WUNRN
________________________________________________________________________
The
Indigenous Women's Fund of the International Indigenous Women’s Forum
__________________________________________________________________
Beijing
Declaration of Indigenous Women
___________________________________________________________________________
International Day of World's
Indigenous Peoples - 9 August 2010
“No
Room for Complacency, Indigenous Peoples Continue to Suffer,” Says UN Human
Rights Chief
Statement Issued by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay
GENEVA
– “We have cause to celebrate the progress made in turning human rights into a
reality for indigenous peoples, but this International Day of the World’s
Indigenous Peoples is also an occasion to recall that there is no room for
complacency. The continuing violations of the rights of indigenous peoples, in
all regions of the world, deserve our utmost attention and action.
The gap between the principles of UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous
Peoples* and the reality remains wide, as indigenous peoples continue to suffer
discrimination, marginalisation in such fields as health and education, extreme
poverty, disregard for their environmental concerns, displacement from their
traditional lands and exclusion from effective participation in decision-making
processes. It is particularly disconcerting that those who work to correct
these wrongs are, all too often, persecuted for their human rights advocacy.
In a number of countries, new tools have been created to give voice to
indigenous peoples in decision-making and to stamp out human rights violations.
We are also encouraged by the fact that support for the Declaration keeps
expanding, including in the countries that originally voted against this
remarkable document.
However, we should redouble our efforts to build a true ‘Partnership in action
and dignity’ – the theme given by the General Assembly to the Second International
Decade of the World’s Indigenous People – as we work together towards full
application of the rights affirmed in the Declaration on the Rights of
Indigenous Peoples for the survival, dignity and well-being of indigenous
peoples of the world.
We need to bring the rights and dignity of those who are suffering most to the
centre of our efforts. This requires changes in practices, but we also need
improved laws and institutions, without which advances are not sustainable.
On this International Day, let us reaffirm our commitment to translate the
words of the Declaration into effective action. Keeping this promise is our
obligation.”
________________________________________________________________
Coexistence
International - Country Studies
With this publication series, CI describes the state of coexistence within
different countries, and compares diversity and coexistence policies from
countries around the world. CI has made no attempt to assess the
implementation or success of such processes, or to endorse any of the
initiatives mentioned in the report. We believe, however, that the documentation
of the existence and scope of such efforts can contribute to a wider
understanding of the variety of approaches for addressing issues of coexistence
and intergroup conflict.