A/HRC/6/15 page 18 G. Non-discrimination 54. The human rights-based approach to development highlights the importance of the principle of equality and non-discrimination, and the need to give priority attention to marginalized and socially excluded groups. The United Nations Declaration also emphasizes the need for States to take “effective measures and, where appropriate, special measures to ensure continuing improvement of their economic and social conditions. Particular attention shall be paid to the rights and special needs of indigenous elders, women, youth, children and persons with disabilities” (art. 21, para. 2). 55. As repeatedly pointed out by the Special Rapporteur, indigenous women suffer discrimination at various levels.6 Many studies have shown that women are often excluded from participative processes and decision-making on development projects and programmes in indigenous communities. Although women play a critical role in the social and economic life of their communities, this means that their priorities are often not reflected in development policies and measures which, in turn, further deepens their marginalization. As a result, the best practices for indigenous development place special emphasis on the role of women in their own cultural context. 56. The activities of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) carried out in cooperation with the Maasai communities of the United Republic of Tanzania have shown the importance of taking account of the role and responsibility of women within their communities. These activities have revealed the essential role of Maasai women in caring for livestock, with which they are in daily contact through milking and the sale of milk, and women have become key players in programmes aimed at promoting nomadic herding. In this connection, the availability of gender disaggregated data has proved particularly important, and these data have also helped reassess the extent to which traditional knowledge is transmitted through women. A similar experience was gained in the Philippines by the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), which provided technical support to the Subanen communities in documenting and securing the legal protection of their traditional ethno-botanical knowledge and biodiversity resources. The project showed that the women have knowledge about a wide range of biogenetic resources, including rice varieties, that are crucial to the nutrition and health of their communities. 57. Organizational strengthening and empowerment are of key importance in ensuring that indigenous women are involved in the development process: accordingly, some integrated projects now include specific components to strengthen the position of rights holders. In Panama, the Sustainable Agricultural Development and Environmental Protection Project for the Darién (PRODARIEN) includes a component on the legal recognition and training of indigenous women’s organizations in the management of their own initiatives and projects, which encourages closer cooperation between women from various indigenous groups and ethnic communities. Similarly, the Programme of Reconstruction and Development for the Quiche and Proderqui Departments (PRODERQUI) in Guatemala sets as one of its main targets the involvement of indigenous women in the restoration of community systems following the 6 See A/HRC/4/32, paras. 67-72.