Thematic Focus 1/2006: Millennium Development Goals and Indigenous Peoples
At the Millennium Summit in September 2000 the largest gathering of world leaders in history adopted the UN Millennium Declaration, committing their nations to a new global partnership to reduce extreme poverty and setting out a series of time-bound targets, all with a deadline of 2015, that have become known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The Millennium Declaration was adopted by 189 nations-and signed by 147 heads of state and governments.
The eight Millennium Development Goals range from halving extreme poverty to halting the spread of HIV/AIDS and providing universal primary education.
The eight MDGs are:
Goal 1: Eradicate Extreme Hunger and Poverty
Goal 2: Achieve Universal Primary Education
Goal 3: Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women
Goal 4: Reduce Child Mortality
Goal 5: Improve Maternal Health
Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other diseases
Goal 7: Ensure Environmental Sustainability
Goal 8: Develop a Global Partnership for Development *
The eight MDGs break down into 18 quantifiable targets that are measured by 48 indicators. On UN Millennium Project's website you can find the targets and indicators for each MDG.
MDGs and indigenous peoples
There is a growing scepticism among indigenous peoples, researchers and others that the MDGs can, in fact, be achieved. During the 4th and 5th session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in 2005 and 2006 the main theme was the MDGs. Here indigenous representatives expressed their concern that the MDGs do not take into account the specific concerns of indigenous peoples and thereby risking their further marginalisation. Generally, indigenous peoples are invisible in the MDGs and a review of MDGs in some countries shows that they are not even mentioned or referred to.
Because the situation of indigenous peoples is often not reflected in statistics or is hidden by national averages, there is a concern that efforts to achieve the MDGs could in some cases have a negative impact on indigenous peoples, while national indicators apparently improve.
In a study on indigenous health published in the Lancet, it is stated that minority groups such as Indigenous peoples could be ignored because of the way the MDGs work – by focusing on big numbers and encouraging targets to maximise health benefits for the majority. This means that the health experiences of minority indigenous populations will be swallowed up, unnoticed, in the country statistics for the MDGs, and that these communities could become the hidden victims of the global effort to tackle poverty.
Another concern to indigenous peoples is the definition of 'poverty' within the MDGs. Poverty is restricted to the idea of economic deprivation and does not take into account the denial of social and cultural rights that is a definitive component of indigenous peoples' poverty. Poverty is not only an issue of earning below one or two dollars a day since a non-cash economy is very important to many indigenous groups. For most indigenous peoples, poverty is linked to racism and discrimination, which is why poverty reduction strategies must be framed in a human rights-based agenda and incorporate cultural differences.
More information
Publications and reports
In May 2006 IWGIA published an issue of Indigenous Affairs titled "Africa and the Millennium Development Goals". Each article can be found in the right column. If you want to download the whole issue, go to the download section.
Tebtebba in the Philippines has published a number of papers and journals on MDGs and indigenous peoples. Some of these include: "Indigenous Perspectives: Making the MDGs Relevant for Indigenous Peoples" and "Indigenous Peoples, Human Rights and Poverty".
In 2006 IWGIA supported two preparatory meetings for the 5th session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues with specific focus on the MDGs. Read the Asia Indigenous Peoples Caucus Statement and Recommendations from the Russian Indigenous Peoples.
Read the paper "Indigenous peoples and the Millennium Development Goals" submitted to the 4th Session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues by Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, PFII chairperson
Minority Rights Group International has produced a briefing paper titled "Minority and Indigenous Peoples' Rights in the Millennium Development Goals". The report can be found here.
ILO has dedicated its PRO 169 Newsletter, January 2006 to the issue of indigenous peoples and the MDGs. The Newsletter can be found here.
Each year the UN Secretary-General makes a "MDG Report", which can be found here. In 2005, the Secretary-General prepared the first comprehensive five-yearly report on progress toward achieving the MDGs, "The Millennium Development Goals Report 2005".
Country specific reports
UN Country Teams are preparing national reports and so far, national MDG reports had been published in over 140 countries. The reports can be found here.
ILO is in the process of producing the report "Indigenous and Tribal Peoples and the MDGs: Perspectives from indígenous communities in Bolivia, Cambodia, Cameroon and Guatemala". The report will be available at the following website: http://www.ilo.org/public/english/standards/norm/egalite/itpp/publication/index.htm
Websites
www.un.org/millenniumgoals
www.unmillenniumproject.org
www.undp.org/mdg
www.un.org/esa/socdev/unpfii/en/mdgs.html
* The MDGs' final goal is very broad and relates to actions at the global level to operationalise a global partnership for development. |
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Download articles from Indigenous Affairs 1/2006: Africa and the Millennium Development Goals:
 Editorial, by Jens Dahl
 MDGs, Globalisation and Indigenous Peoples in Africa, by Nigel Crawhall
 Will Pastoral Legislation Disempower Pastoralists in the Sahel?, by Ced Hesse and Brigitte Thébaud
 Cause for Celebration or Celebration of a Cause: Pastoralism and Poverty Reduction Strategies in East Africa, by Michael Ochieng Odhiambo
 In the Shadow of the MDGs: Pastoralist Women and Children in Tanzania, by Ndinini Kimesera Sikar and Dorothy L. Hodgson
 The Health Situation of Women and Children in Central African Pygmy Peoples, by Dorothy Jackson
 Mother Tongue Old Debates and New Initiatives in San Education, by Maitseo Bolaane and Sidsel Saugestad
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