UN PERMANENT FORUM ON INDIGENOUS ISSUES

Disclaimer: Copyright infringement not intended.

Context

• Full inclusion of indigenous people in realising their socio-economic development and preservation of culture, languages as well as environment took centre stage at the 22nd session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII).

About the forum

• The Permanent Forum is an advisory body to the Economic and Social Council established in 2000.
• The Forum has the mandate to discuss indigenous issues related to economic and social development, culture, the environment, education, health and human rights.

Role

• According to its mandate, the Permanent Forum will:
  • provide expert advice and recommendations on indigenous issues to the Council, as well as to programmes, funds and agencies of the United Nations, through ECOSOC;
  • raise awareness and promote the integration and coordination of activities related to indigenous issues within the UN system;
  • prepare and disseminate information on indigenous issues The Permanent Forum holds annual two-week sessions.

History

• The first meeting of the Permanent Forum was held in May 2002, and yearly sessions take place in New York.
• The Permanent Forum is one of three UN bodies that is mandated to deal specifically with indigenous peoples’ issues.
• The others are the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Special Rapporteur Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Members of the United Nations Permanent Forum

• The Permanent Forum is comprised of sixteen independent experts, functioning in their personal capacity, who serve for a term of three years as Members and may be re-elected or re-appointed for one additional term.
• Eight of the experts are nominated by governments and eight are nominated directly by indigenous organizations in their regions.
• The experts nominated by governments are elected by ECOSOC based on the five regional groupings of States normally used at the United Nations (Africa; Asia; Eastern Europe; Latin America and the Caribbean; and Western Europe and Other States).
• The experts nominated by indigenous organizations are appointed by the President of ECOSOC and represent the seven socio-cultural regions determined to give broad representation to the world’s indigenous peoples.
  • The regions are Africa; Asia; Central and South America and the Caribbean; the Arctic; Central and Eastern Europe, Russian Federation, Central Asia and Transcaucasia; North America; and the Pacific—with one additional rotating seat among the three first listed above.

https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/governance/unpfii-calls-for-inclusion-of-indigenous-people-in-socio-economic-development-conservation-of-environment-88968