IWGIA is following the situation of indigenous peoples and their rights. Get the latest updates, alerts, stories and up-to-date facts here. Click here for more news.
Ben Powless of the Indigenous Environmental network presented the following statement: "Thank you Mr. Chair, I speak to you on behalf of the International Indigenous Peoples’ Forum on Climate Change. We recognize that the Kyoto Protocol is the only legally binding international instrument we have to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
IWGIA has just published a thematic issue of our journal "Indigenous Affairs" focussing on logging. We bring articles documenting the threats of logging to the livelihoods of indigenous peoples as well as examples of innovative approaches that seek to respect the rights of indigenous peoples. The various articles can be downloaded by clicking here.
What is most widely implied in the term self-determination is the right to participate in the democratic process of governance and to influence one’s future – politically, socially and culturally.
Self-determination embodies the right for all peoples to determine their own economic, social and cultural development. Self-determination has thus been defined by the International Court of Justice as the need to pay regard to the freely expressed will of peoples.
On September 13, 2007 the UN General Assembly adopted the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The adoption followed more than twenty years of discussion within the UN system. Indigenous peoples played a key role in the formulation of the Declaration.
The Indigenous Peoples’ Network on Climate Change and Sustainable Development (IPCSSD) welcomes the document (FCCC/AWGLCA/2010/CRP.3) which was released today. We welcome the inclusion of paragraphs 7 and 8 which recognize the need for effective participation of indigenous peoples and fully respect human rights in all climate change related actions. We firmly believe that it is an imperative to adopt the human-rights-based approach and ecosystem-based approach to climate change mitigation and adaptation. We are also encouraged that the texts on REDD (Section C; Paragraphs 65-75 and Annex 11) still retained language on safeguards which: * recognizes indigenous peoples’ rights and knowledge and notes the adoption of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP); * affirms the need for full and effective participation of stakeholders, in particular, indigenous peoples and local communities; * stresses that actions are consistent with the conservation of natural forests and biological diversity; * calls for transparent and effective national forest governance structures. The REDD Plus text also recognizes the need to address the drivers of deforestation drivers of deforestation, land tenure issues and forest governance issues.
IWGIA - International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs - is a global human rights organisation dedicated to promoting, protecting and defending Indigenous Peoples’ rights. Read more.
For media inquiries click here
IWGIA's global report, the Indigenous World, provides an update of the current situation for Indigenous Peoples worldwide. Read The Indigenous World.
Prinsessegade 29 B, 3rd floor
DK 1422 Copenhagen
Denmark
Phone: (+45) 53 73 28 30
E-mail: iwgia@iwgia.org
CVR: 81294410