Position: Expert Consultant: Support for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities Affected by Mining

Project: Integrated Natural Resources Management (INRM)

Period of Performance: July 2024 - January 2025

Place of Performance: Remote

Level of Effort: Up to 35 days

Project Description: The Integrated Natural Resource Management (INRM) activity provides on-demand support services and technical assistance for USAID Missions, Bureaus, and Independent Offices and is managed by the USAID Land and Resource Governance (LRG) Division within the Center for Natural Environment (CNE) in the Bureau for Resilience, Environment, and Food Security (REFS).  INRM supports integrated analysis and programming across development sectors. By using a multi-sectoral lens, INRM seeks to strengthen the impacts of USAID’s core environmental programming by recognizing synergies, adopting best practices, and building broader constituencies for integrated programming. INRM is designed to help USAID operating units achieve higher impact environment programming and to support the uptake of principles and approaches outlined in the Agency’s Environmental and Natural Resource Management Framework.  

Role’s Purpose: The Land and Resource Governance Division’s (LRG) core function is to provide integrated field support services to USAID Missions on issues of land and resource governance. Missions are increasingly seeking LRG’s support on critical minerals programming. In an attempt to both foster and respond to that demand, LRG and INRM have developed several reference sheets for Missions with ideas for critical minerals programming. Among the ideas presented is providing support to Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs) in their engagements and negotiations with mining companies. LRG sees support to IPLCs who have been—or will be—affected by mining as a key to driving more equitable outcomes and minimizing social, environmental, and conflict risks at mine sites.

Support could take various forms such as assistance to IPLCs’ organizations, civil society organizations, or networks who are helping IPLCs to know and exercise their rights, provision of legal or other services to bolster IPLCs’ negotiating power, or supporting community-driven monitoring or impact assessments, etc. Several public and private donors are already doing such work, but a significant need remains to strengthen these and related efforts. USAID can play an important role in providing such support. LRG seeks additional information through a “landscape analysis” of the types of and effectiveness of existing interventions, who funds them, anticipated needs for additional support, and recommendations for future USAID programming. Deepening USAID’s understanding of the experiences, perspectives, and current needs of IPLCs is a principal goal of the landscape analysis.

Possible issue-areas for investigation include the following:

Consultation and consent –Encouragement and support for FPIC or its practical equivalent through facilitation of engagement and dialogue—prior to and maintained throughout the life of a mining project if consent is secured—can strengthen the viability and sustainability of critical minerals operations.

Equitable and fair benefit-sharing - The sharing of benefits with IPLCs from mineral extraction is often complex and contested.

Capacity building for IPLC organizations and networks –IPLCs’ networks and leaders can benefit from support that allows them to document, connect, and learn from experiences engaging mining companies and governments to advocate for their rights.

Information and transparency – IPLC communities need basic public information on mining policies and processes and their possible impacts affecting water, lands, biodiversity, and livelihoods.

Supporting IPLCs’ community-based land tenure and resource rights – Support for these collective rights can reduce the potential for conflict and clarify overlapping claims in areas of mining concessions.

Strengthening civil society and media in monitoring human rights –Support for civil society and local media can help document and publicize human rights violations and bring accountability and remedial actions.

Strengthening State administrative and enforcement capacity –Critical minerals provide a window of opportunity to work with governments to strengthen their political commitment and administrative capacity at all levels to enforce existing national legislation on mining operations.

Convening and facilitating dialogue among stakeholders – Communication among governments, companies, communities, and miners is inconsistent and poor quality.

Supporting local NGOs to bridge relationships and build IPLCs’ capacities – Local NGOs with experience and credibility can bridge relationships between IPLCs, government, and the private sector.

Encouraging and supporting industry-wide and mineral-specific private sector coalitions for improved business practices – The critical minerals sector can learn from and build upon two decades of international efforts to improve corporate practices based on more robust norms and standards. 

Objectives and Duties:  The Expert Consultant will use their familiarity, knowledge, and experience with Indigenous Peoples and local communities, as well as public and private donors, to lead the landscape analysis. Methods will include reviewing relevant literature, conducting interviews and to inform the technical foundation for the landscape analysis. Specific tasks include:

Work with USAID, the assignment Technical Advisor and INRM team members to elaborate and refine the areas of investigation, key public and private donors, government representatives, and principal IPLC groups and organizations Plan and conduct literature reviews as well as key informant interviews on resulting research questions with groups, organizations, and individuals as identified above (travel requirements are TBD) Draft an initial version of the landscape analysis based on the research and interviews Work in collaboration with the assignment Technical Advisor and INRM team members to complete a revised draft of the landscape analysis for submission to USAID, including recommendations to USAID Conduct any necessary follow-up research and interviews to finalize the landscape analysis in collaboration with the assignment Technical Advisor and INRM team members

Deliverables and duration of the assignment: The assignment is expected to take 35 non-consecutive days, commencing in September 2024 and completed by January 2025.

Research plan with list of research questions, key literature and projected key informant interviews Literature review outline Draft landscape analysis Final landscape analysis, including recommendations to USAID

Required Qualifications:

At least 10 years of direct work experience with IPLCs, government, civil society, and the private sector  on mining, natural resource management (NRM), and community development. Experience in USAID-presence countries working with USAID and/or other donors, international organizations, research institutes, and national government ministries/agencies Experience conducting research and writing related to IPLCs, mining, and NRM. Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field required; Master’s or other advanced degree in a relevant field preferred Strong written and oral communications skills Professional competency in English and Spanish, French, or Portuguese. 

Reporting: The Expert Consultant will report to the INRM Chief of Party

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