Public Disclosure Authorized
Public Disclosure Authorized
Public Disclosure Authorized
Public Disclosure Authorized
IPP23
October 2002
Annex 13: Indigenous Peoples Development Framework
Ecuador: National System for Protected Areas Project
Background
As other social actors, indigenous social groups are complex and in constant and dynamic change.
Currently, they are an important socio-political force in the national scenario. However, this
protagonist role has been achieved through a gradual empowerment process based, among other
things, on cultural affirmation, traditional knowledge and practices revitalization, territorial and
collective rights' recognition. It is important to note that their constitution as social subjects has
taken place amidst a national scenario filled with exclusion and racism.
In the past decade, the Ecuadorian indigenous movement has gained strength in its intermediation
with the national state. Through this political intermediation, the indigenous populations have
been recognized as separate nationalities sharing the Ecuadorian citizenship.
Today, the indigenous movement has embarked in a capacity building effort that begins at the
lowest level of organization: the commune. The strategy undertaken transcends the old resistance
logic, in that it is proactive and reinforces civil society's consolidation. Because of its importance,
any intervention in the protected areas system needs to consider the indigenous populations as a
key stakeholders.
Component 2 of the NSPA, namely Participatory Management of Priority Protected Areas aims
to promote the participatory management by developing co-management according to the specific
social and political conditions of each area. This component will support the activities concerning
indigenous issues within the framework of PAs Management Plans, to be developed with the
active participation of indigenous and local communities. The Project will address all indigenous
issues in accordance with the World Bank's Safeguard Policies on Indigenous Peoples (OD.4.
20) as well as with the Ecuadorian Law. The project will work under the current policy and
legislation that pertains to indigenous and local population. In addition to this framework, the
project ratifies the collective rights included in the Constitution (1998).
The project seeks to develop a constructive relation with the local indigenous communities living
in the selected protected areas, as well as with their national representation entities: CODENPE within the public sector and CONAIE as their main political organization.
Currently, the GOE is promoting the formulation of Local Development Plans through
participatory mechanisms given the mandate of the National Planning System ratified in the
Constitution in 1998. In the case of indigenous peoples and afro Ecuadorians, both CODENPE
and CODAE have been actively pursuing the formulation of participatory development plans
based on the recognition and maintenance of cultural identity and territorial issues.
The project will work in close coordination with CODENPE, which is established as a
decentralized and participatory entity, whose mandate is ratified in the Constitution and pursues
the following objectives:
* Elaborate State Policies that will influence the development of plans, programs and projects
with the participation of the indigenous nationalities and people.
* Design the National Sustainable Development Plan for the Indigenous Nationalities and
People.
* Establish financial mechanisms that will allow sustainable development.
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* Promote inter-culturality and pluri-nationality as essential elements for sustainable social
relations, the maintenance of cultural diversity and equity.
* Establish inter-institutional coordination with public and private non- profit organizations in
benefit of the indigenous nationalities and people.
In addition, CODENPE is elaborating a proposal for a National Territorial Reorganization that
recognizes ancestral and indigenous territories as autonomous jurisdictions. It is also drafting the
Law for Indigenous Nationalities and People.
CODENPE works in close coordination with PRODEPINE - Proyecto de Desarrollo de los
Pueblos Indigenas y Negros del Ecuador (Pr6stamos BIRF 4277-EC; FIDA 464-EC).
PRODEPINE's line of action is to strengthen the community-based organizations' capacity to
formulate and administrate their own projects and resources. It focus on cultural, productive and
infra-structure provision projects. This project has two main components: a) Strengthening of
Nationalities, People and Organizations; b) Legalization of the lands and waters. The project
will seek close collaboration and synergies with both CODENPE and PRODEPINE in indigenous
issues within the selected protected areas.
Land tenure issues
The Project will not engage directly in activities related to the regularization of land tenure issues
within the PAs. However emerging land issues will be dealt through the Ecuadorian Constitution.
and the indigenous "collective rights" regulations. The 1998 Ecuadorian Constitution (Articles
83 through 85) defined indigenous and afro-Ecuadorian people, and recognizes the indigenous
"collective rights"; the indigenous ancestral communitarian territories; the right for indigenous
participation on the natural resources management; and finally, it supports the promotion of
cultural practices on the biodiversity management and conservation. It also establishes that no
further land titling will take place within the demarcated protected areas.
In addition, to the described legal framework, the recognition of ancestral indigenous territories
will be enforced by the actions undertaken by the PRODEPINE project. As established in their
Annual Operation Plan (2001), emphasis will be given to the regularization of property rights of
indigenous nationalities in highly vulnerable situations.
Based on this legal framework, the Ministry of Environment has confirmed the principle of
"parks with people" in all aspects of NPAS management. To guarantee the territorial integrity and
biodiversity conservation in the NSPA, previous the declaration of any territory as a protected
area where indigenous, afro-Ecuadorian, and local populations reside, the MoE will recognize
and allocate communal rights to these lands through collective adjudication processes established
by the 1998 Constitution.
The framework described above provides sufficient protection to traditional indigenous territories
within Protected Areas. The preparation of management plans will clearly follow a bottom-up
approach having as the main instance for discussion and decision-making the PMCs. This
condition will ensure the integrity of indigenous peoples territories.
In the case that land tenure issues emerge during the preparation of Protected Areas Management
Plans, the project will coordinate and establish synergies with other institutions and programs that
are currently managing indigenous communities-related land tenure issues (such as CARE and
PRODEPINE), to ensure the recognition of legitimate rights of indigenous peoples on traditional
territories within Protected Areas.
Integration of indigenous peoples development needs and Protected Areas Management
Plans
PA management plans in the selected PA will recognize the existing local development plans
and/or indigenous development plans as a key step towards the recognition, valorization and
protection of cultural resources and ancestral knowledge of the local and indigenous populations.
In the formulation and/ or update of the PA management plans especial importance will be given
to the integration of the priorities and demands established by the local and indigenous population
through their development plans. Toward this end, the project will work in close coordination
with PRODEPTNE, who is sponsoring indigenous development plans throughout the country. The
project will seek technical assistance agreements to ensure the integration of indigenous peoples'
demands in PA management.
Currently, in the Cotacachi-Cayapas Reserve there is a local development plans which will be
considered when the PA Management Plan will be updated: Plan de Desarrollo Local de la
Union de Organizaciones Indigenas de la Cuenca Alta de Cotacachi UNORCAC.
Throughout the implementation of the PA Management plans the project will ensure the
incorporation of indigenous and local populations' knowledge, as well as sponsor sustainable
natural resource use and production systems compatible with biodiversity conservation and
management.
The project will ensure to respect the local indigenous organization as well as their representation
levels when establishing working agreements. It will seek coordination with both CODENPE and
CONAIE whenever necessary as these are entities with national legitimacy among the indigenous
population. At all moments, the project will respect the communities decision-making processes
and practices when establishing cooperation agreements. It will foster continuous consultation
and socialization of the agreements and results through assemblies and ample community
participation.
Budget
The budget for the implementation of the IPDF is embedded in the budget allocated to the
preparation and implementation of the two Protected Areas Management Plans (Component 2).
Specific budget in each of the selected protected areas will be further defined once the
Management Plans are completed and the priority activities to be implemented by indigenous
communities and/or organizations are agreed upon. The total amount allocated to this component
is US $ 1.6 million.
Monitoring and Evaluation
The monitoring of the project's activities that will benefit specifically indigenous communities
will be part of the overall monitoring and evaluation system described under Component 4. This
monitoring will comprise the following aspects:
Baseline data. will obtained from the information already collected for the preparation of the
Social Assessment. The baseline data shows the current status of the use of natural resources by
indigenous communities within or nearby PAs and their current socio-economic situation. It will
allow to identify the specific issues that could be addressed under management plans to benefit
these communities while conserving biodiversity.
Indicators. the following indicators have been preliminarily identified to assess the benefits to
indigenous communities and the overall implementation of the IPDF: i) number of local
communities represented in the PMCs; ii) number of co-management agreements signed between
indigenous communities and the Ministry of the Environment; iii) number and type of
concessions for services implemented by indigenous communities.
Monitoring arrangements:the above indicated indicators will be monitored twice a year through
regular supervision missions and additionally through the two beneficiary assessments planned
under the project