AS PERMANENT FORUM DISCUSSES FUTURE WORK, SPEAKERS SUGGEST THEMES, PRIORITIES FOR CONSIDERATION, EXPANSION OF MANDATE, INCREASE IN FUNDING

Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues                       

Third Session                                              

15^th Meeting (PM)

AS PERMANENT FORUM DISCUSSES FUTURE WORK, SPEAKERS SUGGEST THEMES, PRIORITIES

FOR CONSIDERATION, EXPANSION OF MANDATE, INCREASE IN FUNDING

As the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues continued its third session with a discussion of its future work, speakers urged that body to prioritize work on the declaration on indigenous rights, expand the Forum’s mandate to include governance and treaties, focus on migration and conflict resolution in future meetings, and increase funding for Forum participation.

Addressing the need to include conflict resolution as a Forum topic, a member of the Asian Indigenous Caucus noted that indigenous peoples, in Asia and elsewhere, were often the victims of military operations.  He suggested that the Forum consider holding its session in Asia next year, while United Nations Headquarters was being renovated, which would allow more Asian people to participate and highlight their plights.

Migration should also be included as a topic, Mexico’s delegate said, since many indigenous peoples were forced to move from their homelands and settle in foreign lands.  The topic could be discussed as it related to the mandated Forum areas of education, culture, human rights, health and economic and social development, and as movement from rural to urban areas, urban to rural or from one country to another.

Speakers also recommended that the Forum’s mandate be expanded to include governance, treaties and international agreements, and that the Economic and Social Council, the General Assembly and other United Nations bodies consider resolutions proclaiming indigenous peoples’ right to self-determination.  A member of the American Indian Law Alliance suggested that an unwavering declaration of the rights of indigenous peoples be enshrined in the foundation documents of the United Nations.

The representative of the Inuit Circumpolar Conference and Saami Council said representatives of the Greenland Home Rule Government should be allowed to participate in their own capacity at the Forum, as should the representatives of other autonomous indigenous nations.  He added that the Forum should focus on reviewing implementation of previously adopted recommendations, in preparation for its upcoming first review, rather than choosing one theme for the fourth session.

Another delegate, speaking on behalf of several indigenous organizations, asked the Forum to remind the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) of the need to give special consideration to indigenous peoples when staffing the Forum.  Given the availability of qualified individuals, DESA had set a bad example by not doing so.  It was high time the world realized that indigenous people were as competent as non-indigenous people.

The representative of Servicios en Comunicación Intercultural noted that the Trust Fund’s resources were inadequate to deal with the demands placed on it, and that a distinction must be made between non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working alongside indigenous groups, and direct representatives of indigenous communities.  Although the two groups served complementary purposes, the latter needed greater support, as they faced greater difficulties in participating in United Nations work.

Members of the Forum might also consider other fund-raising activities to assist indigenous representatives that could not afford to attend the Forum’s session, suggested a representative of the Armenian Sisters.  It should also focus on achieving greater geographical balance in representation on panels and side events, as well as taking political action, such as condemning current genocides and supporting independence struggles.  Moreover, as there was so little time for statements, government representatives should wait until all indigenous groups had spoken before addressing the Forum.

Participants also recommended that the Forum work closely with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human rights at the end of the International Decade for Indigenous Peoples to make recommendations for future action; that the Forum propose a second decade; and that the Economic and Social Council consider increased funding for the Forum so it could more adequately carry out its sessions.  A representative of the International Indigenous Youth Caucus strongly urged the Forum to include an indigenous youth as a Forum member, and to encourage more youth to attend future sessions.

The Forum was also urged to stress the need for indigenous women from all regions to participate in the work of the United Nations system; request United Nations agencies, including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), and the Commission on the Status of Women, to provide funding for indigenous women to participate in the preparatory process for “Beijing+10”; develop a map of the world showing where all indigenous peoples lived; and hold indigenous Caucus meetings in the evening, as was done in Geneva, rather than at 8 or 9 a.m.

The Forum will meet again on at 10 a.m. on Friday, 21 May, to adopt its report and conclude the third session.

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