Welcome to the United Nations
Addressee: International financial institutions (incl. World Bank)
Full Text
The Permanent Forum recognizes that as the global economy promises to “build back better” from the economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, it is imperative that international financial institutions, including the World Bank, work in close consultation with indigenous peoples and invest in their communities. Indigenous peoples are partners in restarting the global economy while also maintaining their position given to them by birth as stewards of Mother Earth.
Responses
WBG: Direct dialogue with Indigenous peoples in various countries and regions of the world to advance mutual understanding and partnership on critical issues, such as COVID-19, climate change, development with identity, and building back more green, resilient, and inclusive societies.
The primary instrument through which the World Bank ensures the protection and promotion of Indigenous peoples are included and their concerns address is the Environmental and Social Standard 7 (ESS7): Indigenous Peoples/Sub-Saharan African Historically Underserved Traditional Local Communities (currently activated in about one third of the Bank’s active investment projects covering more than 50 countries).
Financing Locally Led Climate Action (FLLoCA) Program to support community-led climate action in Kenya.
Climate change is a priority area where the Bank has worked closely with Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs) given the disproportionate impacts they face as well as their critical role as stewards of the world’s forests and biodiversity. In the last year, the Bank has approved direct financing for IPLC and forestry management through the dedicated grant mechanism in Guatemala and the Republic of Congo, with the aim of informing global approaches to building more green, resilient, and inclusive societies, over the past year WBG initiated analytical work with Indigenous organizations to identify key tenets for their resilience to external shocks. This work builds on the lessons that have been drawn from the experience of Indigenous peoples in the face of COVID-19 and amid a changing climate started to reengage within the UN Inter-Agency Support Group on Indigenous Issues. with our client countries, we promote their visibility and awareness of their key challenges and priorities through upstream analytics, country policy dialogue, and technical assistance. As requested by client governments, we also support financing for their priority policy reforms or investments. In addition, when Indigenous peoples are present within the project areas where we support investments, and meet the criteria established within our Environmental and Social Framework, the Bank ensures that their inclusion in project benefits is promoted and that any potential adverse impacts are avoided or mitigated. Secondly, the World Bank has advanced direct dialogue with Indigenous peoples’ representatives and organizations at national, regional, and global levels. We do this with the aim of advancing mutual understanding and partnership on critical issues such as climate change, resilience, and development with identity. This direct engagement informs the Bank’s dialogue with client governments and promotes financing in line with Indigenous peoples’ aspirations and priorities.
At a global level, the Bank holds an ongoing dialogue with the Inclusive Forum for Indigenous Peoples (IFIP), comprised of IP representatives from ECA, SAR, EAP, AFR and LCR
In Latin America and the Caribbean, the Bank has been engaging in an ongoing dialogue with Indigenous organizations represented through the Abya Yala Indigenous Forum (FIAY) since 2013. This dialogue has contributed to the design of the ESF, produced knowledge products and informed numerous country programming processes. It has also greatly enhanced mutual trust and understanding, improved efficiencies and effectiveness in application of ESS7 and OP 4.10, and contributed to stand-alone policy reforms, technical assistance (TA) and investments with Indigenous peoples in the region. In Nepal the Bank is engaging in a direct dialogue with Indigenous women, and in Russia, the Bank is supporting the advance of knowledge on Indigenous peoples in several priority areas. Other examples can also be drawn from Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
Whereas the Bank only lends to client governments, with enhanced visibility of Indigenous peoples in the Bank’s dialogue with countries, there has been an increase in demand from countries to invest in and with Indigenous peoples. E.g. World Bank approval ofthe Financing Locally Led Climate Action (FLLoCA) Program to support community-led climate action in Kenya.
Final Report of UNPFII Session 20 (2021)
Area of Work
