How can governments ensure their infrastructure plans support indigenous communities?

In many countries, indigenous people are frequently excluded from making decisions that affect them. Often, there’s a lack of systems that support their needs.

Strategic infrastructure planning is most effective when governments identify and address the needs of all stakeholders, including indigenous communities.

This helps to build trust and can guide governments in implementing a long-term strategy that works for everyone.

Peru, Canada, and New Zealand work to make sure they include all groups in the infrastructure planning process.

The Enabling Better Infrastructure (EBI) programme heard from Raul Molina Martinez, an independent consultant for the Interamerican Development Bank (IDB) and Insuco, on Peru’s approach.

We also gathered public information from the New Zealand and Canadian governments to share how they include indigenous community interests in long-term infrastructure planning.

How to identify indigenous people’s needs

Peru, Canada and New Zealand all follow a similar approach to incorporate indigenous needs into national planning.

1. Policies and guidance to incentivise working with communities

All three countries have signed the UN Declaration of Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).

This declaration encourages these communities to have a voice in the planning, development, and management of infrastructure projects that affect them.

They also have separate structures in place:

• In Peru, Law 29785 requires governments to speak with indigenous people on any measures that may affect their way of life, including infrastructure projects.
• Canada formed the Impact Assessment Act to ensure that indigenous peoples' needs are integrated throughout the assessment process of infrastructure projects.
• The New Zealand Infrastructure Commission (NZIC) introduced a strategy that highlights the need for research on how government providers and Māori can work together on the planning and development of infrastructure.

2. Creating opportunities to hear from indigenous people

All three countries have also actively created opportunities to gather insights from their indigenous communities.

In Peru, regional governments hold public consultations, which help capture needs for upcoming plans. This includes improvements to services such as water, sanitation, energy, education, and health.

In Canada, engagement opportunities such as consultations and technical reviews strengthen awareness of upcoming projects and help communities participate in the planning process.

In New Zealand, some government bodies started seeking advice from Māori communities, who raised that they often face higher rates of health inequalities and have more trouble accessing infrastructure services.

How to include indigenous community needs in national planning

Using the insights gained, Peru, Canada, and New Zealand have set out priorities to ensure their long-term national infrastructure plans deliver on the needs of indigenous peoples.

Peru

In Peru, their Strategic Plan for National Development (2050) encourages all levels of government to achieve nationally agreed-upon goals. It includes territorial development as a key priority.

Furthermore, Peru’s upcoming third National Infrastructure Plan (PNI, for its acronym in Spanish) will incorporate indigenous people's perspectives.

Canada

In Canada, the National Adaptation Strategy highlights the need to respond to the concerns of indigenous people. These communities live in places that experience higher climate impacts, and they have fewer resources to prepare for them.

Key activities to support them include improvements to buildings and roads, and maintaining infrastructure to deliver clean drinking water.

Canada is also working on a National Infrastructure Assessment to set a vision for the next 30 years, which will be informed by discussions with indigenous communities.

New Zealand

NZIC will release its 30-year infrastructure plan in late 2025, which looks to incorporate Māori-specific perspectives and build lasting relations with Māori people.

This includes looking at the future needs of health and education services.

Challenges related to incorporating indigenous needs

Collaborating with indigenous people on national plans is essential to support the longevity of infrastructure.

That said, it’s not always easy.

Peru

In Peru, the amount of indigenous communities and how spread out they are across the country make it difficult for the central government to address all needs.

Municipal governments that are located closer to these communities don't have the resources to respond to the challenges these groups face.

Moving forward, greater coordination between levels of government (central, regional, and municipal) could ensure all community needs are accounted for within the national vision.

Canada

In Canada, while governments request indigenous insights, their inputs may not always be used to support infrastructure planning initiatives. This stems from a long history of practices and policies that limit indigenous rights.

The Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs in Canada has recommended that the UNDRIP needs to be better enforced.

New Zealand

In New Zealand, the Māori population is younger, on average. Predictions suggest that this will have a greater impact on future infrastructure for schools and education services.

Understanding how different communities will grow and develop can help ensure that funding for infrastructure is spent where it is most needed.