DESA Intra-Departmental Task Force on Indigenous Issues

Ecuador Workshop

DESA’s Intra-Departmental Task Force on Indigenous Issues recognized by the General Assembly in 2002, coordinates work and expertise within the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) and promotes the integration of Indigenous issues in DESA’s technical Cooperation programmes.

The main achievement of DESA’s Intradepartmental Task Force on Indigenous Issues until now is the design and adoption of the “Framework of DESA technical cooperation programs in countries with Indigenous Peoples”.

This Framework is to be used as a tool in the formulation and implementation of activities of technical cooperation programs. It is based on the recommendations adopted by the UNPFII, references to indigenous issues in the CCA/UNDAF Guidelines, the Resource Kit on Indigenous Issues being developed by the Interagency Support Group on Indigenous Issues, a number of case studies and the five key objectives defined in the Programme of Action for the Second International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People. The Framework is structured into four main sections: identifying indigenous peoples in diverse contexts, participation and free, prior and informed consent, collection and disaggregation of data and indigenous women.

DESA’s Task Force on Indigenous Issues is supporting and coordinating the elaboration of a specific DESA Plan of Action for the Second International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People.