Proud To Be Indigenous

Tadodaho Sid Hill (right), Chief of the Onondaga Nation, with young participants at his side, delivers the ceremonial welcome 

12.05.2016 – Monday 9 May marked the Opening Ceremony of the UN’s Fifteenth Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (PFII), of which this year’s theme is “Indigenous peoples: conflict, peace and resolution”.

The session, which is held at the UN headquarters in New York from 9 to 20 May, brings Member States and indigenous peoples’ representatives together in addressing:

·         The implementation of the six mandated areas of the PFII with reference to the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) 
·         Conflict, peace and resolution
·         Coordination among the three UN mechanisms on indigenous affairs

A dialogue will take place with the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Chair of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The session will also consider the future work of the PFII and emerging issues.  

In a video message, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced the launch of a plan to realize the full rights of indigenous peoples who are increasingly being drawn into conflicts over their lands and resources.

“Member States are beginning implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, the Sendia Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and the Paris Agreement on climate change,” Ban underlined. “We must ensure that indigenous peoples, including women, participate and benefit.”

The issues of peace and conflict – often relating to indigenous peoples’ lands, territories and resources, and to their rights and distinct identities – are at the forefront of this year’s discussions, at which over 1,000 indigenous participants from all regions of the world are attending.

Did you know?

The UN estimates that there are more than 300 million indigenous peoples living in more than 70 countries in the world. Many live in areas considered critical to the conservation and sustainable management of biodiversity and natural resources.

The Sami are an indigenous group in Europe who live in Sápmi, which stretches across the northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland and the Kola Peninsula. Although regarded as one people, there are several kinds of Sami based on their patterns of settlement and how they sustain themselves.

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UNRICs Related links

-          UNPFII Facebook 

-          UN4Indigenous Twitter 

-          UN Division for Social Policy and Development Indigenous Peoples 

-          The Sami Europe 

Photos

One: UN Photo

Two: Twitter ONU Radio

Three: Flickr