Thumbnail Image

Sustainable Development Goal 16 & Indigenous Peoples’ Collective Rights to Land, Territories & Resources

Year of publication 2021

Place of publication Rome, Italy ;

Pages 38 p.

Author FAO

Publisher FAO ;

Product type Document

Edition 1

Synopsis (short abstract) Land rights are interlinked with peace and development, being the trigger for conflict and disputes involving Indigenous Peoples’ rights in almost every region in the world (United Nations Indigenous Peoples Major Group for Sustainable Development, 2019). Access to land is closely related to the right to adequate food, as recognized under article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and article 11 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Natural resources are the main direct source of food for the majority of Indigenous Peoples. While land and water are central to food production, forest resources provide a basis for subsistence harvesting as well as for income-generating activities, e.g. through the collection and use of non-wood forest products. Thus Indigenous Peoples’ right to food often depends closely on their access to and control over their lands and other natural resources in their territories. For many traditional communities, especially those living in remote regions, access to hunting, fishing and gathering grounds for their subsistence livelihoods is essential for ensuring their adequate nutrition, as they may have no physical or economic access to marketed food (Knuth, 2009). There is therefore a key relationship between realising the right to food and improving access to natural resources which is also recognised by the Voluntary Guidelines to support the progressive realization of the right to adequate food in the context of national food security (Right to Food Guidelines) adopted by FAO Council in 2004. This paper has highlights the intrinsic relationship that exists between the collective of Indigenous Peoples to land, territories and resources, and SDG 16 on peace justice and strong institutions. In the light of the goals set out in the 2030 Agenda, the fulfillment of the entire SDGs for Indigenous Peoples depends on the legal recognition and legal protection of their collective rights as an essential condition for the implementation of the right to self-determination as enshrined in UNDRIP and the other international treaties. The legal protection of collective rights of Indigenous Peoples implies not only respecting their collective right to natural resources which is at the core of FAO’s mandate, but also their right to exercise their justice and governance systems. Respect for their institutions, legal regimes, and customary law within the framework of legal pluralism is an intrinsic part of SDG16, and the achievement of peace depends precisely on this.

Language English

Also available in:
No results found.

Related items

Showing items related by metadata.

  • Thumbnail Image
    Policy brief
    COVID-19, land, natural resources, gender issues and Indigenous Peoples' rights in Asia 2022
    Also available in:
    No results found.
    Secure tenure rights and meaningful participation in the management of land, territories and natural resources are a key element for the food security of Indigenous Peoples, who often rely on agriculture for their livelihoods. Indigenous Peoples have a strong cultural, spiritual, social and economic connection with their land, which is closely linked to their identity and existence itself. Land and natural resources tenure security is also at the core of human rights’ enjoyment among Indigenous Peoples. Their right to food, shelter and an adequate standard of living – just to name a few – are closely linked to secure tenure rights. Furthermore, Indigenous Peoples play a critical role ensuring sustainable development and biodiversity conservation, and their land tenure security is closely associated with that. Before the pandemic, forced evictions and conflicts over their land, territories and resources were already driving Indigenous Peoples into poverty and vulnerability. The COVID-19 crisis has led to reports of encroachment upon indigenous land, creating hardship during an especially difficult time and placing Indigenous Peoples in a precarious situation. In this context, this brief asks specifically what impact COVID-19 is having on Indigenous Peoples’ rights, especially women, elaborating on how challenges could be overcome leaving no one behind.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Book (stand-alone)
    Free Prior and Informed Consent: An indigenous peoples’ right and a good practice for local communities 2016
    Also available in:

    This Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) Manual is designed as a tool for project practitioners of a broad range of projects and programmes of any development organization, by providing information about the right to FPIC and how it can be implemented in six steps.

    In an FPIC process, the “how”, “when” and “with and by whom”, are as important as “what” is being proposed. For an FPIC process to be effective and result in consent or lack of it, the way in which the process is conducted is paramount. The time allocated for the discussions among the indigenous peoples, the cultural appropriateness of the way the information is conveyed, and the involvement of the whole community, including key groups like women, the elderly and the youth in the process, are all essential. A thorough and well carried FPIC process helps guarantee everyone’s right to self-determination, allowing them to participate in decisions that affect their lives.

    This FPIC Manual will ena ble field practitioners to incorporate FPIC into project and programmes’ design and implementation, ensuring that indigenous peoples’ rights are duly respected. FPIC can be considered the “gold standard” because it allows for the highest form of participation of local stakeholders in development projects.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Book (stand-alone)
    Collective tenure rights for REDD+ implementation and sustainable development 2021
    Also available in:
    No results found.
    This technical paper emphasizes the opportunity that REDD+ and the global climate agenda represents for countries to engage more actively in securing land and resource rights for indigenous peoples and local communities. At the same time, it stresses how collective tenure rights represent a key element to achieve long-lasting and successful results for REDD+, contributing to addressing global climate change.
Show more

Users also downloaded

Showing related downloaded files

No results found.