Institutional Building for Northern Aboriginal Peoples in Russia (INRIPP-II)

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Background

The Institution Building for Northern Russian Indigenous Peoples' Project (INRIPP-I) which was funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and coordinated by the Inuit Circumpolar Conference (ICC-Canada) was initiated in 1996. ICC (Canada), in partnership with the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development (DIAND) and working with the Russian Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North (RAIPON) and the Russian Federal State Committee on Northern Affairs (Goskomserver), began this three-year institution building project. The main outcome was an enhanced partnership capacity for RAIPON and Goskomsever at the national and regional levels for tackling the economic challenges facing northern indigenous peoples. The project also supported RAIPON's efforts to represent indigenous peoples at the national and international levels.

The successful completion of this project in 2000 lead ICC-Canada and DIAND to seek funding from the Canadian International Development Agency in support of a second phase of this work over the next five years. The proposal was accepted and phase two began in July 2000.

What is INRIPP-II?

INRIPP-II is phase two of this institutional building project. It will focus on ensuring the direct involvement of indigenous peoples in economic development and participation in the decision-making processes at the national, regional and local levels.

The project has two fundamental objectives. The first is to support the sustainable political, economic and cultural development of Russia's northern indigenous peoples by establishing, through RAIPON, a training and economic development centre. Over the next five years, this centre will provide training, develop an outreach program and promote revenue generation. The second objective is to assist the Russian government in the implementation of its new Northern and Aboriginal Development Program by strengthening the government capacity to promote community development and nurture indigenous small businesses and co-management. To achieve these objectives the project is comprised of three complementary parts.

Part I draws on the experience of Canadian Aboriginal peoples in developing training institutions and programmes based on their own languages and traditional learning styles.

In Part II the Canadian government, through its Department of Indians Affairs and Northern Development, will work with its Russian counterpart to strengthen the economic capacity of selected regional governments by sharing practical experience through pilot projects.

Part III will train Russian indigenous and government representatives in the practical aspects of co-management and related regimes by exposing them to existing structures in Canada. A co-management pilot project will be implemented in a selected region.

How will this be done?

Part I: The Indigenous to Indigenous Component

The project will establish the Russian Indigenous Training Centre (RITC). This is the main thrust of INRIPP-II. It is being established to react to the economic development needs of indigenous peoples and their communities.

In order to develop a sense of these needs, members of ICC-Canada and RAIPON's regional offices will travel to representative regions in Russia to assess opportunities and challenges for economic development. A comprehensive report will be prepared to help direct the implementation strategy for training through the project.

RITC will provide training related to the economic development needs of the regions. The Centre will also develop and apply an outreach programme where interns selected by the regions will receive specialized training in Canada and Russia. They will then be provided support for 24 months to go back into their regions and develop projects leading to revenue generation. The Centre will also have a revenue generating division. Assisted by a marketing consultant, the regions will identify products and services that can generate revenue. This division will also provide support to the outreach officers by taking community generated project proposals and working to have them funded. Finally, funds are available under INRIPP-2 to support three of the most feasible project proposals to emerge from the regions as pilot projects.

A manual on donor agencies will also be prepared. Work will begin immediately and consist of gathering and organizing information and data on national and international donor agencies, their areas of interest and funding criteria. Once completed, a workshop will be held in Russia where donors can meet directly with RAIPON staff and the outreach officers to discuss potential projects.

Another related activity will be to build RAIPON's in-house capacity in the mapping of traditional land use and occupancy in order to provide indigenous peoples with the information necessary for them to become confident partners in the co-management of lands and resources.

Finally the project will provide financial support to RAIPON allowing it to continue its very important participation in the work of the Arctic Council.

Part II: The Government to Government Component

This part of the project mirrors the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development's domestic objectives in an international context. The project is consistent with the Arctic Council agenda for sustainable development and with the new northern Dimension of Canada's Foreign Policy. It is also consistent with the Russian federal Target Program "Economic and Social Development of the Indigenous peoples of the North to 2010", which calls for the development of practical economic development projects focusing on the commercialization of traditional subsistence activities. The key activities will be:

1. Small Business Development

Internship Program The main objective of the internship program is to build a Russian governmental capacity to promote local economic development that responds to the needs of indigenous peoples living in the North through exposure to relevant elements of Aboriginal economic development institutions in Canada. Part of the internship program will focus on promoting capacity building for sustainable income generating activities for women through on-site training of trainers in small business development and Micro credit initiatives. Training will be conducted both in Canada and Russia.

2. Establishment of Community Economic Development Corporation in the Russia North

This program will develop the capacity of selected indigenous community enterprises and transfer Canadian northern experience of community economic development corporations to encourage employment and self-reliance at the local level. Two Canadian experts will spend extended periods of time in two regions of the Russian North to help set up Model Community Economic Development Corporations.

3. Round-table Conference/Trade Exhibition

A round-up conference will be organized in Moscow on specific themes that emerged from the project. The accompanying trade exhibition will show case northern and indigenous products and learning technologies identified as critical for the Russian North in moving forward with its governance and economic development reform agenda. The objective is to match Canadian capabilities with Russian needs. This part of the project will be conducted in close collaboration with CIDA and Canada's Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade.

4. Adapting Canadian Northern Technical Expertise in the Design of Systems for Appropriate Siberian Conditions

Canadian technical experts will conduct on-site demonstrations and seminars on the harvesting and processing of wildlife meat at existing facilities in two regions of the Russian north. They will prepare a report containing recommendations on how existing Russian technologies might be better employed. The recommendations will be conveyed through seminars held in three northern regions. Russian representatives will travel to Canada for training. The main goal will be to transfer important practical skills desperately needed in a market economy and to facilitate the establishment of a market through high-quality processing and packaging of wild meat.

Part III: The Co-management Component

In Canada, many Aboriginal peoples and the governments are committed partners in co-managing lands and resources. Co-management is a way of bringing together local communities and government agencies to create and implement effective resource management and development programs, while respecting cultural and social differences. It is used as a way for assuring effective participation of indigenous peoples in decision-making and for a more equitable distribution of revenues derived from the exploitation of natural resources - both important factors in sustainable, equitable development. It is not self-government. It responds instead to local needs and interests while recognizing the responsibility of the government to safeguard national interests.

RITC will develop and deliver courses based on the Canadian experience. This will be done in close collaboration with the communities to ensure their realities and needs are reflected. Canadians and Russians knowledgeable about resource law, environmental protection and indigenous rights will develop the training program.

A group of indigenous and government interns will then be selected from among those having received training at the RITC They will travel to Canada to visit and gather first-hand information by meeting with other Canadian Aboriginal people, industry and government agencies involved in co-management.

Once the training and internship programmes are complete, an area in Russia will be selected for a pilot project in co-management. All of the experience and expertise developed in the co-management component, along with the results of the traditional land use and occupancy mapping work, will be brought to bear in developing a co-management programme in this selected area. A trained and equipped resident indigenous capacity, capable of developing further co-management projects will be one of the main outputs of this initiative.

4. How is the project managed and funded?

INRIPP-2 will be managed by ICC (Canada), in cooperation with the Circumpolar Liaison Directorate (CLD) of DIAND. The main Russian partners are RAIPON and selected Russian federal and regional departments.

The project will be managed through a committee structure. The projects will be developed by RAIPON and selected Russian federal departments, together with their regional offices, in full collaboration with the communities.

Funding for the project is provided through a five-year funding agreement between ICC-Canada and the Canadian International Development Agency. ICC-Canada, DIAND, RAIPON and other government partners are providing cash and 'in-kind' contributions through staff and overhead support.

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