1. Indigenous Voices in Asia (IVA) project background:
discussion on research reports by UNDP and UNESCO
Facilitated by Cobi Smith,
Australian Youth Ambassador for Development, Australian Volunteers for International Development
New Media and Communications Development, AIPP Research and Communications Development Programme
At the IVA workshop for networking and developing a regional a regional indigenous media strategy,
on Monday 15 July 2013 in Bangkok.
Slides from this discussion are available for reference online at:
www.slideshare.net/cobismith/IVAsiabackground

3. 2012
Report
released
last year
(2012)

4. “access to information and communication
avenues have an empowering element, and
play a significant role in strengthening
democratic governance, making it more
inclusive, responsive and accountable.”
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Asia-Pacific Regional Centre 2012,
Indigenous Voices in Asia-Pacific: Identifying the Information and Communication Needs of Indigenous Peoples, p1

5. “UNDP’s Indigenous Voices initiative focuses
on how media environments and
communication interventions can empower
indigenous peoples by enhancing inclusive
participation, voice and governance
accountability on indigenous issues.”
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Asia-Pacific Regional Centre 2012,
Indigenous Voices in Asia-Pacific: Identifying the Information and Communication Needs of Indigenous Peoples, p4

6. “regional and national interventions to
increase the participation of indigenous
peoples in decisions affecting them.”
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Asia-Pacific Regional Centre 2012,
Indigenous Voices in Asia-Pacific: Identifying the Information and Communication Needs of Indigenous Peoples, p1

7. “The Indigenous Voices initiative is based
on the premise that some of the most
serious problems faced by new and
fragile democratic systems are social
exclusion and the low participation of
poor and vulnerable groups.
In Asia-Pacific, a significant percentage of
the poor and vulnerable are
indigenous peoples.”
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Asia-Pacific Regional Centre 2012,
Indigenous Voices in Asia-Pacific: Identifying the Information and Communication Needs of Indigenous Peoples, p4

8. “Factors that hinder their inclusion and
participation include a lack of information
and inadequate communication channels
for them to express their perspectives and
influence public opinion.
Indigenous peoples often have limited
awareness of how to exercise their rights,
communicate their grievances and
participate in public debates.”
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Asia-Pacific Regional Centre 2012,
Indigenous Voices in Asia-Pacific: Identifying the Information and Communication Needs of Indigenous Peoples, p4

9. Communication
for Empowerment
(C4E) assessments
2009-2011 in five
countries

10. Framework for Communication for Empowerment
(C4E) assessments in five countries
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Asia-Pacific Regional Centre 2012,
Indigenous Voices in Asia-Pacific: Identifying the Information and Communication Needs of Indigenous Peoples, p10

11. Media Development Indicators
devised by the International Programme for the
Development of Communication (IPDC) at the
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO)
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Asia-Pacific Regional Centre 2012,
Indigenous Voices in Asia-Pacific: Identifying the Information and Communication Needs of Indigenous Peoples, p1

12. http://www.unesco.org/new/en/communication-and-information/resources/publications-and-communication-
materials/publications/full-list/media-development-indicators-a-framework-for-assessing-media-development/

14. Media Development Indicators are in five categories:
CATEGORY 1: A system of regulation conducive to freedom of expression,
pluralism and diversity of the media
CATEGORY 2: plurality and diversity of media, a level economic playing field and
transparency of ownership
CATEGORY 3: media as a platform for democratic discourse
CATEGORY 4: professional capacity building and supporting institutions that
underpins freedom of expression, pluralism and diversity
CATEGORY 5: infrastructural capacity is sufficient to support independent and
pluralistic media
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) 2008,
Media Development Indicators: A framework for assessing media development , p11

15. 2012
Report
released
last year
(2012)

16. Research covered:
• freedom of expression
• freedom of information
• safety of journalists
• community media
• digital communication
• information and communication technology
(ICT)
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Asia-Pacific Regional Centre 2012,
Indigenous Voices in Asia-Pacific: Identifying the Information and Communication Needs of Indigenous Peoples, p1

17. Recommendations included:
• piloting or expanding indigenous media initiatives
• improving media literacy
• sharing experiences through skills exchanges
• building capacities in media production
• using new media platforms
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Asia-Pacific Regional Centre 2012,
Indigenous Voices in Asia-Pacific: Identifying the Information and Communication Needs of Indigenous Peoples, p1

18. Article 16
1. Indigenous peoples have the right to
establish their own media in their own
languages and to have access to all
forms of non-indigenous media
without discrimination.
2. States shall take effective measures
to ensure that State-owned media
duly reflect indigenous cultural
diversity. States, without prejudice to
ensuring full freedom of expression,
should encourage privately owned
media to adequately reflect
indigenous cultural diversity.

19. The media – both traditional forms as
well as new digital media channels –
have so far failed to fully support the
inclusive participation of indigenous
peoples, both in terms of diversity in
their staffs and in the content they
produce.
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Asia-Pacific Regional Centre 2012,
Indigenous Voices in Asia-Pacific: Identifying the Information and Communication Needs of Indigenous Peoples, p4

20. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Asia-Pacific Regional Centre 2012,
Indigenous Voices in Asia-Pacific: Identifying the Information and Communication Needs of Indigenous Peoples, p11

21. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Asia-Pacific Regional Centre 2012,
Indigenous Voices in Asia-Pacific: Identifying the Information and Communication Needs of Indigenous Peoples, p11

22. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Asia-Pacific Regional Centre 2012,
Indigenous Voices in Asia-Pacific: Identifying the Information and Communication Needs of Indigenous Peoples, p11-12

23. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Asia-Pacific Regional Centre 2012,
Indigenous Voices in Asia-Pacific: Identifying the Information and Communication Needs of Indigenous Peoples, p12

25. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Asia-Pacific Regional Centre 2012,
Indigenous Voices in Asia-Pacific: Identifying the Information and Communication Needs of Indigenous Peoples, p10

26. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Asia-Pacific Regional Centre 2012,
Indigenous Voices in Asia-Pacific: Identifying the Information and Communication Needs of Indigenous Peoples, p13