Normative-legal regulations

Information about legal support of indigenous small-in-number peoples of the North for 2008

Normative-legal regulations of social, economic and cultural development issues

In the modern policy of Russia small-in-number indigenous peoples of the North take a special place. It is reflected in the Constitution of the Russian Federation which guarantees protection of rights and interests according to the conventional principles and norms of international law (Clause 69), protection of their primordial inhabitancy and a traditional way of life (Clause 72). The constitutional principles allow to form the principles of Russian national policy, legal field concerning small-in-number indigenous peoples of the North.

Basic guarantees of rights of small-in-number indigenous peoples are fixed in the Charter of The Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug. To support the life activity of small-in-number native peoples about 40 legal acts have been adopted in the Okrug. Laws "On Languages of Indigenous Small-in-Number Peoples of the North of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug", "On Traditional Kinds of Activity", "On Tribes of Indigenous Small-in-Number Peoples in the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug", "On Fishing", "On Hunting and Hunting Economy on the Territory of the Autonomous Okrug", "On Program of Social and Economic Development of Northern Indigenous Small-in-Number Peoples of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug for the period of 2002-2006" were adopted in 2001. Draft bills "On Territory of Traditional Nature Management in the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug", "On Tribal Lands in the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug", "On National Enterprises in the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug", "On Reindeer-breeding on the Territory of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug" are under development.

Government of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug and regional self-government bodies pay much attention to realization of the state policy concerning small-in-number indigenous peoples of the North, settling the Okrug territory. Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation, dated July 27, 2001 # 564, establishes the Federal target program of economic and social development of small-in-number indigenous peoples of the North till 2011 in which the priority direction is increasing of living standard of small-in-number indigenous peoples of the North through the development of traditional economic fields based on installation of new technologies of production processing, housing provision, original culture, language and traditions preservation and development.

Experience of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug in the sphere of legislative activity is unique because important legal norms as follows are developed and adopted for the first time in the Russian Federation:

Status of the small-in-number peoples of the North as the indigenous population is determined and fixed in the central legal document of the Autonomous Okrug – Charter (Basic Law) (was adopted by the Duma of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug on April 24, 1995);
Institute of the representation of the Northern peoples’ interests in the public authorities of the Autonomous Okrug (Assembly of the representatives from the Northern small-in-number peoples of the Duma of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug) is determined and realized;
Form of implementation of the regional government by the indigenous small-in-number peoples of the North in the places of their compact residence – Law of the Autonomous Okrug "On General Principles of the Organization of the Regional Government in the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug " (adopted by the Duma of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug on December 20, 1995) is determined and fixed;
Mechanism of interaction of subjects carrying out the economic activities on the territories of the traditional residence and traditional system of management and small-in-number peoples of the North is developed.

Certainly, it is impossible to talk about the solution of all problems of indigenous population by the legislative activities. Public authorities of the Autonomous Okrug are intended to form and develop legislation which would allow to solve the most significant issues concerning the life of small-in-number peoples of the North as the indigenous population of the Autonomous Okrug and representatives of the unique ethnos.

Activities of public authorities of the Autonomous Okrug in the sphere of normative and legal regulation of issues concerning the life activities of the Northern peoples consist of several trends:

determination of the status of indigenous small-in-number peoples of the North, living on the territory of the Autonomous Okrug, and protection of their interests;
participation in the discussion of Federal laws drafts regarding the indigenous small-in-number peoples of the North (ISPN), drafting of Federal laws on social, economic and cultural development of the indigenous small-in-number peoples of the North;
determination of the legal status of territories of traditional nature management and economic activities of the indigenous peoples of the North;
legislative regulation of various types of economic activities of indigenous peoples of the North;
social protection of the indigenous peoples of the North;
establishment of preferential taxation for individuals and legal persons (national enterprises and communities, engaged in traditional types of economic activities –fishing, fish processing, hunting, reindeer breeding, collection and processing of wild plants, mushrooms, nuts and berries, national crafts with about 50 % of employees from the indigenous small-in-number peoples of the North);
Northern peoples’ social and economic development programs drafting and adoption;
drafting and adoption of by-laws, aimed at the realization of Federal laws and laws of the Autonomous Okrug.

Information about legal support of indigenous small-in-number peoples of the North for 2008

Decree of the Government of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug - Ugra #138-p "On realization of the law of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug - Ugra" "On program of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug "Social and economic development of indigenous small-in-number peoples of the North in the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug - Ugra" for 2008-2012" dated July 1, 2008;

Decree of the Government of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug - Ugra #208-p "On introduction of amendments to decree of the Government of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug - Ugra #138-p dated dated July 1, 2008", dated October 08, 2008;

Decree of the Government of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug - Ugra #228-p "On Governor's grants of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug - Ugra to support projects promoting keeping, development and popularization of folklore, traditions, language, crafts of indigenous small-in-number peoples of the North" dated November 1, 2008;

Decree of the Government of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug - Ugra #134-p "On organization and holding order of regional sports events on national sports in the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug - Ugra for the period of 2008-2012" dated June, 24, 2008;

Decree of the Government of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug - Ugra #140-p "On register of traditional management territories of indigenous small-in-number peoples of the North of regional significance in the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug - Ugra" dated July 1, 2008;

Law of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug - Ugra # 99-oz "On introduction of amendments to law of the Government of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug - Ugra "On program of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug "Social and economic development of indigenous small-in-number peoples of the North in the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug - Ugra" for 2008-2012" dated September 30, 2008;

Law of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug - Ugra #137-oz "On introduction of amendments to law of the Government of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug - Ugra "On program of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug "Social and economic development of indigenous small-in-number peoples of the North in the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug - Ugra" for 2008-2012" dated November 24, 2008.