A/HRC/6/15 page 8 15. Recognition of indigenous peoples as subjects of rights implies that the communities should be assigned a prominent role in determining development priorities and strategies, especially with a view to achieving the Millennium Development Goals. In north-east Cameroon, for example, ILO found that national poverty reduction strategies did not necessarily match the priorities of the Mbororo pastoral people, for whom the key to poverty reduction lies in the recognition and protection of their collective rights to land and natural resources; security of persons and property; and improved access to pastureland. If these three conditions are met, the situation of the Mbororo communities in terms of the rights to education, health and food will improve. 16. To date neither Governments nor international cooperation agencies have applied a rights-based approach systematically in development policies and programmes on behalf of indigenous peoples. In some cases, mere references to indigenous rights in development discourse are not necessarily indicative of the existence of a rights-based approach and may coexist in practice with the application of old-fashioned development models that are not conducive to the effective promotion of indigenous rights. III. HUMAN RIGHTS PRINCIPLES IN INDIGENOUS DEVELOPMENT A. Indigenous peoples as subjects of rights 17. The human rights-based approach stems from a concept of development that identifies subjects of rights and not merely a population that is the object of public policies. Indigenous peoples must thus be identified as subjects of collective rights that complement the rights of their individual members. These rights are recognized in various international instruments, particularly the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The principles set out in the Declaration complement and expand those contained in other international instruments such as ILO Convention No. 169 concerning Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in Independent Countries, 1989, and the general comments of the United Nations treaty bodies. 18. These principles underpin the content of development and its procedures in the context of indigenous peoples, which should be: (a) Endogenous: it should originate with the indigenous peoples and communities themselves as a means of fulfilling their collective needs; (b) Participatory: it should be based on the free and informed consent of the indigenous peoples and communities, who should be involved in all stages of development. No project should be imposed from outside; (c) Socially responsible: it should respond to needs identified by the indigenous peoples and communities themselves and bolster their own development initiatives. At the same time, it should promote the empowerment of indigenous peoples, especially indigenous women; (d) Equitable: it should benefit all members equally, without discrimination, and help to reduce inequality and alleviate poverty;