The Indigenous Peoples' Network for Change is a project aimed at responding to the need for indigenous peoples to effectively participate in international processes that have direct impacts on their daily lives, with particular attention to the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) meetings and related events.

This three year project brings together ten regions of the globe collectively under the International Alliance of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples of the Tropical Forests (IAITPTF) and the Russian Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North (RAIPON). These regions include Bahasa, Pacific, Southeast Asia, South Asia, West Africa, Central Africa, East Africa, South America, Meso America, and the Circumpolar region.

THE IPNC: Building bridges and fostering understanding

The project seeks to raise indigenous peoples' awareness of, and involvement in, these international processes. It will achieve these tasks by:

• clarifying and disseminating information;
• providing training and capacity building in relevant issues;
• supporting active participation at the local, regional, and international levels;
• and nurturing partnerships with existing initiatives and organizations.

Informing

The project will conduct studies aimed at strengthening the role and position of indigenous peoples in the international processes. Such studies will be widely disseminated in order to create wider understanding of the issues facing indigenous peoples.

Mainstream and alternative media will be used to bring this information to the community level. Community radio programs designed to increase awareness by indigenous peoples of the international processes will be developed in pilot areas.

The project will also fund translation and simplification of CBD related documents into a format that is easily understood and useful at the community level and provide electronic and paper distribution systems to better disseminate all relevant information.

Training

The project will support trainings and workshops with the end view of involving newcomers in the different international processes. These trainings will facilitate the exchange of knowledge between those who have regularly attended international meetings and those who have less experience. Participants will leave these workshops with the information and tools necessary to play a role in both the policy and implementation level activities related to the CBD and GEF.

These workshops will also help develop solidarity between indigenous organizations and networks. They will serve to bring participants from different groups and communities together to build upon individual experiences to develop a stronger, more unified voice.

Participating

This project will provide support to send representatives from each of 10 regions across the world to increase their impact in CBD and GEF meetings. The emphasis will be on cultivating new indigenous experts and leaders and maintaining gender balance among participants.

The goal is to bolster the existing numbers and capacities of indigenous leaders to ensure sustained active and effective participation in these processes. The project will work to assure that new and existing representatives are well informed and prepared so that they can make the most significant impact. It will also introduce feedback mechanisms to maintain transparency and aid in the flow of information back to the communities.

Linking

The IPNC is collaborative in nature and aims to work with existing and similar initiatives. It is particularly unique in that it will bring together indigenous organizations from a multitude of regions - from the tropical forests of the south to the arctic north.

The project will actively seek and promote cooperation between the various networks and organizations of indigenous peoples by engaging in information exchanges, dialogues, and collaborative workshops.

An indigenous initiative that needs your participation

The success of the IPNC lies in a broad range of indigenous peoples and groups involved in the different aspects of the project. The information dissemination, meetings, trainings, and other activities will be geared toward involving as many partners as possible. The project will seek the expertise of indigenous peoples in various themes and activities aimed at strengthening the position of indigenous peoples in international negotiations. If you or your organisations are interested in joining this network, please contact the Project Secretariat or your nearest Regional Focal Point for more information.

A project that needs your participation and support

This project has been made possible by gracious funding from UNEP-GEF, NOVIB, and NORAD. While the present funding is sufficient to provide a strong foundation for the project, there is still great need for additional financial and in-kind support to ensure the full intended impact and sustainability of the IPNC.

Please contact the Project Secretariat for further information on how to participate and/or support the network:

Ms. Minnie Degawan
Project Coordinator
Email: minnie@international-alliance.org
Phone: +66 (0)53 328141
Fax: +66 (0)53 277 645