STATE OF THE WORLD's INDIGENOUs PEOpLEs - CINU

EMBARGOED UNTIL 14 January 2010STATE OF THE WORLD’S INDIGENOUS PEOPLESNot for distributiongoverning bodies of the Conventions—the Conference of the Parties (COP); theyelaborate background papers and documents, present statements, organizeside events, lobby and promote indigenous issues. Prior to and during theofficial sessions, an indigenous caucus is usually organized so that indigenousrepresentatives can meet to strategize, discuss and follow up on the debatestaking place in the plenary meetings.In order to ensure a better coordination of their efforts and have access tospecialized expertise, indigenous peoples have formed several networks andbodies where representatives from indigenous governments, indigenous NGOs,scholars and activists meet to organize the pending tasks, which are often quitetechnical and demanding. The International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity(IIFB), for instance, has, since 1996, organized indigenous representativesaround the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and its COP meetings, aswell as other important international environmental meetings to help coordinateindigenous strategies, provide advice to government parties, and influence theinterpretations of government obligations to recognize and respect indigenousrights to their knowledge and resources. It has also established an open-endedsub-group—the Indigenous Peoples Committee on Conservation (IPCC)—whichis made up of a core of several dozen indigenous leaders and activists and a fewsupport groups.UNEPThe level of indigenous involvement depends, to a large extent, on the variousbodies’ commitment to the indigenous cause, and it is often an uphill battle notto be marginalized in these international fora. It is, for instance, only recently(2007) that indigenous peoples—as a major group—have been able to gainaccreditation with the Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum(GC/GMEF) of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). This gives them theopportunity to comment on draft papers being considered by the governments, toparticipate as observers, and to make oral statements to the GC/GMEF, as well asto take part in the Global Civil Society Forum (GCSF), which is the main entry pointfor civil society organizations to the GC/GMEF. UNEP is currently working on adraft strategy that will include a broader consultation process among indigenouspeoples’ representatives.indigenous representativesparticipate in numerouspreparatory regionalworkshops, intersessionalmeetings and officialsessions of thegoverning bodies ofthe Conventions—theConference of the Parties(COP); they elaboratebackground papers anddocuments, presentstatements, organizeside events, lobby andpromote indigenousissues.The Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD)The Commission on Sustainable Development—established by Agenda 21 in1992— has been very consistent in promoting the participation of the MajorGroups, and indigenous peoples have been very active in this Forum. CSD is thehigh-level forum for sustainable development within the United Nations systemand is responsible for reviewing progress in implementing Agenda 21 and the RioDeclaration on Environment and Development. It is also responsible for providingpolicy guidance to follow up on the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation at thelocal, national, regional and international levels. The CSD meets annually in NewTHE ENVIRONMENT | 103