The effects of climate change worsen inequalities and the lack of decent work. It is an additional factor driving the rise in social and economic injustice.
The depletion of fossil resources and the conflicts over this strategic resource inevitably lead to an economic transition towards so-called green energy. This transition towards greener economies does not automatically resolve inequalities: job creation and job losses will affect women and men differently, and other groups risk reproducing and reinforcing patterns of inequality instead of reducing them.
Furthermore, the economic transition directly affects Indigenous Peoples. They represent 6% of the world's population, yet more than 80% of biological diversity is found in their territories. Many raw materials essential to the economic transition are also found in their territories, or their extraction has an impact on their lives.
For the transition to be just, there must be environmental justice and policies that fully integrate a gender perspective must be developed. Governments, employers and workers must seize this opportunity for economic growth with equality.
Our role — Strategic dialogue
Equigual puts its expertise at the service of co-creation work with Indigenous Peoples, for various stakeholders whose activity involves or affects Indigenous Peoples and Indigenous Women.
Despite efforts, obstacles to intercultural dialogue with Indigenous Peoples remain:
Equigual supports the various stakeholders involved in developing projects that respect Indigenous Peoples.
Fields of work
Technical consulting
The right to consultation is a human right held collectively, with a specific scope for Indigenous Peoples, and is part of the collective rights established in ILO Convention No. 169. The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples also recognizes the right to Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC).
The obligation to ensure adequate consultations are carried out lies with governments, not with private individuals or companies — although in some cases governments may delegate implementation of the consultation process to other entities.
The United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights recognize the role of the private sector in promoting human dignity.
The European Union requires companies of a certain size to carry out a sustainability assessment (CSRD). With this approach, we support private-sector companies in achieving their corporate social responsibility (CSR) objectives, including when their work takes place in the territories of Indigenous Peoples or affects their lives.