Using Coalition Based Participation in Government to Help Indigenous Communities Influence Policy

Coalition Building for Indigenous Advocacy

The COIAB was founded in 1989, after a decade of indigenous protests. Activists realized that protest alone, no matter how legitimate, was not enough to establish indigenous communities’ voices in policies that directly affected them. They needed a platform to speak for themselves, rather than having others speak for them. The COIAB provided the foundation for new forms of struggle and political action. Made up of nearly 100 indigenous organizations, it represents 165 of Brazil’s more than 220 indigenous communities.

COIAB’s Participation in Governmental Bodies

The COIAB participates in various government bodies that handle issues impacting indigenous populations. These include the National Council on the Environment, whose members do not always understand how environmental issues intersect with indigenous communities, and the Joint Consulting Commission of the Integrated Project for the Legal Protection of Indigenous Lands and Populations of the Amazon, which deals directly with indigenous living spaces. Other bodies include the National Biodiversity Commission, the Inter-Ministry Pro-Environment Working Group, and the National Council on Indigenous Education. COIAB sends between two and eight representatives to each of these government bodies, working with officials to support indigenous movements.

Achievements in Environmental and Health Policy

COIAB has been particularly successful in two areas: the Indigenous People’s Demonstration Project (PDPI) and indigenous health policies.

The PDPI promotes the conservation of natural resources and the social, economic, and cultural sustainability of indigenous communities. It is unique in that it was the first cooperative relationship between indigenous communities, the Brazilian government, and international actors. COIAB participates in the monitoring of PDPI projects.

Indigenous health policies in the past were marked by prejudice and discrimination from health professionals towards indigenous communities. By engaging with government health policy organizations, COIAB took on a role in organizing health services. This involvement led to indigenous supervision of non-indigenous health professionals, preventing the recurrence of prejudice and discrimination.

The Path to Involvement and Challenges

In both the PDPI and health policy cases, COIAB’s involvement in government agencies allowed indigenous communities to play an active role in shaping their own futures. However, the path to involvement has not always been straightforward. For example, when COIAB focused on health policies, it consumed much of the movement’s time, energy, and resources, which distracted from other political struggles and defense of other rights. Additionally, after five years, the government reclaimed administration of health policy, leaving indigenous groups with comparatively little control today. This illustrates how coalitions like COIAB must prioritize and remain flexible when working with government agencies.

To effectively advocate for indigenous rights as a coalition, COIAB has established several organizational structures, including a General Assembly, a Fiscal and Deliberative Council, and an Executive Coordinating Committee. These structures provide direct and indirect consultation and participation from the various indigenous communities that are members of the coalition. This engagement is crucial because grassroots recognition is essential to the coalition’s success at the government level. Additionally, COIAB constantly evaluates its role and influence in government agencies to improve its interventions and avoid passivity in government programs.

Lessons from COIAB’s Coalition Approach

COIAB’s success in influencing government policies shows the strength of coalition-building for indigenous advocacy. By uniting nearly 100 organizations, COIAB has ensured indigenous voices are heard on issues that directly affect their communities. However, challenges such as maintaining control over indigenous health services and balancing focus on various political struggles highlight the need for strategic flexibility.

For more information about the COIAB and its work in Brazil, read our in-depth case study.

What we can learn from this Tactic:

Involvement in government agencies is not the only tactic that the COIAB uses in order to advance the indigenous movement in Brazil, and it is not a tactic that could necessarily translate to many other situations because of its specificity. However, several aspects of the tactic are notable. First, coalition-building is an effective means of providing a voice for a large and diverse group of actors, though care must be taken in organizing the coalition in a way that allows the voices of all to be heard. Second, presence in the government can be an extremely effective way to allow traditionally marginalized voices to be heard. It may not be easy for an organization to gain permission to have representatives in government agencies, but those representatives can be instrumental in bringing about change. Finally, the experience of the COIAB in indigenous health policy demonstrates the limits of coalition work. While the COIAB was able to have great influence in health policy, it did so at the detriment to its other activism. Organizations must always prioritize in order to take on the work that matters most to them.