Capacity Support
Policy and Indigenous Rights
Resources
- Funding Opportunities
- Capacity Support — Indigenous Women, Youth, Emerging Leaders, and Fellowship Opportunities
- Capacity Support — Policy and Indigenous Rights
- Capacity Support — Community Mapping, Life Plan Creation, and Climate Specific Training
- Capacity Support — English Language Learning
ALL REGIONS
ELATIA Indigenous Peoples’ Training Institute
ELATIA Overview: ELATIA is the most vibrant global Indigenous network implementing Indigenous peoples’ sustainable, self-determined development (IPSSDD), including recognition and protection of Indigenous peoples’ rights and rights to lands, territories and resources; empowering Indigenous women and youth; strengthening Indigenous governance systems and traditional knowledge; supporting low-carbon sustainable livelihoods, implementing community-based monitoring and information systems (CBMIS) participatory mapping and resource inventory.
ELATIA Indigenous Peoples’ Training Institute: To ensure the establishment of a sustained and targeted capacity building program and knowledge-sharing platform for the ELATIA Partners and other like-minded indigenous peoples groups, the ELATIA Indigenous Peoples’ Training Institute was established in 2018 through the initiative of the Tebtebba Foundation and the support of the said ELATIA Partners. The training institute gears to train and mentor next generation leaders including indigenous women.
- Course – Indigenous Peoples and International Human Rights Law: This course traces the historical development and contents of human rights standards and instruments on indigenous peoples’ rights at the international level and clarifies these standards on IPs
- Learn more about the ELATIA training institute
International Working Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA)
Overview: the IWGIA is a global human rights organization dedicated to promoting and defending Indigenous Peoples’ rights. IWGIA works to empower Indigenous Peoples through documentation, capacity development and advocacy on a local, regional and international level. To achieve our mission, we provide documentation and support the advocacy and empowerment of Indigenous Peoples’ organizations and institutions via global partnerships.
- IWGIA Current Projects
- Available Resources – Indigenous Navigator: a framework and set of tools for and by Indigenous Peoples to systematically monitor the level of recognition and implementation of their rights. By using the Indigenous Navigator, Indigenous organizations and communities, duty bearers, NGOs and journalists can access free tools and resources based on community-generated data
- Learn more about the IWGIA, their focus areas, countries, resources, news, and more here.
United Nations: Human Rights & Indigenous Rights Resources and Opportunities
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights: The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights coordinates, among others, United Nations education and public information programmes in the field of human rights.
Human Rights Education & Training
Indigenous Fellowship Program (IFP)
- About the programme: The programme contributes to build the capacity and expertise of indigenous representatives on the UN system and mechanisms dealing with human rights in general and indigenous issues in particular. This means they are in a better position to protect and promote the rights of their communities at the international level.
- Call for applications: OHCHR Indigenous Fellowship Program 2025: APPLICATION OPEN UNTIL SATURDAY, 31 AUGUST 2024
Indigenous Voluntary Fund: The UN Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Peoples offers financial support in the form of grants. These grants aim to help representatives of indigenous communities and organizations to participate in UN mechanisms and processes most relevant to indigenous issues. Any member of an indigenous community can apply for a grant.
Learning for Nature United Nations Development Program (UNDP): Learning for Nature is a premier e-learning programme brought to you by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). This programme connects biodiversity policymakers, change-makers, and on-the-ground subject matter experts to promote biodiversity conservation and facilitate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
- Indigenous Peoples at the United Nations – Project Access Online : The United Nations Development Programme and Project Access Indigenous Partnership offer a FREE self-paced introductory level course on Indigenous Peoples at the United Nations
United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples - This mandate was created to:
- Promote good practices, including new laws, government programs, and constructive agreements between indigenous peoples and states, to implement international standards concerning the rights of indigenous peoples;
- Make recommendations and proposals on appropriate measures to prevent and remedy violations of the rights of indigenous peoples;
- Report on the human rights situations of indigenous peoples around the world;
- Address specific cases of alleged violations of indigenous peoples’ rights.
UN Mandate on Roles of the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Minority Rights Group (MRG)
Overview: Minority Rights Group is the leading human rights organization working with ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities, and indigenous peoples worldwide. Millions of people miss out on basic rights because they are different. We support minorities and indigenous peoples in the defence of their rights – to the lands they live on, to the languages they speak, to the beliefs they practise, to the cultures they enjoy, to equal opportunities in education and employment, and to full participation in public life.
Minority Rights and Advocacy Toolkit Online Course: The free, 7-week online course aims to build an understanding of regional and international minority rights mechanisms and ways to implement these rights frameworks at the national and local levels and build the capacity of human rights defenders (HRDs) to advocate for the rights of minorities.
Learn more about Minority Rights Group here.
Cultural Survival
Overview: Cultural Survival is an Indigenous-led NGO and U.S. registered non-profit that advocates for Indigenous Peoples’ rights and supports Indigenous communities’ self-determination, cultures, and political resilience, since 1972. For 50 years, Cultural Survival has partnered with Indigenous communities to advance Indigenous Peoples’ rights and cultures worldwide.
Learn more about Cultural Survival here.