Abstract:

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development defines the global development agenda for the next 15 years. For indigenous peoples, it is regarded as an improvement compared to the Millennium Development Goals(MDGs,), where indigenous peoples were largely invisible. Indigenous peoples participated in the global consultation process towards the 2030 Agenda and, while not all their concerns were included, their advocacy resulted in a framework that makes explicit references to indigenous peoples’ development concerns and that is founded on principles of universality, human rights, participation, equality and environmental sustainability - core priorities for most indigenous peoples. The 2030 Agenda has the potential to be transformative for indigenous peoples, if its implementation respects these principles.In contrast to the MDGs, the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs) explicitly include indigenous peoples. Two of the SDG targets make specific references to indigenous peoples, committing to double agricultural output of indigenous small-scale farmers and to ensure equal access to education for indigenous children.