“Indigenous Peoples: A Decade for Action and Dignity”. Poster of the Second International Decade of The World's Indigenous People 2010-2015; copywrite 2001 Carlos Jacanamijoy

Tuesday August 9th is the United Nations International Day of the World’s Indigenous People. This year’s commemoration will be held in the Economic and Social Council Chamber of UN Headquarters in New York and will feature a panel discussion “Indigenous designs: Celebrating stories and cultures, crafting our own culture”, followed by a screening of the film “Harmony of culture and nature”. Co-sponsors of the commemorative activities are the Secretariat of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, Division for Social Policy and Development, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, the Department of Public Information and the NGO Committee on the International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People.

Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon & NGO Indigenous Committee Chair Roberto Mucaro Borrero, Taino, at the 2010 commemoration

All are invited to attend. For registration, please email aragonm@un.org with your name, affiliation, and contact information.

NOTE: This Thursday August 4th is deadline for registration.

The United States government announced today that they will sign the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. After voting against the Declaration in 2007 (the General Assembly adopted the Declaration when 145 countries signed on) they are joining Canada, Australia, and New Zealand in reversing their decision since then.

“[A]s you know, in April, we announced that we were reviewing our position on the U.N. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples,” the president said in a speech before tribal leaders Dec. 16 at the Department of the Interior. “And today I can announce that the United States is lending its support to this declaration.

“The aspirations it affirms – including the respect for the institutions and rich cultures of Native peoples – are one we must always seek to fulfill.”

While not legally binding under international law, the U.N. describes the declaration as setting “an important standard for the treatment of indigenous peoples that will undoubtedly be a significant tool towards eliminating human rights violations against the planet’s 370 million indigenous people and assisting them in combating discrimination and marginalization.”

Click here to read President Obama’s full statement.

Today the Government of Canada formally endorsed the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Canada’s ambassador to the United Nations, Mr. John McNee met with the President of the United Nations General Assembly, Mr. Joseph Deiss, to advise him of Canada’s official endorsement of the UNDRIP.

The Government of Canada released this statement of support for the UNDRIP:

Today, Canada joins other countries in supporting the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. In doing so, Canada reaffirms its commitment to promoting and protecting the rights of Indigenous peoples at home and abroad.

The Government of Canada would like to acknowledge the Aboriginal men and women who played an important role in the development of this Declaration.

The Declaration is an aspirational document which speaks to the individual and collective rights of Indigenous peoples, taking into account their specific cultural, social and economic circumstances.

Although the Declaration is a non-legally binding document that does not reflect customary international law nor change Canadian laws, our endorsement gives us the opportunity to reiterate our commitment to continue working in partnership with Aboriginal peoples in creating a better Canada.

Under this government, there has been a shift in Canada’s relationship with First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples, exemplified by the Prime Minister’s historic apology to former students of Indian Residential Schools, the creation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the apology for relocation of Inuit families to the High Arctic and the honouring of Métis veterans at Juno Beach.

These events charted a new path for this country as a whole, one marked by hope and reconciliation and focused on cherishing the richness and depth of diverse Aboriginal cultures.

Canada continues to make exemplary progress and build on its positive relationship with Aboriginal peoples throughout the country, a relationship based on good faith, partnership and mutual respect.

The Government’s vision is a future in which Aboriginal families and communities are healthy, safe, self-sufficient and prosperous within a Canada where people make their own decisions, manage their own affairs and make strong contributions to the country as a whole.

The Government has shown strong leadership by protecting the rights of Aboriginal people in Canada. The amendment to the Canadian Human Rights Act, the proposed Gender Equity in Indian Registration Act and the proposed legislation concerning matrimonial real property rights on reserve are just a few recent examples.

This government has also taken concrete and viable actions in important areas such as education, skills development, economic development, employment, health care, housing and access to safe drinking water. These are part of a continuing agenda focused on real results with willing and able partners.

At the international level Canada has been a strong voice for the protection of human rights. Canada is party to numerous United Nations human rights conventions which give expression to this commitment.

Canada has a constructive and far-reaching international development program that helps to improve the situation of Indigenous peoples in many parts of the world. Canada’s active involvement abroad, coupled with its productive partnership with Aboriginal Canadians, is having a real impact in advancing indigenous rights and freedoms, at home and abroad.

In 2007, at the time of the vote during the United Nations General Assembly, and since, Canada placed on record its concerns with various provisions of the Declaration, including provisions dealing with lands, territories and resources; free, prior and informed consent when used as a veto; self-government without recognition of the importance of negotiations; intellectual property; military issues; and the need to achieve an appropriate balance between the rights and obligations of Indigenous peoples, States and third parties. These concerns are well known and remain. However, we have since listened to Aboriginal leaders who have urged Canada to endorse the Declaration and we have also learned from the experience of other countries. We are now confident that Canada can interpret the principles expressed in the Declaration in a manner that is consistent with our Constitution and legal framework.

Aboriginal and treaty rights are protected in Canada through a unique framework. These rights are enshrined in our Constitution, including our Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and are complemented by practical policies that adapt to our evolving reality. This framework will continue to be the cornerstone of our efforts to promote and protect the rights of Aboriginal Canadians.

The 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games were a defining moment for Canada. The Games instilled a tremendous sense of pride in being Canadian and highlighted to the world the extent to which Aboriginal peoples and their cultures contribute to Canada’s uniqueness as a nation. The unprecedented involvement of the Four Host First Nations and Aboriginal peoples from across the nation set a benchmark for how we can work together to achieve great success.

In endorsing the Declaration, Canada reaffirms its commitment to build on a positive and productive relationship with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples to improve the well-being of Aboriginal Canadians, based on our shared history, respect, and a desire to move forward together.

November 12, 2010

The Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples was adopted by the General Assembly on Thursday September 13, by a majority of 144 states in favour, 4 votes against (Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States) and 11 abstentions (Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burundi, Colombia, Georgia, Kenya, Nigeria, Russian Federation, Samoa and Ukraine).

Since its adoption, Australia and New Zealand have reversed their positions and now endorse the Declaration. Colombia and Samoa have also reversed their positions and indicated their support for the Declaration. In March 2010, the Government of Canada announced it would take steps to endorse the UN Declaration and, in April 2010, the United States indicated that it will also review its position regarding the Declaration.

In January, the United Nations released it’s first-ever publication assessing indigenous issues worldwide. The State of the World’s Indigenous Peoples gives the most thorough assessment to date of how the world’s approximately 370 million indigenous peoples fare in the areas of education, employment, economic development, human rights, and poverty. Each of the report’s seven chapters, written by independent experts on indigenous issues from all over the world, tackles one of these crucial topics, as well as other emerging issues faced by indigenous communities.

In addition to addressing the issues, the report also offers facts and figures for different regions, which present mostly alarming statistics on violations of human rights of indigenous peoples; lack of recognition of free, prior, and informed consent; respect of their cultural diversity; and right to education.

Although much of what is contained in this extensive report is quite alarming, there is certainly reason to feel optimistic. In her introduction to the report, Chief of the Secretariat of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, Mrs. Elissavet Stamatopoulou, states the following: “There has been a vigorous and dynamic interface between indigenous peoples—numbering more than 370 million in some 90 countries—the United Nations, an interface which, difficult as it is, has produced at least three results: a.) a new awareness of indigenous peoples’ concerns and human rights; b.) recognition of indigenous peoples’ valuable contribution to humanity’s cultural diversity and heritage, not least through their traditional knowledge; and c.) an awareness of the need to address the issues of indigenous peoples through policies [and] legislation…”

An example the international communities “new awareness of indigenous peoples’ concerns and human rights” is the adoption of the Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples by the General Assembly in September 2007. There is also a growing recognition of indigenous peoples’ roles as the stewards of some of the world’s most biologically diverse areas and their invaluable traditional knowledge of the biodiversity of these areas. As climate change takes its place as one of the greatest threats to humanity, it is increasingly clear that indigenous peoples’ should be a part of the solutions to developing adaptations and mitigation of this issue.

Indigenous peoples continue to organize amongst themselves to advocate for their rights and increase awareness within their communities of their rights.

The full-length version of The State of the World’s Indigenous Peoples can be found on the website of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.

The State of the World’s Indigenous Peoples is the result of a collaborative effort, organized by the Secretariat of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.