Indigenous Peoples Policy for the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC)

The Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC) has contracted AAE for the development of its Indigenous Peoples Policy under the UK FCDO-funded Small Island Developing States Capacity and Resilience (SIDAR) Programme. The objective is to integrate Indigenous Peoples’ rights, perspectives, and safeguards into the Centre’s Environmental and Social Management System (ESMS), aligned with international frameworks such as the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and ILO Convention 169.

The work is structured in two main phases. The inception phase includes a kick-off meeting, a comprehensive desk review of legal and policy frameworks, existing FPIC protocols, and relevant good practice guidance. Key outputs include an inception report and policy recommendations tailored to the regional context.

The policy development phase incorporates stakeholder mapping and analysis to identify priority actors for consultation and guide the engagement plan. Consultations are conducted remotely and in person with government entities, Indigenous Peoples’ representatives, and civil society actors from across CARICOM member states. Findings from these engagements, along with the desk review, inform the drafting of the Indigenous Peoples Policy, which includes dedicated sections on FPIC and institutional accountability.

To support implementation, complementary tools are developed, including checklists, process flows, and engagement protocols. CCCCC’s existing Performance Standard 7 on Indigenous Peoples is reviewed and revised to align with the new policy. A validation process is undertaken with CCCCC staff and partners to finalise the policy and associated instruments.