Indigenous Peoples

Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) is a specific right granted to Indigenous Peoples recognised in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), which aligns with their universal right to self-determination. FPIC allows Indigenous Peoples to provide or withhold/ withdraw consent, at any point, regarding projects impacting their territories. FPIC allows Indigenous Peoples to engage in negotiations to shape the design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of projects. 

FAO's Policy on Indigenous Peoples aligns with the UN and the international legal framework, prioritising the inclusion and promotion of Indigenous Peoples' issues in its work. The FAO Policy upholds core principles such as self-determined development, respect for Indigenous Peoples' knowledge, cultures and traditional practices and FPIC. The Indigenous Peoples Unit (PSUI) has the corporate responsibility for implementing the FAO Policy and the FAO manual on FPIC providing technical support to other units and projects.

This toolkit is designed to provide guidance to FAO staff on how to implement the FPIC process. In contains both informative and operational documents. You can contact [email protected] for further information.

Download the FPIC Tool Kit Here

The FPIC E-learning course focuses on how to practically operationalize the indigenous Peoples’ right to Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) throughout all stages of the project cycle. The course is primarily intended for professionals directly engaged in the development and implementation of projects involving indigenous peoples. Available online in English, French & Spanish

International normative framework

The normative framework of FPIC consists on a series of legal international instruments including the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), the International Labour Organization Convention 169 (ILO 169), and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), among many others, as well as national laws. 

The National Plan for Indigenous Peoples of Paraguay

On April 20, 2021, in an event held at the Government Palace, El Plan Nacional de Pueblos Indígenas (PNPI) of Paraguay was presented. The document complies recommendations of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII), aiming to support the process of political dialogue between Indigenous Peoples, the Government, and the United Nations. | Find out more

Drawing upon their expertise in assisting the Government of Paraguay with FPIC, the FAO Indigenous Peoples Unit, the FAO Development Law Service, as well as the Sub-regional and Regional FAO offices in Panama, are currently offering technical support to the Government in the development of the national regulatory framework for Law No. 37 on Indigenous Peoples' Free, Prior, and Informed Consent.