STATE OF THE WORLD's INDIGENOUs PEOpLEs - CINU

EMBARGOED UNTIL 14 January 2010STATE OF THE WORLD’S INDIGENOUS PEOPLESNot for distributioncities of the world to see increasing numbers of indigenous workers andbeggars. Indigenous women in particular are affected by these conditions,as they are also often the victims of discrimination and physical abuse. 81Indigenous peoples in urban areas often become an almost invisiblepopulation because of the abstract and non-geographically clusterednature of the community, and because of the continued existence ofstereotypes regarding indigenous peoples. There are several push- andpull-factors that prompt indigenous peoples to migrate to the cities,including poverty, environmental factors, the privatization of lands andterritories, employment opportunities and access to health care andeducation. 82the underlying racism anddiscrimination towardindigenous peoples is feltevery dayOften, when delivering services for indigenous peoples, all indigenouspeoples are classified under one label as ‘special needs’, and there is noundertaking to understand the complexities of difference and the needto provide services in a different way, based on the experiences of thevarious indigenous groups residing in the cities. Involving indigenouspeoples in decision-making affecting their communities in the urbansituation is extremely important as it places indigenous peoples on anequal platform in seeking solutions.Indigenous youth and children residing in urban areas are often portrayedin a way that sensationalizes problems such as destructive behaviour orrisk-prone lifestyles. Meaningful activities that achieve positive outcomesfor youth are empowering and need to provide opportunities for thedevelopment and affirmation of cultural identity and cultural knowledgeand skills. Cultural activities in the form of drama, music and art, forexample, are being used increasingly to raise awareness about relevantsocial concerns and to help youth speak out on issues that affect them.Despite a few benefits of living in urban areas, such as proximity to socialfacilities, in most cases indigenous peoples have substantial difficulties.The underlying racism and discrimination toward indigenous peoples isfelt every day, despite the increasing multicultural nature of cities. Thelack of employment and income-generating activities, limited access toservices and inadequate housing continue to be the main challenges thatindigenous peoples living in urban areas face. In general, disrespect fora wide range of human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenouspeoples is often a main underlying cause for persisting poverty amongurban indigenous communities. In many cases, indigenous peoples aretrying to deal with their economic and social conditions in what is often avery hostile environment.81UN-Habitat and OHCHR (2005), 178.82 See UNHABITAT, OHCHR, SPFII, ECLAC & IOM (2007) for a detailed discussion on some ofthe primary issues related to urban indigenous peoples.38 | CHAPTER I