The Indigenous World 2023: The Indigenous Navigator: Self-Determined Development

Written on 30 March 2023. Posted in The Indigenous Navigator: Self-Determined Development

The Indigenous Navigator is an online portal providing access to a set of tools developed for and by Indigenous Peoples. By using the Indigenous Navigator, Indigenous organizations and communities, duty bearers, NGOs and journalists can access free tools and resources based on updated community-generated data. By documenting and reporting their own situations, Indigenous Peoples can enhance their access to justice and development and help document the situation of Indigenous people globally.

Through the Indigenous Navigator framework, data is collected that can be used by Indigenous Peoples to advocate for their rights and to systematically monitor the level of recognition and implementation of these rights. The Indigenous Navigator framework encompasses over 150 structure, process and impact indicators to monitor central aspects of Indigenous Peoples' civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights and fundamental freedoms enshrined in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), ILO Convention 169 (ILOC169) and other relevant human rights instruments. In addition, the framework enables monitoring of the outcome document of the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples (WCIP) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Indigenous Navigator, begun in 2014, has been developed and carried forward by a consortium consisting of the Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP), the Forest Peoples Programme (FPP), the International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA), the Tebtebba Foundation – Indigenous Peoples' International Centre for Policy Research and Education (Tebtebba), the Danish Institute for Human Rights (DIHR) and the International Labour Organization (ILO). This consortium works in partnership with the European Commission.

This article is part of the 37^th edition of The Indigenous World, a yearly overview produced by IWGIA that serves to document and report on the developments Indigenous Peoples have experienced. The photo above is of an Indigenous person in Tanzania. This photo was taken by Geneviève Rose, and is the cover of the Indigenous World 2023 where this article is featured. Find the Indigenous World 2023 in full here.

Indigenous-led, by and for Indigenous Peoples

With its rights-based approach, the tools of the Indigenous Navigator allow Indigenous communities to document their situation in a way that is easily communicable to authorities and development actors. The standardized indicators make it possible to compare results across sectors, communities, countries and continents. It also enables longitudinal comparison over time to measure progress and identify major implementation gaps. This data strengthens the position of Indigenous communities as they engage with civic, State and global entities to claim their rights.^[1][2][3]

The Indigenous Navigator was launched in 2014.^[4] As the Indigenous Navigator has developed, there have been consistent upgrades and revisions to ensure that the framework and tools (including training, surveys, the comparative matrix and tools database, and the index) meet the needs and expectations of the Indigenous communities that are using them.^[5],[6]

Throughout 2022, the Indigenous Navigator continued to support community-led projects through analysis and utilization of its data. Indigenous communities and national organizations in Finland, Norway and Sweden completed and published their national surveys and began the work of implementing community surveys across Sápmi. The national surveys were initiated in partnership with the Sámi Allaskuvla (Sámi University of Applied Sciences) and Sámiráđđi (Saami Council). Throughout the year, activities continued in Latin America: Bolivia, Colombia, Peru and Suriname; Asia: Bangladesh, Cambodia, Nepal and the Philippines; and in Africa: Cameroon, Kenya and the United Republic of Tanzania.^[7]

In October 2022, the Indigenous Navigator signed a new agreement with the European Commission and began phase three of its global implementation. The Indigenous Navigator is strengthening its implementation in the countries noted above, and has launched data gathering, advocacy and development activities in 14 new countries.^[8]

A growing impact

As was reported in The Indigenous World 2022,^[9] new community and national surveys were conducted in 2021 and 2022. A total of 165 of these surveys were included in the public dataset, available through the Data Explorer^[10] and Index Explorer.^[11] These questionnaires are the result of the direct engagement of over 300 Indigenous communities in the data-gathering and analysis process, and they cover an approximate population of 300,000 Indigenous persons.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a critical impact on Indigenous communities. 2022 saw a reprieve and lifting of some restrictions but, for Indigenous communities, the situation remained a critical issue. Nationwide, preventative efforts to control the spread of the pandemic, including lockdowns, limitations on inter-regional and international travel, and Indigenous Peoples’ own efforts to contain and isolate themselves remained key in controlling the spread and impact of COVID-19.

Despite the challenges, the consortium partners, along with their national counterparts and Indigenous communities, achieved considerable progress in the implementation of the Indigenous Navigator, which has been instrumental in responding to the immediate and long-term needs of these communities in times of health, economic and political crises. Updates from partners in Nepal, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Bolivia, and Suriname on how they have been addressing the COVID-19 pandemic were covered in The Indigenous World 2022.^[12]

In all, the Indigenous Navigator has reached 374 Indigenous communities through the small grants facility and enabled 150 Indigenous communities to develop and implement their self-determined proposals. As a result of the Indigenous Navigator’s implementation, 2,010 representatives from target groups have been trained in their rights, the SDGs, and other relevant public policies and budgets, as well as monitoring and advocacy skills.

From local to global

At the country level, building on the data gathered through the surveys, the consortium has produced several knowledge products and regularly engages in direct dialogues and alliance-building activities.^[13] These dialogues have also impacted regional and global processes. Eight statements were prepared for the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF), and five were delivered with the support of the Indigenous Peoples’ Major Group. Indigenous Peoples were also able to participate and have their voices heard as a result of concerted advocacy, alliance building, and documentation at all levels.

At the global level, it is clear that the world lacks the full picture of the marginalization and discrimination suffered by Indigenous Peoples due to a dearth of disaggregated data and a critical gap in terms of tools and resources to engage comprehensively and securely. As the human rights-based approach to development has shown, if there is no disaggregated data on Indigenous Peoples, and no effort to ensure they are included in digital transformations, they will remain invisible, their rights will continue to be disregarded in the context of implementing the SDGs and they will be left behind. To address this, and highlight the crucial role of Indigenous Data, by and for Indigenous Peoples themselves, the Indigenous Navigator participated in the international proceedings of RightsCon 2022, the European Development Days 2022, the Human Rights Council 2022, and provided written input to the 67^th session of the Commission on the Status of Women in 2023.^[14] The Indigenous Navigator furthermore supported Indigenous representatives to attend COP 27 under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC),^[15] and organized events at COP 15 of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).^[16]

Linking the unique perspective of the Indigenous Navigator as a key tool for monitoring the implementation and realization of Indigenous Peoples’ rights together with the development of new technologies and engagement in the digital sphere, the Indigenous Navigator organized side events at the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII), HLPF, and CBD.

At the 21^st session of the UNPFII, the event was entitled: Indigenous Peoples’ Rights and Development on the Ground.^[17] At the event, Indigenous leaders from Latin America, Africa, the Arctic and Asia shared their experiences of advocating for respect for and implementation of their rights and the critical role the Indigenous Navigator is playing in monitoring the rights of Indigenous Peoples and enhancing Indigenous Peoples’ opportunity to collect community-generated and owned data on their situation.

At the HLPF, the Indigenous Navigator held an event entitled: Indigenous Peoples’ rights and the urgent need for technology to work for democracy.^[18] The event was co-organized with the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Servindi, Centro de Estudios Jurídicos e Investigación Social (CEJIS), and IWGIA, with the participation of Chiara Adamo from the European Commission, and the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, Francisco Calí Tzay. This virtual side-event offered a platform for Indigenous Peoples to share their challenges, perspectives and aspirations regarding technology’s role in promoting a more just, equitable and peaceful global society. The key message from the proceedings was that technology must act to ensure democratic societies that fully respect Indigenous Peoples’ rights. Further, it highlighted the critical role of Indigenous Peoples’ own community-based data collection in demanding their rights.

Experiences of using the Indigenous Navigator tools were highlighted during COP 15 of the CBD, in the context of promoting Community-based Monitoring and Information Systems (CBMIS) to track progress in the implementation of global commitments in the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. Members of the network presented community-generated data on the positive contributions of collective actions by Indigenous Peoples and local communities, as well as the negative impacts of external projects on climate and biodiversity-related projects implemented without the Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) of affected communities. As a result of these advocacy efforts carried out in close collaboration with the International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity (IIFB) and its Working Group on Indicators, COP 15 adopted a decision inviting “Parties and relevant organizations to support community-based monitoring and information systems and citizen science and their contributions to the implementation of the monitoring framework for the Kunming-Montreal global biodiversity framework.”^[19]

Through their findings, the country-level and global-level engagement continues to contribute to ensuring the effective participation of Indigenous Peoples in the development, implementation, monitoring and review processes of policies and development initiatives at all levels.

Continued commitment, a valued tool

National partners, as well as beneficiary communities, have proven, and continue to prove, their engagement and commitment to the Indigenous Navigator as a valued tool to realize their rights by promoting it and submitting applications to expand their work and its coverage. National partners have organized and conducted activities that have performed beyond expectations given the local contexts and the catastrophic impacts of COVID-19. They are also continuously supporting local Indigenous communities who have shown their enhanced capacity to develop grant proposals, manage the implementation of pilot projects, strengthen their demands, describe their internal strategies, and engage with local municipal authorities alongside their visions for their own development.

In 2022, the Indigenous Navigator’s consortium secured a new three-year grant from the European Commission for 2022-2025. The grant, “Indigenous Navigator - towards full and effective recognition and realization of Indigenous Peoples’ rights”, supports the Indigenous Navigator’s vision and mission, including an expansion of the Indigenous Navigator’s geographic outreach and impact, aiming to conduct national surveys in approximately 30 countries; improving its tools based on feedback from Indigenous communities and users; as well as developing and adding additional modules to address key topics identified by the wider Indigenous Peoples’ movement. These modules will cover key aspects of Indigenous Peoples’ rights related to biodiversity, climate change, gender and due diligence – with a focus on the impacts of business operations – and strengthen ongoing and new advocacy alliances.

David Nathaniel Berger is an Advisor at the International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA) and is a member of the team responsible for the Indigenous Navigator. He is passionate about sustainability, human rights and data, and works to ensure that Indigenous Peoples' rights are recognized, promoted and protected.

This article is part of the 37^th edition of The Indigenous World, a yearly overview produced by IWGIA that serves to document and report on the developments Indigenous Peoples have experienced. The photo above is of an Indigenous person in Tanzania. This photo was taken by Geneviève Rose, and is the cover of the Indigenous World 2023 where this article is featured. Find the Indigenous World 2023 in full here.

Notes and references 

^[1] Berger, David. “The Indigenous Navigator.” In The Indigenous World 2020, edited by Dwayne Mamo, 685-692. Copenhagen, Denmark: International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA), 2020, Indigenous World 2020: The Indigenous Navigator: Self-Determined Development - IWGIA - International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs

^[2] Berger, David. “The Indigenous Navigator.” In The Indigenous World 2021, edited by Dwayne Mamo, 734-745. Copenhagen, Denmark: International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA), 2021, The Indigenous World 2021: The Indigenous Navigator: Self-Determined Development - IWGIA - International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs

^[3] Berger, David. “The Indigenous Navigator.” In The Indigenous World 2022, edited by Dwayne Mamo 747-757. Copenhagen, Denmark: International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA), 2022, The Indigenous World 2022: The Indigenous Navigator: Self-Determined Development - IWGIA - International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs

^[4] Berger, David. “The Indigenous Navigator.”

^[5] Visit: Indigenous Navigator. Indigenous data. https://indigenousnavigator.org/indigenous-data

^[6] Facebook. International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA). “Charting pathways to realize SDG 16 with Indigenous Peoples.” Co-organizers: AIPP, FPP, DIHR, ILO, OKANI, PINGO’s Forum, 2021, https://fb.watch/byX5BIISU3/

^[7] Berger, David. “The Indigenous Navigator.”

^[8] These are: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Guyana, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Paraguay, South Africa, Thailand, Uganda.

^[9] Berger, David. “The Indigenous Navigator.” In The Indigenous World 2022.

^[10] Indigenous Navigator. Data explorer for National submissions, website, https://indigenousnavigator.org/data-explorer/2; Indigenous Navigator. Data explorer for Community submissions, https://indigenousnavigator.org/data-explorer/3

^[11] Indigenous Navigator. Index Explorer for all submissions, https://indigenousnavigator.org/index-explorer

^[12] Berger, David. “The Indigenous Navigator.” In The Indigenous World 2022.

^[13] Berger, David. “The Indigenous Navigator.”

^[14] United Nations. Economic and Social Council. Commission on the Status of Women, Sixty-seventh session. 3Stqtement submitted by Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact and International Working Group for Indigenous Affairs, non-governmental organization in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council.” 2022, http://undocs.org/E/CN.6/2023/NGO/89 and https://iwgia.org/en/resources/publications/4924-iwgia-aipp-joint-statement-commission-status-women-67-session.html

^[15] See the article in this volume on the UNFCCC.

^[16] See the article in this volume on the CBD.

^[17] Watch the full side event: Indigenous Navigator. “UNPFII 2022 Side-Event: Indigenous Peoples’ Rights and Development on the Ground.” April 2022, https://youtu.be/IByN-Kn3k5s

^[18] Watch the full side event: Indigenous Navigator. “Indigenous Peoples’ rights and the urgent need for technology to work for democracy.” July 2022, https://youtu.be/okTG4fMMDa4

^[19] These interventions were led by Forest Peoples Programme. An overview of the side events organized can be found here: “COP15 – Working to include Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities’ rights in new biodiversity agreement.” Forest Peoples Programme, 2 December 2022, https://www.forestpeoples.org/en/news/2022/cop-15-indigenous-rights-global-biodiversity-framework

Tags: Global governance, Human rights, IWGIA