Tribal Communities Solutions to Global Challenges

• 22 Jul 2024

Why in News?

The High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development held at the United Nations headquarters in New York, highlighted the solutions and policy involvement of indigenous tribal communities in Rajasthan to address global challenges.

• A State representative discussed how the traditional practices of the tribal communities have contributed to the preservation of their rich natural heritage.

Key Points

• The forum was held under the auspices of the U.N. Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
  • Its theme was ‘Reinforcing the 2030 agenda and eradicating poverty in times of multiple crises: The effective delivery of sustainable, resilient and innovative solutions’.
• A ministerial declaration adopted at the forum called for renewed impetus to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
  • According to ECOSOC president Paula Narvaez, the ministerial declaration had reinforced the urgency of implementing the 2030 agenda for sustainable development.
• Experts at the forum emphasized the importance of recognizing indigenous communities for their contributions to biodiversity and ecosystems. 
  • They advocated for global involvement of these communities in strategy formulation, highlighting that their traditional practices provide essential insights for sustainable development.
• The indigenous practices, rooted in reverence for natural and community-centric approaches, could promote sustainability and resilience, which were essential for reinforcing the 2030 agenda amid the crisis.
• Inspired by the principles of swaraj (sovereignty), the tribal communities' lifestyle and cultural values have fostered self-sufficiency, reduced reliance on external sources, and improved agricultural practices, ensuring food, nutrition, and livelihood security for their families.
  • The best practices of tribals highlighted at the forum included the production of local seeds, water conservation at source, use of animals in agriculture, checking soil erosion through mixed cropping, and the use of uncultivated food for nutritional security. 
  • These practices have helped tribal communities reduce their dependence on the market and survive during the difficult phases, including the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-21.
• The traditional practices of tribal communities would not only fulfill their own aspirations, providing them with sustainable and resilient solutions, but would also help address the issues of poverty, inequality and vulnerability, in order to potentially advance the 2030 agenda for SDGs.

UN Economic and Social Council(ECOSOC)

• Established by the UN Charter in 1945, it is the principal body for coordination, policy review, policy dialogue and recommendations on economic, social and environmental issues, as well as implementation of internationally agreed development goals.
• It has 54 members, elected by the UN General Assembly for overlapping three-year terms.
• It is the UN's central platform for reflection, debate and innovative thinking on sustainable development.
  • Each year, ECOSOC structures its work around an annual theme of global importance to sustainable development.
• It coordinates the work of the 14 UN specialized agencies, ten functional commissions and five regional commissions, receives reports from nine UN funds and programmes and issues policy recommendations to the UN system and to member states.