STATE OF THE WORLD's INDIGENOUs PEOpLEs - CINU

EMBARGOED UNTIL 14 January 2010STATE OF THE WORLD’S INDIGENOUS PEOPLESNot for distributionGuidelines is a Mohawk term meaning “everything in creation” and was adoptedin 2004 by COP7 as decision VII/16 F. 69 The Guidelines provide a collaborativeframework ensuring the full involvement of indigenous peoples in assessing thecultural, environmental and social impact of proposed developments on sacredsites and on lands and waters they have traditionally occupied. Moreover,guidance is provided on how to take into account traditional knowledge,innovations and practices as part of the impact-assessment processes andpromote the use of appropriate technologies.The objectives of the Akwe: Kon Voluntary GuidelinesThe specific objectives of the Akwe: Kon Guidelines are tosupport the full and effective participation of indigenous peoplesin screening, scoping and development planning exercises;take into account the cultural, environmental and socialconcerns and interests of indigenous peoples; take into account the traditional knowledge of indigenous peopleswith due regard to the ownership of the need for its protection;promoting the use of technologies associated with TK;identify and implement appropriate measures to prevent ormitigate any negative impacts of proposed developments; andtake into consideration the interrelationships between cultural,environmental and social elements.Given that most indigenous peoples live in areas where the vast majorityof the world’s biological and genetic resources are found, the voluntaryAkwe: Kon Guidelines are an important tool that can be used in developmentassessment processes to ameliorate the potential long-term negative impactsof developments on the livelihoods and traditional knowledge of indigenouspeoples who have used biological diversity in a sustainable way for thousandsof years and for whom living cultural traditions and knowledge are deeply rootedin the environment on which they depend.The WG8J has also, more recently, undertaken the important task of developingelements of sui generis systems (laws within national legal systems) for theprotection of traditional knowledge as well as draft elements of an EthicalCode of Conduct to Ensure Respect for the Cultural and Intellectual Heritage ofIndigenous Peoples. This work will make a substantial contribution to the workbeing conducted by indigenous peoples in another working group—the Ad Hocthe voluntary Akwe:Kon Guidelines are animportant tool that canbe used in developmentassessment processes toameliorate the potentiallong-term negativeimpacts of developmentson the livelihoods andtraditional knowledge ofindigenous peoples69See full text at http://www.cbd.int/doc/publications/akwe-brochure-en.pdfTHE ENVIRONMENT | 105