United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues
Sixth Session

Thursday, May 17 and Friday, May 18, 2007





Days 4 and 5 focused on Item 4 - Implementation of recommendations of the six mandated areas and on the Millennium Development Goals and Item 5 - Human Rights: Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous peoples. Under Item 4, the topics included: (a) Economic & social development, (b) Environment, (c) Health, (d) Education, (e) Culture, and (f) Human Rights. Statements made by delegates, NGOs and states can be downloaded on the DoCip website.

| Indigenous Youth Caucus Makes Statement |



There were over 50 statements made under Item 4 alone and I’m highlighting the statement made by the Indigenous Youth Caucus under 4(a) – economic & social development. The statement was made by Kiritapu Allan of the Ngati Ranginui peoples and reads:

We, the indigenous youth, makes up 48% of the indigenous peoples around the world. We rally upon the responsibility of the youth to sustain this world for the future generations to inherit. The General Assembly adopted the following statement in 1995 that young people in all countries are a vital human resource for development and key agents for social change, economic growth and technological innovation' therefore I call on any other indigenous youths to stand in solidarity as we present this statement on behalf of the indigenous youths of the world.

We express our specific concerns on the following:

In order to make a more hospitable place for future generations we must consider the cycle of life and that young peoples as much as old peoples have an integral role to play.

Madam Chair and distinguished delegates, we urge you to rise above the economic and political rhetoric. Please focus on the moral and ethical responsibility that you have toward this generation and future ones.

Indigenous cultures inform our approach to youth development. The inter-related nature of life reveals to us the importance for us to be responsible for the generation after us and those that came before us. We urge the forum to help us to support and protect our elders and their traditional knowledge which is essential to sustaining our indigenous livelihood.

We reaffirm our intrinsic responsibilities to future generations in protecting and sustaining the continuity of our collective and unique values, spirituality and principals that spring from our inter-relationship with Mother Earth in line with safeguarding our pride and dignity as Indigenous Peoples;

We urge the UNPFII to recommend that Governments acknowledge the past and ongoing grievances done to Indigenous people. That these grievances have led to the degradation of Indigenous peoples communities social, spiritual, economic and all other types of development and that Governments support Indigenous control over Indigenous social and economic developments and initiatives.

We express our concern that a continued limited participation of Indigenous Youth in decision-making processes locally, regionally and internationally restricts the integration of our perspectives and experiences in decisions impacting our survival;

We call upon other UN Agencies to support and ensure the full and active participation of
Indigenous youth at the Permanent Forum and all decision making process of UN
Agencies impacting Indigenous youths and to recommend to UN inter-agencies and foundations for greater & equitable access to financial and other aids in enhancing our rights as IP youth;

We are in a powerful position because of the shoes we were born into and the voices we carry. The indigenous world is relying on the work that is done here. We are ready to speak with you, if you are.

We encourage the forum to actively engage with us, the indigenous youths, because we are a new generation of peoples mandated by our ancestors to care for mother earth and ask that you, our elders, support us, so our ancestral knowledge will be carried into the
future.

Over the years, I have had the opportunity to attend various UN meetings as a delegate of the International Indian Treaty Council (IITC) and noticed the small number of young people attending these gatherings. The limited participation of indigenous youth in international forums remains a concern of all Indigenous leaders as they understand that it is the youth who will carry this work forward. I’ve seen several youth read statements on the floor and I find it inspiring to hear their voices, concerns, and hopes for the future.

| U.N. documents printed in multiple languages for delegates |



One of the biggest challenges that face Indigenous youth is funding – it is expensive to travel to New York (or outside the U.S.) and some Funders do not understand the value of attending these gatherings. Over the years, I’ve been a part of groups that have raised money for youth delegations and when I wasn’t traveling with a delegation, raised the money for my own participation. It is not impossible to do but certainly takes commitment, planning, and sometimes creativity. As I always say, START EARLY!!

Support for my attendance at the UNPFII6 comes from the Human Rights Center at the University of Minnesota. I am the recipient of the Upper Midwest Human Rights Fellowship and am working on a project with IITC that focuses on the planning and content development of a training and capacity-building module for Indigenous Peoples. This training module focuses on expanding awareness of and information use of international mechanisms in support of local struggles and campaigns to defend indigenous peoples rights, cultures, homelands and survival. As part of my Fellowship, I’m attending the UNPFII to gathering information, interview various indigenous leaders, and to learn about the most recent developments within this expert body. In addition, I am writing on proceedings because I am committed to sharing my experience with others, especially youth. It is my hope that the young people reading this blog will be inspired to get involved and take the opportunity to learn about the work being done in international fora.

| Delegates listen to proceedings of the PF |



This brings me to a question that was posed to me by an individual who has been reading my blogs. The question deals with participation in the UNPFII – specifically how can young people attend a gathering such as this? UNPFII credentials are given to NGOs with consultative status with ECOSOC, organizations of indigenous peoples and academic institutions. Organizations that meet this criteria can pre-register and after the status of the organizations has been checked, individuals associated with the organization can be registered online. It is important to note that this is not a conference – it is “an organ made of experts whose main responsibility is to advise ECOSOC on issues relating to the situation of indigenous populations,” therefore, I encourage individuals who have never attended to connect with an organization or individual who has attended to get a better sense of the format of the gathering as well as the process for making statements. More information about the credentialing process can be found here.

| In the halls, delegates meet with Julian Berger, U.N. Special Rapporteur on Indigenous Human Rights) |





As mentiond previously, over 50 statements were made under Item 4 and over 30 on Item 5. I have listed some of the statements under Agenda Item 4 that readers might want to read as it pertains to the North American region (not a complete list). These statements, and those made under Item 5, can be downloaded on the DoCip website.

Item 4 (a) Economic and social development

• Chief Ed John, Representing the North American Regional Caucus (ENG)

• Chief Colleen Sisk Franco, Representing the Winnewen Winto Tribe and La Red Xicana Indigena, Pueblo sin fronteras South Central Farmers, Cetilizhi Nanhcampa (ENG)

Item 4 (b) Environment

• Ms. Faith Gemmill, Representing the Indigenous Environmental Network (spoken not received)

• Ms. Tia Oros, Representing the Collective Statement of the Seventh Generation Fund for Indian Development (ENG)

Item 4 (c) Health

• Ms. Dea Thiele, Representing the Joint Statement of the National Native Title Council, NSWALC, MSHR, HREOC, NACCHO, ALRM, FARA, National Aboriginal Community, Controlled Health Organization (ENG)

Item 4 (e) Culture

• Ms. Andrea Carmen, Joint Statement; International Indian Treaty Council, Indigenous Information Network, and CHIRPAC (ENG)

• Ms. Andrea Carmen, Representing the Joint Statement of the International Indian Treaty Council, Indigenous Environment Network, CHIRAPAQ, Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations (ENG)

Item 4 (f) Human Rights

• Ms. Beverly Jacobs, President of Native Women's Association of Canada, speaking for the North American Regional Caucus (ENG)

In solidarity –

Alyssa

Alyssa Macy, reporting on behalf of the International Indian Treaty Council.


Want more information on the UNPFII6?

There are a few resources that can be accessed to get more information on the UNPFII6 and to access statements made by agencies, governments and indigenous organizations. On the UNPFII website, statements submitted to the Secretariat can be downloaded under "documents". In addition, Indigenous Peoples' Center for Documentation, Research and Information, also known as DoCip, is uploading statements made throughout the duration of the gathering. Finally, some statements have been videotaped by the Seventh Generation Fund and can be accessed on their website. Seventh Generation Fund has also interviewed a number of indigenous leaders and you can listen to audio or watch the video on their website.

The full collection of images taken at the UNPFII by Alyssa Macy (Indigenius Media) can be accessed on the on Flickr, a photography sharing website. This blog is posted on several sites including: Indigenius Media website under blogs and several myspace sites including: Treaty Council myspace, Indigenous Environmental Network myspace, and Alyssa Macy's myspace.

| Seventh Generation media team interviews delegate |