IWGIA's involvement

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IWGIA's involvement in the work of the African Commision The African Commission on Human Peoples' Rights (ACHPR) was officially inaugurated on the 2nd November 1987. IWGIA started its active involvement in the ongoing work of the African Commission in 2000, when it for the first time attended a session of the African Commission. IWGIA has observer status with the African Commission, and IWGIA representatives are therefore able to speak in the public session. The overall objective of IWGIA's activities in relation to the African Commission is that the promotion and protection of the human rights of indigenous peoples will be fully integrated in the work of the African Commission. IWGIA supports/is involved in the following activities: Participation in ordinary sessions IWGIA participates regularly in the ordinary sessions of the African Commission, including maintaining contact and cooperation with the Commission and NGOs, lobbying, presenting statements and monitoring the process. Facilitation of indigenous participation IWGIA funds and facilitates the participation of a number of indigenous representatives in each session of the African Commission as well as in the NGO Forum taking place prior to all sessions of the ACHPR. Participation in the Working Group on Indigenous Populations/Communities A representative of IWGIA (Marianne Jensen) was appointed in 2001 by the African Commission to serve in the Working Group on Indigenous Populations/Communities. IWGIA takes active part in the Working Group's activities and has provided some funding to the programme. Support to awareness raising activities In order to raise awareness of the African Commission's work on indigenous peoples' rights, IWGIA supports indigenous organizations to carry out awareness raising activities in their own countries. Such activities have included the production of newspaper articles and radio programmes. This allows indigenous organizations to use the African Commission as a platform to lobby for their rights in their respective countries. Production of shadow reports IWGIA facilitates the production of shadow reports on the human rights situation of indigenous peoples in connection with the examination of state reports in the African Commission. Publishing and information dissemination IWGIA informs African indigenous organizations and other interested parties about the ongoing process in the African Commission via our web page, distribution of reports, publication of articles, etc. Relevant IWGIA publications IWGIA has published a number of books, articles and thematic issues of our journal Indigenous Affairs dealing with the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights and the situation of indigenous peoples in Africa more generally. Click here to get an overview of relevant IWGIA publications.