A Dialogue with Myrna Cunningham on FILAC

On November 14^th El Fondo para el Desarrollo de los Pueblos Indígenas de América Latina y El Caribe (FILAC) and International Funders for Indigenous Peoples (IFIP) hosted a dialogue with Myrna Cunningham on FILAC’s latest work. The event that was held at the offices of The Christensen Fund offered an opportunity for Bay Area funders to discuss the best ways to forge partnerships between Indigenous led organizations like FILAC and philanthropy.

Lourdes Inga, executive director of IFIP, and members of FILAC exchanging ideas with event participants at A Dialogue with Myrna Cunningham on FILAC.

FILAC, one of IFIP’s newest members, has a unique organizational structure that is constituted of both Indigenous Peoples and government representatives. This structure helps support the organization’s role as a facilitator and its ability to aid consultations between these two groups at the local, national and international levels. At the heart of FILAC’s mission is to promote development with identity and to ensure the rights of Indigenous Peoples through these linkages and consultations. During the event, FILAC provided an example of this work by describing their role as the first Indigenous organization to become a United Nation’s permanent observer, as well as their efforts around monitoring and influencing the implementation of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). This includes a regional pilot program of Indigenous indicators for the SDGs that will encompass a human rights framework.

The evening event offered the opportunity to discuss another important partner, philanthropy. It provided a space for funders to better understand the power of FILAC’s governance structure as well as some of the challenges. One participant noted that often times it is difficult for funders to remain engaged in long term goals like the SDGs in the way a government can. She also noted that funders want to see respectful, enduring relationships between Indigenous Peoples and governments, where communities can hold representatives to account. Organizations like FILAC provide one model where funders can help support this kind of accountability through partnerships and dialogue between Indigenous groups and governing bodies.