The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Indigenous Peoples Strategy
To provide opportunities to assist indigenous peoples in Australia and overseas to overcome social and economic disadvantages.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has developed a five-year Indigenous Peoples Strategy (from 2015) to align its work on issues affecting indigenous peoples across the foreign policy, aid, trade and corporate objectives for the department. The Indigenous Peoples Strategy provides a framework for DFAT to work with its partners to advance and promote the wellbeing of indigenous people around the world, in line with Australia’s national interest.
The strategy will be guided by four pillars to achieve this vision:
- DFAT will work with its partners to influence international policy to advance the interests of indigenous peoples in the international community.
- DFAT will strive to deliver international programs that improve outcomes for indigenous peoples.
- DFAT will encourage Indigenous Australians to apply for DFAT-funded opportunities to engage in and develop people-to-people links with the international community.
- DFAT will ensure an inclusive workplace culture across the department.
DFAT intends to use the strategy to manage for positive results and continual improvement in its work on issues affecting indigenous peoples. DFAT will assess and disseminate lessons from its work to contribute towards evidence and debate about issues affecting indigenous peoples, both in Australia and overseas.
The IPS itself is targeted at all DFAT employees with the aim of seeking to improve opportunities, including with respect to cultural expressions for Indigenous people.
DFAT is committed to ensuring that all indigenous people benefit from its work.
- Interests of indigenous people in the international community will be advanced.
- International programs will deliver improved outcomes for Indigenous peoples.
- An increased number of Indigenous Australians will participate in DFAT-funded opportunities to engage in and develop people-to-people links with the international community.
- DFAT’s inclusive workplace culture will be augmented to the benefit of Indigenous employees.
To be implemented out of DFAT’s existing departmental budget.
The IPS is currently undergoing a mid-term review which will be completed by November 2018. Conclusions have not yet been drawn. The evaluation is being conducted at the Departmental-level, led by DFAT First Assistant Secretary, Multilateral Policy Division. The review will be submitted to the department’s Indigenous Taskforce, chaired by Deputy Secretary Penny Williams.