NCIV is the only organization in The Netherlands that has a primary focus on the promotion of the rights of indigenous peoples. NCIV has been working for more than forty years to create awareness about indigenous peoples’ issues and to advocate the rights of indigenous peoples both in The Netherlands and at various United Nations fora. We are part of a large network of indigenous peoples’ organizations (IPOs), indigenous experts and experts on indigenous peoples’ issues, not only in The Netherlands, but in many parts of the world. Since 2002 NCIV is an NGO in Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations.

In the past ten years NCIV has been able to channel funding from the Dutch Ministry for Development Cooperation to support indigenous peoples direct participation in international processes to advocate their rights (through the Environmental Rights Fund for Indigenous Peoples, ERFIP, or the Human Rights Fund for Indigenous Peoples, HRFIP) and support capacity building projects of indigenous grass root organizations (through the Grant for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, GRIP). Unfortunately, due to a shift in focus away from support for specific vulnerable target groups, such as indigenous peoples, towards support for sectors, such as education or environment, besides new technical financial conditions, the support for NCIV’s Programme for the Promotion of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples was not continued after 2008.

The Dutch government’s specific policy on indigenous peoples dates back to 1993. This policy note has not been reviewed since, even though The Netherlands government ratified ILO Convention 169 in 1998 and voted in favor of the adoption of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) in 2007. NCIV is of the opinion that Dutch policies which affect indigenous peoples should be in conformity with the provisions of UNDRIP.

NCIV is therefore presently focusing on those issues that are both key to indigenous peoples and relevant in the current policy dialogues in The Netherlands, such as climate change, the millennium development goals, Corporate Social Responsibility) biofuels, protection of biodiversity and sustainable forest management.  We consult IPOs on their views on these topics and then facilitate the dialogue with the relevant stakeholders in order to improve Dutch policies that impact the well-being of indigenous peoples.  NCIV, for example, has an ongoing dialogue  with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (BZ), Agriculture (LNV) and Environment (VROM) on the following issues:

• Achieving MDGs for indigenous peoples
• Safeguards for  indigenous rights in sustainable forest management
• Safeguards for indigenous rights in sustainability criteria for biomass
• Safeguards for indigenous rights in the REDD mechanism
• Preventing violations of human rights of indigenous peoples

For more info about our programme >>

What can we do for you?

NCIV offers advice about the implementation of the rights of indigenous peoples and can help facilitate a dialogue between indigenous peoples and interested parties in The Netherlands. For more information, please contact Mr. Leo van der Vlist, through this form>>