APPENDIX B-2:
INTERNATIONAL G UIDANCE ON CONSULTATION
Guidance from the United Nations
The UN Development Program promotes and supports the right of indigenous peoples to
free, prior informed consent with regard to development planning and programming that
may affect them
The UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples makes clear that Indigenous
peoples have the right to participate in decision making and that States must obtain their
free, prior and informed consent before adopting and implementing legislative or
administrative measures that may affect them.
Guidance from the World Bank
The World Bank has adopted a policy that World Bank funded projects will need a
process of free, prior and informed consultation with indigenous peoples, at each stage of
the project, to identify their views and to ascertain whether there is broad community
support for the project.
World Bank guidelines on Consultation with Indigenous Peoples indicate that an effective
consultation process with indigenous peoples should involve the following elements:
meaningful and good faith consultation;
informed participation regarding the preparation and implementation of the
project; followed by
a culturally appropriate and collective decision-making process.
World Bank consultation procedures entail:
establishing an appropriate gender and inclusive intergenerational framework that
provides the affected Indigenous Peoples’ communities opportunities for
consultation at each stage of the project
using consultation methods, appropriate to the social and cultural values of the
affected Indigenous Peoples’ communities and their local conditions, giving
special attention to the concerns of Indigenous women, youth and children.
Consultation methods could include using indigenous languages, allowing time
for consensus building, and selecting appropriate venues, and
providing the affected Indigenous Peoples’ communities with all relevant
information about the project (including an assessment of the potential adverse
affects of the project) in a culturally appropriate manner at each stage of project.