Monday, May 13, 2013

Information Note for Indigenous Peoples’ Organizations and Non-Governmental Organizations on the Twelfth Session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

We welcome you to New York for the twelfth session, which starts on 20 May 2013 and ends on 31 May 2013. The attachment to this letter provides an outline of matters pertaining to the session.

We are pleased to announce that the renovations of most of the Conference Rooms at the United Nations Headquarters are almost completed. The opening of the session will be held in the General Assembly Hall and will commence at 11am. In the afternoon and for the rest of the session, the meeting will be in Trusteeship Council Chamber.


The twelfth session of the Permanent Forum will be significant because it is the Permanent Forum’s review year with special emphasis on the implementation of UNPFII recommendations on: (i) health; (ii) education; and (iii) culture.


Also, based on its methodology of organizing in-depth dialogues with UN agencies, the Forum will hold a dialogue with the World Bank; Asian Development Bank; African Development Bank; Inter-American Development Bank and the International Finance Corporation.


The special regional focus of the Forum will be on indigenous peoples in Africa. A half-day discussion will be devoted to this region.


Other features of the Forum’s twelfth session will include Human Rights, the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples (2014), Discussions on the Post 2015 Development Agenda and discussions on a number of studies completed this year by members of the Permanent Forum.


We take this opportunity to draw your attention to the preparatory meeting of the Indigenous Global Caucus on the weekend before the Permanent Forum session 18 – 19 May 2013. As in previous years, the meeting will take place on the 2nd floor of the Church Center for the United Nations at 777 UN Plaza (corner of East 44th Street and 1st Avenue), across the street from the main entrance to the United Nations.


Also, the Global Indigenous Women's Caucus meeting will take place on Friday 17 May 2013 from 9am to 5pm. The meeting will take place on the 2nd floor of the Church Centre for the United Nations at 777 UN Plaza (corner of East 44th Street and 1st Avenue), across the street from the main entrance to the United Nations.


The Indigenous Youth Caucus Preparatory Meeting for the twelfth Session will take place on Sunday, May 19, 2013, 9am to 6pm at 1 East 42nd Street, 2th Floor, New York, NY 10017


A meeting with Indigenous Journalists to strategize on the World Conference on Indigenous peoples (2014) will take place on Wednesday 22 May between 10am – 11am in Conference Room C. For further information contact Nilla Bernardi on
Wednesday 22 May between 10am – 11am in Conference Room C. For further information contact Nilla Bernardi on

One important note – all registrations for new Indigenous Peoples’ Organizations and Academics are now closed. Please be advised you must be pre-registered in order to attend the Forum. You must also bring your confirmation letter and a photo ID such as a passport or driver’s licence to the Registration desk.


Registration times will be:
Sunday 19 May 12:00 -17:00
Monday 20 May 08:30 -12:30 & 14.00 -15.45
Tuesday 21 May 09.00 - 12.30 & 14.00 – 15.45

Wednesday 22 May to Friday 31 May (remainder of the Session) 09:30 - 12:30 & 14.00 – 15.45


The Registration Desk will be closed from 12:30 p.m. to 14:00 p.m. Participants attending only side-events should register in the morning before those events take place.


Warm regards,

The Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues Secretariat: Chandra, Anna, Arturo, Bertha, Broddi, Daniel,Joshua, Luz, Martin, Mirian, Nilla, Olga, Samantha, Sonia, Upatissa

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Members of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues 2014-2016

On 6 May the President of Economic and Social Council announced the appointment of eight Members of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues for the term 2014-2016 who had been nominated by indigenous peoples’ organizations. Previously, on 25 April, the Council had elected seven members nominated by governments. One member remains to be elected by the Council from the Asia Pacific region. Their term begins on 1 January 2014 and lasts until 31 December 2016. 

Indigenous nominated and appointed by President of ECOSOC (8): 
Mariam Wallet Aboubakrine (Africa) 
Kara-Kys Arakchaa ( Eastern Europe, Russian Federation, Central Asia and Transcaucasia)
 Joan Carling (Asia) 
Maria Eugenia Choque Quispe ( Central, South America and the Caribbean) 
Dalee Sambo Dorough (Arctic) 
Edward John (North America) 
 Raja Devasish Roy (Asia) 
Valmaine Toki (Pacific) 

Government nominated and elected by ECOSOC (7): 
Megan Davis (Australia) Oliver Loode (Estonia) 
Aisa Mukabenova (Russian Federation) 
Joseph Goko Mutangah (Kenya) 
Gervais Nzoa (Cameroon) 
Mohammad Hassani Nejad Pirkouhi (Iran) 
Alvaro Esteban Pop Ac (Guatemala)

Monday, May 6, 2013

6th session of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

English version: 

Dear all,

I am pleased to inform that the accreditation for the 6th session of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is open until 28 June 2013. Please follow the instructions at: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/IPeoples/EMRIP/Pages/Accreditation.aspx

I would appreciate if you could disseminate this information to your networks.

Texto en espanol: 

Hola a todos,

Me complace informar que la acreditación para la sexta sesión del Mecanismo de Expertos sobre los Derechos de los Pueblos Indígenas está abierta hasta el 28 de junio de 2013. Por favor, siga las instrucciones en: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/IPeoples/EMRIP/Pages/Accreditation.aspx

Le agradecería si pudiera difundir esta información a sus redes.


Texte français:

Bonjour à tous,

Je voudrais vous informer que l'accréditation pour la 6ème session du Mécanisme d'experts sur les droits des peuples autochtones est ouverte jusqu'au 28 Juin 2013. Veuillez suivre les instructions à l'adresse suivante : http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/IPeoples/EMRIP/Pages/Accreditation.aspx

Je vous serais reconnaissante si vous pouviez diffuser cette information à travers vos réseaux.

Thursday, April 25, 2013

World Conference on Indigenous Peoples 2014

Alta 2013

Áltá 2013 - in english



The Sami Parliament has invited representatives of indigenous peoples worldwide to an international preparatory conference in Alta, Norway, 8-12 June 2013.

Around 800 indigenous delegates and advisors, various observers and representatives of the world’s media are expected in Alta in June 2013 to prepare for the UN World Conference on Indigenous Peoples (WCIP) to be held in New York in 2014. 
The objective of the Alta 2013 preparatory conference on indigenous peoples is to help strengthen mutual cooperation, as well as identify and coordinate important problems and issues affecting the world’s indigenous peoples and the effort to safeguard their human rights ahead of the UN World Conference on Indigenous Peoples (WCIP) in 2014.

The Sami Parliament in Norway is hosting the Alta 2013 conference, and is responsible for the practical organisation of the event. The Sami Parliament is working closely with the (Indigenous Global Coordinating Group (GCG), created specifically in connection with the WCIP in 2014. The GCG is also responsible for the content and execution of the Alta 2013 preparatory conference.

The conference is open to accredited representatives of the media and delegates for indigenous peoples from the world’s nine different indigenous regions, their advisors and observers. The entire conference will be webcast live.  

More information about Áltá 2013
Conference programme Cultural programme  Side-events 
Registration  Contact Alta 2013 Important links
Info for the media About WCIP 2014 NOTE: Work and residence in Norway

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Seminario virtual de consulta, 17 Abril 12:00 (Bogotá): Borrador Guía de negocios y derechos de los pueblos indígenas

Wednesday, April 17, 2013 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM EDT

Webinar Registration

Con el fin  de  recibir  comentarios,  el Pacto  Mundial  ha  publicado  el borrador  de  la Guía  de referencia  empresarial  sobre  la  Declaración  de  la  ONU  de  los  Derechos  de  los  Pueblos Indígenas (UNDRIP), que ilustra en qué medida se pueden ver afectados por las empresas los derechos de los pueblos indígenas, ya sea de forma positiva o negativa, y sugiere acciones prácticas.

Todos  los  interesados  pueden  enviar  sus  comentarios  a undrip@unglobalcompact.org. Todas  las  personas  que  lo  deseen  pueden  consultar  y  comentar  el borrador de exposición (hasta el 1 de junio de 2013).

https://www4.gotomeeting.com/register/436161271