UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, Thirteenth Session, May 12—23, 2014 Global Indigenous Women's Caucus Statement Agenda Item 5 Half Day Discussion on Asia
Madame Chair, Members of the Permanent
Forum, Sisters and Brothers, we, the Global Indigenous Women's Caucus, submit the
following statement
for your consideration:
In Asia, there are Indigenous Sisters
and Brothers who are not recognized as Indigenous Peoples in their countries of origin and/or live in countries that are not recognized as countries by the international society. The failure to recognize some Indigenous Peoples
in Asia, along with difficult
international and national political issues, contributes to a situation
where the UN system cannot effectively protect their rights. This exclusion
from the protection of the international human rights system operates as a form of discrimination against these Peoples.
In some places in Asia, human rights education
is expressly forbidden.
Even in places where not expressly forbidden,
it is seldom taught in the mainstream school systems. Therefore
many Indigenous Peoples, especially Indigenous women, do not know their rights and consequently, when their rights are violated,
they are not able to defend themselves.
Indigenous women living in urban environments in Asia are continuously challenged by issues that are rooted in patriarchy. This patriarchal system can erode the diverse gender relations
of Indigenous traditions, causing additional burdens on Indigenous women which negatively
impact family relationships.
Global climate
change is causing
an increase in typhoons, earthquakes, floods, mudslides and natural disasters
in Asia and around the world.
As these events become more commonplace, Indigenous peoples, especially
women and children are more vulnerable than ever.
Reconstruction processes
of living areas, in the wake of natural disasters,
are often Government
resources and services
that reflect and respond to the cultural
needs of Indigenous peoples are often not available
to Indigenous women in urban areas.
done without
the free, prior and informed
consent of Indigenous
peoples. Traditional knowledge
is overlooked and therefore without the understanding of what the needs and wishes are of Indigenous
Peoples. Consequently Indigenous
peoples are often twice traumatized by natural disasters.
Recommendations
The Global Indigenous Women's Caucus adopted the following
recommendations for agenda item 5, at the May 9, 2014, Global Indigenous Women’s
Caucus meeting:
1. Unrecognized Indigenous PeoplesWe recommend
that the relevant
UN agencies, including
the Human Rights Council, the Permanent Forum, the Expert Mechanism and the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples investigate and monitor the situation
and condition
of the unrecognized Indigenous Peoples,
in particular Indigenous women, to work toward ensuring that the rights of these unrecognized Indigenous Peoples are protected and that Indigenous
women are better able to make free, prior and informed decisions
concerning their well being.
2. Human rights educationWe recommend that the UN Permanent
Forum work with states to ensure that human rights education is incorporated into the mainstream education system to ensure Indigenous
Peoples have the knowledge of human rights and understand such rights.
3. Indigenous
women in urban areasIn accordance with the Report of the International Expert Group Meeting on Urban Indigenous Peoples and Migration,
Paragraphs 9 and 17, we take note and echo the need for a comprehensive analysis
that will produce systematic data which would allow for monitoring of the inflow of Indigenous Peoples into urban areas.
This analysis should include comprehensive data on urban Indigenous women’s labor, health, and
education status, so that the real situation of urban Indigenous women can be revealed, and thus clear ethnicity and genderfriendly policies can be planned.
4. Postdisaster reconstruction policy makingWe recommend the Permanent
Forum urge states to include
Indigenous Peoples and in particular, Indigenous Women, in the process
of the postdisaster reconstruction policy making in accordance with section 2 Article 11 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous
Peoples.
We thank you Madame Chair for your full consideration of these recommendations.
