Free, Prior, & Informed Consent

Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) is a principle protected by international human rights standards that state, ‘all peoples have the right to self-determination’ and – linked to the right to self-determination – ‘all peoples have the right to freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development’. FPIC allows indigenous peoples to give or withhold consent to a project that may affect them or their territories.

While the U.S. recognizes “the significance of the Declaration’s provisions on free, prior and informed consent[,]” it qualifies those provisions as a “call for a process of meaningful consultation with tribal leaders.” The federal government’s emphasis on consultation rather than consent is an ongoing challenge for tribes seeking to ensure they have the necessary decision-making authority over projects that affect their lands, territories, and resources.

Resources:

Colorado Law Hosts UNPF Meeting on Indigenous Peoples in a Greening Economy

Manuel Heart, Chairman of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, provides a welcome and blessing for participants.Photo credit: University of Colorado .

Join Us At NCAI’s 80th Annual Convention and Marketplace For Our Breakout Sessions This November

Panel on Protecting Indigenous Knowledge and Cultural Expressions

Tribal leaders, cultural knowledge holders, and tribal government staff are invited to attend a free event in Sacramento, CA on .

Indigenous Peoples and Climate Change: Preparing for COP26

On October 20, 2021, the American Indian Law Program at Colorado Law hosted a webinar panel on Indigenous Peoples and .

United Nations Expert Mechanism on Rights of Indigenous Peoples Report: Free, prior and informed consent: a human-rights based approach

In August 2018, the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples ("EMRIP") presented a study on free, prior and .

Guidelines on Free, Prior and Informed Consent (UN-REDD)

From the guidelines: https://un-declaration.narf.org/wp-content/uploads/2013unredd-fpic-guidelines.pdf The UN-REDD Programme is the United Nations collaborative initiative on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest .

Manual for Project Managers: Free Prior and Informed Consent (Food and Agricultural Organization, UN)

From the manual: "This Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) Manual is designed as a tool for project practitioners (herein .

Implementing the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Handbook for Parliamentarians N° 23

https://un-declaration.narf.org/wp-content/uploads/2014-handbook-parliamentarians.pdf From the Handbook: Parliaments play a central role in enacting legislation that recognizes indigenous peoples’ rights and adopting budgetary .

British Columbia becomes 1st Canadian province to pass UN Indigenous rights declaration

British Columbia has become the first jurisdiction in Canada to pass legislation implementing the United Nations Declaration on Indigenous Peoples .

Washington State Attorney General Ferguson Releases Tribal Consent Policy

Attorney General Bob Ferguson today announced a new policy that requires the Attorney General’s Office to obtain free, prior and .

Resources by Topic

• Business & Human Rights
• Climate & Environment
• Cultural Rights
• Free, Prior, & Informed Consent
• Indian Child Welfare
• Language Rights
• Religious Freedoms
• Technology, Media, & Communications

Native American Rights Fund
250 Arapahoe Ave.
Boulder, CO 80302
https://www.narf.org

Univ. of Colorado Law School
2450 Kittredge Loop Dr.
Boulder, CO 80309
https://www.colorado.edu/law

The Implementation Project is a joint initiative of the Native American Rights Fund and Colorado Law to advance education and advocacy regarding the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.