Procedures for consultations with indigenous peoples - Experiences from Norway
the development needs and aspirations of the Sami people. In this context, the procedures
stipulate as follows:
The Royal Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development and the Sami
Parliament shall jointly appoint a specialized analysis group which, inter alia, shall submit
an annual report concerning the situation and developmental trends of the Sami society
on the basis of Sami statistics. The report shall be used as the basis for consultations on
specific matters and for consultations concerning the developmental needs of the Sami
society at one of the half-yearly meetings between the Minister responsible for Sami affairs
and the President of the Sámediggi.
When State authorities or the Sámediggi consider there to be a need for background
studies to strengthen the factual or formal basis for assessments and decisions, this shall
be raised as early as possible, and both parties shall include questions concerning the
terms of reference for such studies into the consultation process. The Central Government
and the Sámediggi shall seek to reach an agreement on the terms of reference for such a
study, and who shall carry out the study. The Central Government and the Sámediggi are
obliged to assist in providing information and materials necessary for carrying out the study
(Norway, 2005: 8).
The 2006 consultation guidelines further clarify that statistics provide an important knowledge base for an analysis of the situation and the development needs of society. In order to
establish well-functioning consultations between the Government and the Sámediggi, it is
essential that the parties are informed to the fullest extent possible about the situation and
the development trends in Sami society, thus ensuring a shared understanding of the highest degree possible. In many respects, the knowledge base regarding Sami society is both
deficient and not easily accessible (Norway, 2006: 14).
The main initiative undertaken to fill the knowledge gap in this area was the preparation of an
annual Sami statistics report, which was first issued in 2006 (Norway, 2006: 14). The report
“Sámi logut muitalit” (“Sami numbers speak”) has been published annually ever since, and
is prepared by the analytical group for Sami statistics, under the Nordic Sami Institute and
the Sami University College. The reports provide annotated annual statistics. The 2013
edition focuses on language issues and on the presence of persistent organic pollutants in
local food sources such as cod and reindeer. The report also provides recommendations on
language and educational policies and on the need for further research into links between
pollution and health risks (Sámi allaskuvla, 2013).
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