At the 2014 World Conference on Indigenous Peoples, the General Assembly requested the development of a system-wide action plan for a coherent approach to achieving the ends of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Following months of consultation with indigenous peoples, Member States and within the UN system, the Secretary-General shared a finalized system-wide action plan with heads of UN system agencies at the United Nations Chief Executives Board meeting in November 2015, and encouraged concerted efforts to implement the action plan.
System-wide action plan (SWAP)
he system-wide action plan covers six elements:
1 ) Raise awareness of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
- a) Conduct a high-level awareness-raising initiative
- b) Develop a succinct set of key messages based on the UNDRIP
- c) Develop and launch a media and outreach campaign
2 ) Support the implementation of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, particularly at the country level
- a) Support national partners in the reform and implementation of legal frameworks, policies, strategies and plans to further the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, through joint programming and other initiatives
- b) Support the mainstreaming of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and International Labour Organization Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention, 1989 (No. 169) in national development plans and in common country assessments and United Nations Development Assistance Frameworks
- c) Promote the establishment or strengthening of consultative mechanisms and platforms of dialogue under the leadership of the resident coordinators
3 ) Support the realization of indigenous peoples’ rights in the implementation and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
- a) Incorporate indigenous issues into programming to implement the 2030 Agenda and ensure such programming is consistent with the provisions of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
- b) Promote the participation of indigenous peoples in programmes, projects and other activities related to the implementation and review of the 2030 Agenda, including the participation of indigenous women, persons with disabilities, older persons, children and youth;
- c) Where possible, ensure that information is gathered and disseminated on progress in implementing the 2030 Agenda for indigenous peoples.
4 ) Map existing standards and guidelines, capacities, training materials and resources within the United Nations system, international financial institutions and the members of the Inter-Agency Support Group on Indigenous Peoples’ Issues for the effective implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
5 ) Develop the capacities of States, indigenous peoples, civil society and United Nations personnel
- a) Integrate indigenous peoples’ issues into existing capacity development activities
- b) Develop the capacities of United Nations staff at all levels
- Technical capacity development
- Regional and subregional training activities
- Online capacity development on indigenous issues
- c) Capacity development for Member State officials
- d) Training representatives of indigenous people’s institutions and organizations
6 ) Advance the participation of indigenous peoples in United Nations processes
The United Nations system is already at work implementing the action plan, which was introduced to indigenous peoples and member states at the 15th session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in May 2016.
1 ) Raise awareness of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples: Develop and launch a media and outreach campaign
- Trello Board: Indigenous peoples outreach material from across the UN – United Nations Department of Public Information (UNDPI)
4 ) Map existing standards and guidelines, capacities, training materials and resources within the United Nations system, international financial institutions and the members of the Inter-Agency Support Group on Indigenous Peoples’ Issues for the effective implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
United Nations system
European Union (EU)
Fondo para el Desarrollo de los Pueblos Indígenas de América Latina y El Caribe (Fondo Indígena)
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
- Free Prior and Informed Consent: An indigenous peoples’ right and a good practice for local communities. Manual for project practitioners.
- FAO Policy on Indigenous and Tribal Peoples
- Indigenous Peoples’ food systems & well-being
- FAO’s work on Indigenous People/Traditional Knowledge and Biodiversity
Inter-American Development Bank (IADB)
International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
International Labour Organization (ILO)
- ILO and Indigenous and Tribal Peoples
- C107 – Indigenous and Tribal Populations Convention, 1957 (No. 107)
- C169 – Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention, 1989 (No. 169)
- Indigenous Peoples and Climate Change: From Victims to Change Agents through Decent Work (2016)
International Land Coalition (ILC)
Office of the High Commissionner on Human Rights (OHCHR)
- OHCHR and Indigenous Peoples
- Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples
- United Nations Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Peoples
- Fact sheet: Indigenous Peoples and the United Nations Human Rights System (2013)
- A Manual for National Human Rights Institutions: The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2013)
- Free, Prior and Informed Consent of Indigenous Peoples (2013)
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
- Indigenous and Minority Children
- Breaking the Silence on Violence against Indigenous Girls, Adolescents and Young Women (2013)
- Promoting the Rights of Indigenous Children and Women: A stocktaking of UNICEF’s approach and practice (2009)
Secretariat of the Convention on Biodiversity (SCBD)
- CBD and Traditional Knowledge, Innovations and Practices
- The Tkarihwaié:ri Code of Ethical Conduct to Ensure Respect for the Cultural and Intellectual Heritage of Indigenous and Local Communities
- Akwé: Kon Voluntary Guidelines for the Conduct of Cultural, Environmental and Social Impact Assessment regarding Developments Proposed to Take Place on, or which are Likely to Impact on, Sacred Sites and on Lands and Waters Traditionally Occupied or Used by Indigenous and Local Communities
World Bank (WB)
5 ) Develop the capacities of States, indigenous peoples, civil society and United Nations personnel
Office of the High Commissionner on Human Rights (OHCHR)
UN-DESA prepared a series of background notes that informed the development of the action plan. These background notes were prepared in the summer of 2015 and are based on existing analysis already made by indigenous peoples, Member States, UN agencies, funds and programmes as well as the three indigenous specific mechanisms: The Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.
In March-April, UN-DESA also disseminated questionnaires among Member States and indigenous peoples requesting their inputs on the action plan, as well as other matters related to follow-up to the World Conference. The responses to the questionnaire informed the preparation of the Progress Report of the Secretary General on the follow-up to the World Conference (A/70/84).
UN-DESA conducted an interactive dialogue on the follow-up to the World Conference during the 14th session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues April 2015) and a second interactive consultation on 24 July at the 8th session of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in Geneva.