Suriname: UN expert calls for further dialogue on indigenous and tribal land issues

PARAMARIBO – The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, James Anaya, called for further contact between the authorities and the indigenous and tribal peoples of Suriname, and reiterated his readiness to assist with efforts to advance their land and resource rights.

“I look forward to continued dialogue with the Government and with the indigenous and tribal peoples of Suriname, in order to provide further guidance on the practical steps necessary to move forward with securing indigenous and tribal land rights, in accordance with relevant international treaties to which Suriname is a part,” Mr. Anaya said at the end of the first visit ever to the country by a human rights independent expert designated by the UN Human Rights Council.

The Special Rapporteur’s mission from 13-16 March took place in the context of Suriname’s implementation of the 2007 judgment of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights in the case of the Saramaka People v. Suriname.

“I believe that this visit was very fruitful and constituted unique and valuable opportunity for dialogue and consultation with indigenous and tribal peoples of Suriname and the Suriname Government,” Mr. Anaya said. “I congratulate all of them for their cooperation and openness in engaging with my mandate, in order to meet the many challenges existing in the country related to the domestic implementation of international human rights norms.”

During the brief visit, the Special Rapporteur met in Paramaribo with representatives of the Government, including the Vice President; the Ministers of Regional Development; Justice and Police; Foreign Affairs; Natural Resources; Land and Physical Planning; and Labour, Technology and Environment; as well as others from the Council of Ministers.

The UN independent expert also held meetings with the indigenous organization VIDS, and Maroon representatives of VGS, the 12 Okanisi clan, the Matawaí clan, the Paramakan community and the Bureau Moiwana, as well as with the UN Country Team.

The Special Rapporteur expressed his thanks to all those that assisted in preparations for the visit, especially representatives at the Ministry of Regional Development, for their invaluable help in organizing and facilitating all aspects of the visit.

ENDS

S. James Anaya (USA) is a Regents Professor and the James J. Lenoir Professor of Human Rights Law and Policy at the University of Arizona (United States). He was appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council to the mandate of Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples effective May 2008. The mandate was created in 2001 by the then Commission on Human Rights, and was renewed most recently in 2010 by the Human Rights Council for a three-year period.

Tenth Session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

16-27 May 2011
UN Headquarters, New York

Agenda

Pre-registration

Side Events

Documents

Provisional agenda for the tenth session of the Permanent Forum
on Indigenous Issues

1. Election of officers.
2. Adoption of the agenda and organization of work.
3. Follow-up to the recommendations of the Permanent Forum:
(a) Economic and social development;
(b) Environment;
(c) Free, prior and informed consent.
4. Human rights:
(a) Implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples;
(b) Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people and other United Nations human rights mechanisms.
5. Half-day discussion on Central and South America and the Caribbean.
6. Comprehensive dialogue with United Nations agencies and funds.
7. Future work of the Permanent Forum, including issues of the Economic and Social Council and emerging issues.
8. Draft agenda for the eleventh session of the Permanent Forum.
9. Adoption of the report of the Permanent Forum on its tenth session.

- Note. There is no special theme for the Tenth Session. The Permanent Forum has a biannual working method one policy year and one review year. 2011 will be a review year.

Pre-Registration

Online pre-registration is now open. Those who wish to attend the tenth session of the Permanent Forum must pre-register online by 1 May 2011.

NGOs with ECOSOC status, indigenous peoples' organizations and academics that are already registered and have participated in past sessions of the Permanent Forum:

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Indigenous peoples' organizations and academics that have not participated in previous sessions:

Step by step guide: Pre-registration of new organizations

Pre-Registration - indigenous peoples organizations

Pre-Registration - academics

Further information and FAQs on registration

Side events

Registration of side events is now open. The deadline for the submission of side event requests is 15 April. Due to a lack of availability of rooms, there will be significantly fewer side events than during previous sessions.

Side event request form (to be submitted by organizers of side events)

Guidelines for organizers of side events

DOCUMENTS Submitted by the Secretariat of UNPFI

Implementation of the ‘new conservation paradigm’

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO1101/S00248/implementation-of-the-new-conservation-paradigm.htm

International Union for the Conservation of Nature to review and advance implementation of the ‘new conservation paradigm’, focusing on rights of indigenous peoples

Indigenous peoples’ representatives met with Chairs of Commissions of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and other conservation organizations, for a high-level dialogue during the Sharing Power conference, in Whakatane, New Zealand, on January 13th, 2011. IUCN agreed to review the implementation of resolutions related to indigenous peoples taken at the 4th World Conservation Congress (WCC4) in 2008, in Barcelona, Spain, and to advance their implementation.

These resolutions, along with the Durban Action Plan and the Programme of Work on Protected Areas of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), are often termed as the “new conservation paradigm”. They are crucial for ensuring that conservation practices respect the rights of indigenous peoples and their full and effective participation in policy and practice. Unfortunately, the actual implementation of these decisions in support of indigenous peoples has been very patchy. The information gathered by the IUCN review processes will feed into its 2013-2016 Programme, to be discussed and adopted in September 2012 in Jeju, Republic of Korea.

Specifically, the meeting participants agreed that IUCN will:

• Reinforce its multi-level process (encompassing international, regional, national and local levels) to assess and advance the implementation of the “new conservation paradigm”. This process would focus on specific WCC4 resolutions relevant to indigenous peoples.

• Implement pilot assessments of protected areas at the local level that should be carried out by teams composed of indigenous peoples, IUCN national and international offices, government officials and other relevant actors. The pilot assessments should specify recommendations to address gaps between the observed practices and the ‘new conservation paradigm’. The findings will be reported in national workshops, which will then explore ways to implement the recommendations from the assessments. The assessments would also bring examples of successful projects and best practices to the international community.

• Carry out a review of the implementation of each of the WCC4 resolutions relevant to indigenous peoples, based on information from commissions and regional and global thematic programmes. This review will identify gaps and make recommendations to address them, which will be included in IUCN’s 2013-2016 Programme.

• Submit reports on these matters to the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and the CBD.

• Spread awareness of WCC4 resolutions on indigenous peoples to all national IUCN offices.

• Improve the coordination between regional and national IUCN offices and indigenous peoples’ organizations.

Furthermore:

• The IUCN Council should be reminded that it was directed by a WCC4 resolution to form a task force to examine the application of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples to every aspect of the IUCN Programme (including Commissions’ Mandates), policies and practices, and to make recommendations for its implementation.

Udom Charoenniyomphrai, from the Inter Mountain Peoples’ Education and Culture in Thailand Association (IMPECT), said, “The agreements reached in the meeting are good. We are now hoping that they will be effectively implemented.”

Further Information:

• Press Release: Sharing power - the end of 'fortress' conservation? January 10th, 2011 (Available in English and Spanish): http://www.forestpeoples.org/topics/participatory-resource-mapping/news/2011/01/press-release-sharing-power-end-fortress-conserva

• Forest Peoples Programme and indigenous partners’ updates from IUCN CEESP Sharing Power are available at: http://www.forestpeoples.org/special-blogs/iucn-ceesp-sharing-power

• Briefing for Media - Securing indigenous peoples' rights in conservation in Suriname, January 10th, 2011: http://www.forestpeoples.org/sites/fpp/files/news/2011/01/Media_Briefing_Suriname_Securing_IP_Rights_in_Conservation_Sharing_Power_Jan_2011_Eng-revMO_FM.pdf

• Briefing for Media - Securing indigenous peoples’ rights in conservation: A Review of South West Uganda - http://www.forestpeoples.org/sites/fpp/files/news/2011/01/Media_briefing_Uganda_Securing_IP_Rights_in_Conservation_Sharing_Power_Jan_2011_Eng.pdf

• Briefing for Media - Indigenous peoples and protected areas in Thailand: A Review - http://www.forestpeoples.org/sites/fpp/files/news/2011/01/Media%20briefing_Thailand_IPs_and_PAs_Sharing_%20Power_2011_Eng.pdf

• Other documents on this topic can be found at: http://www.forestpeoples.org/topics/environmental-governance/international-processes

Call for Submissions: INDIGENOUS PEOPLES, MARGINALIZED POPULATIONS AND CLIMATE CHANGE: VULNERABILITY, ADAPTATION AND TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE

Call for Submissions: INDIGENOUS PEOPLES, MARGINALIZED POPULATIONS AND CLIMATE CHANGE: VULNERABILITY, ADAPTATION AND TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE
1-3 June 2011, Mexico City

United Nations University (UNU), Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (SCBD), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) are co-organising two workshops on "Indigenous Peoples, Marginalized Populations and Climate Change." The workshops will bring together representatives of indigenous peoples and marginalized populations, natural and social scientists, and other experts in relevant domains. The aim of the workshops is to identify, compile and analyse relevant indigenous and local observations, knowledge and practices related to understanding climate change impacts, adaptation and mitigation. The workshops will provide a key opportunity to ensure that experience, sources of information and knowledge (scientific, indigenous and local), along with data and literature (scientific and grey), focusing on vulnerable and marginalized regions of the world are made available to the authors of the IPCC 5th Assessment Report and the global community.

The workshop secretariat is now calling for the submission of abstracts for the first workshop, which will focus on Climate Change Vulnerability, Adaptation and Traditional Knowledge. The workshop will be held in collaboration with the Mexican Institute of Ecology (INE) from 1-3 June 2011 in Mexico City, Mexico. The second workshop, which will focus on Climate Change Mitigation, will be held in Cairns, Australia in late 2011.

Submissions should be relevant to the workshop theme - Climate Change Vulnerability, Adaptation and Traditional Knowledge. Submissions are sought from researchers and knowledge holders from around the globe. Contributions from individuals and communities in developing countries and/or marginalised regions are encouraged.

All submissions will be subject to review by the scientific committee that is overseeing the organization of the workshop. An important objective of the workshop is to expand the baseline information available in this thematic area, so please indicate on your submission form if you agree to the publication of your abstract and contact information in the workshop proceedings and subsequent publications.

A second workshop on "Indigenous Peoples, Marginalized Populations and Climate Change Mitigation" is planned for Cairns, Australia in late 2011. The call for submissions for the second workshop will be opened in March 2011.

The workshop will be held in English. Subject to demand and availability of funds, Spanish and/or French translation may be made available. A limited number of travel grants will be made available for selected participants.

Submissions will be accepted through the online submision form until 25 February 2011. Questions regarding the workshops can be directed to the workshop secretariat via tkimeetings[@]ias.unu.edu.

More information http://www.unutki.org/default.php?doc_id=187

Source: http://www.unutki.org/abstract_submission.php

Expert Meeting on the Modalities of Operation of the Access and Benefit-sharing Clearing-House

From: Executive Secretary, Convention on Biological Diversity

To: CBD Focal Points, ABS Focal Points, International organizations, indigenous and local community organizations and relevant stakeholders

Subject: Expert Meeting on the Modalities of Operation of the Access and Benefit-sharing Clearing-House, 11-14 April 2011, Montreal, Canada

Thematic area: Access to Genetic Resources and Benefit-sharing

Ref.: SCBD/ABS/VN/SG/74725

NOTIFICATION

No. 2011-009

Madam/Sir,

Article 14 of the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing establishes an Access and Benefit-sharing Clearing-House (ABS Clearing-House) as part of the clearing-house mechanism under Article 18, paragraph 3 of the Convention. The ABS Clearing-House is a means for the sharing of information related to access and benefit-sharing and it shall provide access to information made available by each Party relevant to the implementation of the Protocol.

In accordance with Decision X/1, paragraph 12 and Annex II, the Open-ended Ad-hoc Intergovernmental Committee for the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing will consider the modalities of operation of the ABS Clearing-House, including reports on its activities, at its first meeting, from 6 to 10 June 2011. In preparation for this first meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee, I am pleased to inform you that an Expert Meeting will be held on the modalities of operation of the ABS Clearing-House, from 11-14 April 2011, in Montreal, Canada, thanks to the generous financial contribution of the European Commission. The meeting will be held in the English language.

The expert meeting will focus on practical considerations related to the establishment of the ABS Clearing-House with a view to provide input to the first meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee and to assist countries with the early ratification and implementation of the Nagoya Protocol. The meeting will build on existing experience and lessons learned from the establishment of other clearing house mechanisms, in particular the Biosafety Clearing-House. The report of the expert meeting will be made available to the first meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee for its consideration.

Documents for the meeting, including an information note for participants, will be made available as soon as practicable on the website of the Convention at the following address: http://www.cbd.int/meetings/.

Nomination and Selection of Experts/Observers

The group of experts will be regionally balanced and composed of 8 experts per region selected on the basis of nominations by Parties. In addition, 10 observers from international organizations and agreements, industry, research institutions and/or academia, botanical gardens and other ex situ collection holders, non-governmental organizations and indigenous and local communities will also be invited to participate.

Each Party is invited to nominate one expert. International organizations and agreements, industry, research institutions and/or academia, botanical gardens and other ex situ collection holders, non-governmental organizations and indigenous and local communities are also invited to nominate one expert as an observer to the meeting. The deadline for nominations is 18 February 2011.

Nominated experts should have knowledge in the fields of access and benefit-sharing, and practical experience with regard to information-sharing and knowledge management systems and the establishment of clearing-houses. The curriculum vitae of the nominated experts/observers should be included with the nominations submitted to the Secretariat.

Based on the nominations received, the Executive Secretary in consultation with the Bureau, will select participants in the meeting. As per usual practice, the experts will be selected on the basis of their expertise, the need to ensure fair and equitable geographical distribution, as well as gender balance.

Nominations should be submitted through an official letter addressed to the Executive Secretary by fax to +1 514 288 6588, or by email as a scanned attachment to: secretariat@cbd.int.

The full text of this notification is available on the CBD website at: http://www.cbd.int/doc/notifications/2011/ntf-2011-009-abs-chm-en.pdf

Please accept, Madam/Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Ahmed Djoghlaf
Executive Secretary
Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity
United Nations Environment Programme
413 Saint-Jacques Street, Suite 800
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
H2Y 1N9

Tel: +1 514 288 2220
Faxx: +1 514 288 6588
E-mail: secretariat@cbd.int
Web: http://www.cbd.int