Our View on Rights of Indigenous Peoples

UN Declaring the Second International Decade of the World's Indigenous People
Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on the Report of the Third Committee (A/59/500)

Talking Point on HIV/AIDS and Indigenous Persons
UN Member States, in the Millennium Declaration of September 2000, unanimously committed themselves to fight poverty and other issues facing the world. MDG 6 commits them to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases. More

Talking Point on Indigenous Issues
Indigenous peoples continue to be among the most impoverished and most marginalised in the world. They suffer multiple discriminations regarding access to health, education, economic opportunity and respect of their rights. More

The Critical Significance of Indigenous People at the United Nations
A statement to the United Nation on the office work with Indigenous Peoples. More.

1994 – 2004 International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples
Theme – ‘Indigenous People: Partnership in Action' with a focus on the strengthening of international cooperation for the solution of problems faced by indigenous people in such areas as human rights, the environment, education and health. During the decade several advances were made in improving the condition of Indigenous people including, the appointment of a Special Rapporteur on the situation of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people, and the establishment of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. Other highlights of the decade include:

Expert Seminar On Indigenous People & The Administration Of Justice - 12 to 14 November 2003 in Madrid. For details see: http://www.unhchr.ch/indigenous/main.html

Global Forum On Indigenous Peoples And The Information Society 8 to 11 December 2003 in Geneva. This meeting immediately preceded The World Summit on the Information Society.

3rd Session – Permanent Forum On Indigenous Issues 10 - 21 May 2004 at UN headquarters in New York. - Theme: “Indigenous Women”. For details on the above events see: http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/pfii/

A Day of General Discussion on The Rights of Indigenous Children was held on 19 September 2003 during the 34th Session of the COMMITTEE ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD. The discussion saw recommendations in the areas such as: Information, data and statistics; Participation in stratigic planning; Non-discrimination; Right to identity; Health and Education.

Recommended International cooperation and follow-up included: 1.) encouraging greater cooperation between human rights treaty bodies and UN mechanisms on indigenous issues; 2.) that the Special Rapporteur on the Situation of the Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms of Indigenous People dedicate one annual report to the Commission on Human Rights to the rights of indigenous children.
To view the report on this discussion see: http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu2/6/crc/doc/days/DD%20Recommendations%20-%20final.pdf

Anglican Indigenous Network (AIN) Convenes

A "Declaration to the Anglican Communion",
presented by the UN Observer on behalf of the indigenous network.

O le viiga o le Atua e le faaitiatia, ile papa 'a'ao, ma eeta'i o le paia lasilasi o Tupu ma E'e e faasino tonu i Tangata Whenua o Aotearoa, ae tainane foi le mamalu ma le paia o le au usu fono mai Ausetalia, Amerika, Hawaii ma Kanata. Kia ora, Ni sa Bula, Namaste, Malo e lelei, Fakalofa lahi atu, Malo ni, Ia orana, Kia Orana, Talofa, Talofa lava. Ete whanau a Karaiti - to us all as the family of God - tena koutou katoa. English follows.