Page 13 - BHP | BHP Foundation Booklet 2019

Self- determined
governance
Real World Impact Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ right to

self-determination is about two simple things: choice
and voice. By empowering Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander peoples and communities to make informed
choices about their own futures, they have a greater
voice in the decisions affecting them.
The Australian Indigenous Governance Institute (AIGI),
with the backing of the BHP Foundation, is helping
improve outcomes for Indigenous people through
the development of world-class governance practice,
research, thought leadership and educational resources.
In 2018, the AIGI’s signature Masterclass series
(for Indigenous women and Indigenous youth) was
How open contracting successfully delivered and was again offered in 2019.
helped fix Colombia’s
biggest school

meal program

With government procurement the world’s top Speaking
corruption risk, BHP Foundation partner Open for the moose
Contracting Partnership (OCP) is using open
contracting to help solve social problems and
increase accountability. OCP moves public More than 40 First Nations representatives attended
procurement from a paper-based system to a a regional gathering in northern Manitoba, Canada,
fully transparent digital service and platform,
reducing the opportunities for corruption and to ‘speak for the moose’. For the First Nations people,
declining moose populations – a cultural keystone
improving the confidence of businesses to tender
for contracts. This leads to increased competition, species – are a top priority. The gathering was organized
drives lower cost and ensures better quality goods by The Nature Conservancy as part of its Forest
Conservation in the Canadian Boreal project to discuss
and services for citizens. In Bogota, Colombia,
OCP’s work with the national procurement agency moose management and Indigenous perspectives on
and the city’s education department has radically their relationship to moose. Many First Nations have
continued or have now implemented moose stewardship
improved school meals for over 700,000 children
a day and achieved national savings of up to 15 per initiatives in their communities as a way to take care
of the territory and manage resources in accordance
cent in government expenditure. The introduction with Indigenous values. These include moose-monitoring
of open contracting helped overcome undue
interests, quadrupled the number of suppliers, Guardian programs to guide natural resource management,
applying for moose-related funding and completing
delivered better regulated prices and improved a moose management plan.
the efficiency and quality of school meals.

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