Cultural Survival - Six years of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

Six Years of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples     Today marks six years since the United Nations General Assembly adopted theUN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).  In a historic vote on September 13, 2007, 144 countries voted for the Declaration. It is the outcome of 25 years of hard negotiations. The rights spelled out in the document "constitute the minimum standards for the survival, dignity and well-being of the Indigenous Peoples of the world."  The Declaration protects collective rights and individual rights of Indigenous Peoples in relation to self-government, land, education, employment, health and other areas. Several countries have made steps towards aligning their policies with the standards enshrined in the Declaration, however, an implementation gap remains. There has been an increased international focus on Indigenous Peoples' right to participate in decision-making processes, especially on the states' duty to consult Indigenous Peoples to seek their Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) in regards to issues that will affect their lands, lives, and livelihoods.  As one UN Permanent Forum delegate stated, "The most important element of Indigenous Peoples' ability to claim the right of Free, Prior and Informed Consent is to have informed and organized communities." Access to information about the Declaration and FPIC is crucial. Cultural Survival's FPIC Initiative is strengthening Indigenous Peoples' capacity to implement FPIC by increasing awareness and understanding of this right through community media and community exchanges.   GET INVOLVED!    1. Listen to FPIC radio programs here (en espanol aqui). Help translate into Indigenous languages and distribute to Indigenous radio stations, contact us:consent@cs.org.      2. Read Cultural Survival Quarterly featuring articles on FPIC.    3. Listen and watch a webinar on FPIC organized with First Peoples Worldwide and International Indian Treaty Council.  4. Be social! Share all this content on facebook and twitter.   5. Invest in Indigenous rights today. Please support our work! Thank you.    As always, we welcome your comments. Please send your feedback and suggestions toagnes@cs.org.   Cultural Survival is a global leader in the fight to protect Indigenous lands, languages, and cultures around the world. In partnership with Indigenous Peoples, we advocate for Indigenous communities whose rights, cultures, and dignity are under threat. For more information go to www.cs.org