Water

Dams and Development E-Paper Contents

p. -1 of 74 BACK | NEXT Home Page of Dams and Development Foreword I. Why an e-paper on dams and development? II. Assessing options III. Participatory processes IV. Social impacts V. Environmental impacts VI. Benefit distribution VII. Dam safety and sustainability VIII. Existing projects IX. Improving governance X. What other organizations say XI. ADB, Dams, and Development XII. References Contact Us

Inter-American Development Bank and Indigenous Peoples

The Inter-American Development Bank makes reference to indigenous peoples in its safeguard policy on involuntary resettlement in relation to the provisions for resettlement and compensation and includes the principle of benefits to the community and recognition of customary rights - Document GN-1979-3, July 1998.

Indigenous Communities. Those indigenous and other low income ethnic minority communities whose identity is based on the territory they have traditionally occupied are particularly vulnerable to the disruptive and impoverishing effects of resettlement. They often lack formal property rights to the areas on which they depend for their subsistence, and find themselves at a disadvantage in pressing their claims for compensation and rehabilitation. The Bank will, therefore, only support operations that involve the displacement of indigenous communities or other low income ethnic minority communities, if the Bank can ascertain that:

1. the resettlement component will result in direct benefits to the affected community relative to their prior situation;
2. customary rights will be fully recognized and fairly compensated;
3. compensation options will include land-based resettlement; and
4. the people affected have given their informed consent to the resettlement and compensation measures.

Back Dams and Development	Next Contact Us