A/HRC/36/53 59. Also in the Russian Federation, the Sakhalin Indigenous Minorities Development Plan has been jointly implemented by the Sakhalin Oblast Administration, the Sakhalin Energy company and the Regional Council of Authorized Representatives of Indigenous Peoples of Sakhalin region. The programme introduced a mechanism of microloans to indigenous peoples so they could develop traditional economic activities. In order to qualify, programme participants are required to submit a business plan for a project that aims to address unemployment among indigenous peoples and suggest traditional economic activities that would be pursued as part of the project. The microloans have been utilized to purchase autonomous energy facilities, information and communications technologies, vehicles, fishing nets and tackle, and certain types of electrical appliances applicable to commercial economic activity.32 60. In the Plurinational State of Bolivia, the State has established a “social seal” that certifies products coming from family-based sustainable agriculture. Also, measures targeted specifically at indigenous farmers have been implemented to support and modernize the production of quinoa, rice and corn, among other crops.33 3. Promoting indigenous peoples’ businesses by ensuring equal and effective access to markets 61. Many States are recognizing that indigenous businesses are viable business models that could make a significant contribution to the economy if given the right support. Due to ongoing structural discrimination, many indigenous people are not on an equal footing with other actors in the market and without special State regulation, successful development of local indigenous economies would not be possible. Recognition of the commercial advantage in supporting indigenous business has been a catalyst for the creation of minority supplier development councils in countries including Australia, Brazil, Canada and the United States. 34 Also in Australia, the federal Government and some state governments have implemented indigenous procurement targets to increase demand for indigenous businesses in government supply chains.35 In the United States, legislation allows federally recognized Indian tribes to operate large-scale casino gaming, with significant success for tribes located close to major cities and markets. 62. In Mexico, the National Fund for Indigenous Communities has been in place since 2015, with the aim of widening the coverage of formal financial services in indigenous communities. The Fund promotes financial inclusion as an instrument for economic development and facilitates access to improved credit conditions for indigenous peoples. 36 B. Indigenous peoples 63. In the present section, some of the strategies that indigenous peoples are pursuing in order to play a more active role against the discrimination they face in the economic sector are outlined. 64. A number of indigenous not-for-profit economic models are focused on indigenous culture-based industries, with the primary purpose being preservation of indigenous people’s cultural heritage and the safeguarding of indigenous peoples’ land and resources.37 65. At the same time, profit-driven indigenous owned enterprises provide social returns. For example, in Canada the Millbrook Mi’kmaq First Nation, located in four reserve areas in Nova Scotia, has been very successful in pursuing economic independence and has 32 33 34 35 36 37 See http://simdp.com/eng.php?id=44&pid=3. See the statement made by the Plurinational State of Bolivia at the tenth session of the Expert Mechanism. See House of Representatives, Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs, Open for Business: Developing Indigenous enterprises in Australia (Canberra, 2008). Sara Hudson, presentation to the expert seminar on good practices and challenges for indigenous peoples’ entrepreneurship. See the submission from Mexico. Urbis, Enabling Prosperity. 13