Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC)
Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) is a specific right granted to Indigenous Peoples. It is recognised in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), which aligns with their universal right to self-determination. FPIC allows Indigenous Peoples to provide or withhold/withdraw consent at any point in projects that impact them and/or their territories. FPIC allows Indigenous Peoples to engage in negotiations to shape the design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of projects.
FAO is committed to respecting, promoting and implementing FPIC in its work with Indigenous Peoples. The Indigenous Peoples Unit (PSUI) has the corporate responsibility for implementing the FAO Policy on Indigenous and Tribal Peoples, the FAO manual on FPIC, and for providing technical support within the organisation.
FPIC explained
FREE: The consent is given voluntarily and without coercion, intimidation or manipulation. A process that is self-directed by the community from whom consent is being sought, unencumbered by coercion, expectations or timelines that are externally imposed.PRIOR: The consent is sought sufficiently in advance of any authorization or commencement of activities.
INFORMED: The engagement and type of information should be provided prior to seeking consent and also as part of the ongoing consent process.
CONSENT: A collective decision made by the right holders and reached through customary decision-making processes of the communities.
International normative framework
Free Prior and Informed Consent: An indigenous peoples’ right and a good practice for local communities
01/01/2017
This Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) Manual is designed as a tool for project practitioners of a broad range of projects and programmes of any...