Indigenous Peoples Global Health Guidance

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has designed this guidance document to provide a practical tool to assist USAID missions and operating units (OUs) in their efforts to more effectively engage and partner with Indigenous Peoples in global health activities. Consideration of Indigenous Peoples' own, self-determined development priorities through well-structured communication, consultation and engagement strategies helps foster local solutions to local development challenges as envisioned in the Journey to Self-Reliance. By effectively engaging Indigenous Peoples in global health activity design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, OUs can advance USAID’s global health strategic priority areas while accounting for Indigenous Peoples’ needs, capacities, and interests. This engagement can mitigate adverse impacts on indigenous communities, avoid conflict that could delay or derail projects, and lead to better development and health outcomes for Indigenous Peoples.