part of the public agenda and policy-making, by, amongst others, promoting quotas to introduce more afrodescendants into the labour market.

Website: www.undp.org

Beneficiaries: Governments, indigenous peoples at the community level and their organizations, afrodescendants and their organizations, NGOs,

Partnerships and Financing: UNDP, multilateral and bilateral cooperation institutions, national governments.