• Chair: Ms. Mirna Cunningham (Nicaragua)
• Vice-Chairs: Ms. Dalee Sambo Dorough (USA), Mr. Edward John (Canada), Ms. Eva Biaudet (Finland), Mr. Paul Kanyinke Sena (Kenya)
• Rapporteur: Ms. Paimaneh Hasteh (Islamic Republic of Iran)

Statement of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Ban Ki Moon

Statement by Mr. Sha Zukang, Under Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs

Opening Statement by the Chairperson of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

Statement by the Special Rapporteur on the Human Right to Safe Drinking Water and Sanitation

Statement by Professor James Anaya Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

Discussion point 7 half-day on the right to water and Peoples Indigenous
Prepared by Aicha Cheikh Sala (Assoc Tidawt) and Aboubakar Albachir (Assoc Tunfa), members of IPACC // Point 7 Discussion d’une demi-journée sur le droit à l’eau et des peuples autochtones:
—>English
—>Français

Closing Statement by the Chairperson of the UN permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

Statements Compiled by doCip

1. Election of officers.
2. Adoption of the agenda and organization of work.
3. Follow-up to the recommendations of the Permanent Forum:
(a) Economic and social development;
(b) Environment;
(c) Free, prior and informed consent.
4. Human rights:
(a) Implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples;
(b) Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people and other United Nations human rights mechanisms.
5. Half-day discussion on Central and South America and the Caribbean.
6. Comprehensive dialogue with United Nations agencies and funds.
7. Future work of the Permanent Forum, including issues of the Economic and Social Council and emerging issues.
8. Draft agenda for the eleventh session of the Permanent Forum.
9. Adoption of the report of the Permanent Forum on its tenth session.

– Note. There is no special theme for the Tenth Session. The Permanent Forum has a biannual working method one policy year and one review year. 2011 will be a review year.

Due to the renovation work at UN Headquarters, there is limited space in the conference rooms. The United Nations will issue special day passes in addition to the grounds pass that all participants receive when they register. These special passes will be distributed in the visitor’s lobby of the UN. There will be a limited number of special day passes according to the capacity of the conference rooms.

 From the UN system and other intergovernmental organizations 

Press Release: EN | ES | FR

Fact Sheet: Half-Day Discussion On Central and South America and the Caribbean
EN | ES | FR

Fact Sheet: Forced Labour and Indigenous Peoples
EN| ES | FR

Fact Sheet: Right to Water and Indigenous Peoples
EN| ES | FR

Articles:

HR/5050 – Background Release

HR/5051 – 1st & 2nd Meetings (AM & PM)–16 May 2011

HR/5053 – 3rd & 4th Meetings (AM & PM)–17 May 2011
Environment; Free, prior and informed consent

HR/5056 – 5th Meeting (PM)–18 May 2011
Human Rights

HR/5057 – 6th & 7th Meetings (AM & PM)–19 May 2011
Human Rights–Diologue with Special Rapporteur and other UN Human Rights Mechanisms; Statement by the Chair of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

HR/5058 – 8th Meeting (AM)–20 May 2011
Half-Day Discussion on Central and South America and the Caribbean

HR/5059 – Deputy Secretary-General, at Launch of UN Indigenous Peoples’ Partnership, Says It Offers Partners Chance to Bring Expertise under One ‘Umbrella’

HR/5060 – 9th & 10th Meetings (AM & PM)–23 May 2011
Comprehensive Diologue with UN agencies and funds, Comprehensive Diologue with UNICEF, Report on the annual meeting of the Inter-Agency Support Group on Indigenous Peoples’ Issues; Future Work of the Permanent Forum, discussion on the World Conference of Indigenous Peoples’ Issues and discussion on Rio+20

HR/5061 – 11th Meeting (AM)–24 May 2011
Half-Day Discussion on the Right to Water and Indigenous Peoples

HR/5062 – 12th & 13th Meetings (AM & PM)–25 May 2011
Special Rapporteurs’ studies

HR/5063 – 14th Meeting (AM)–26 May 2011
Draft Agenda for the Eleventh Session of the Permanent Forum

HR/5064 – 15th & 16th Meetings (AM & PM)–27 May 2011
Adoption of the Report of the Permanent Forum on its Tenth Session;
Closing of the session
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Press Conference to Mark Close of Tenth Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues
(27 May 2011)

Press Conference on Right of Indigenous Peoples to Water
(23 May 2011)

Press Conference on Launch of United Nations Indigenous Peoples’ Partnership
(20 May 2011)

Press Conference on Indigenous Peoples in Latin America
(19 May 2011)

Press Conference on Human Rights of Indigenous Peoples
(18 May 2011)

Press Conference on Extractive Industries, Mega-Projects in Territories of Indigenous Peoples
(17 May 2011)

Press Conference by Chair of United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues
(16 May 2011)

Webcasts:

Press Conference: Mirna Cunningham on the the 10th Session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues
(27 May 2011)

Press Conference: Implementation of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord in Bangladesh
(24 May 2011)

Press conference by Valmaine Toki
(23 May 2011)

Press conference to launch the United Nations Indigenous Peoples’ Partnership (UNIPP) (20 May 2011)

Press conference by Saul Vicente Vasquez
(19 May 2011)

Press conference by Dalee Sambo Dorough
(18 May 2011)

Press Conference: On extractive industries and mega projects in indigenous peoples’ territories
(17 May 2011)

Press conference to launch the Summit of UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (16 May 2011)

Opening Ceremony and Remarks by the Secretary-General
(16 May 2011)

Special Rapporteur

Click here to read the statement made by the Special Rapporteur during the Tenth Session of the Permanent Forum

Click here to read the side events list.

Global Indigenous Peoples’ Caucus: 9am to 9.45am
NLB Room 1, Tuesday, 17 May to Thursday, 26 May.

Indigenous Craft Fair: 9AM-7PM
Church Center Building – 777 UN Plaza, Wednesday, 18 May 2011.

Indigenous Exhibition and Cultural Event at the UN 6:15PM
UN Visitor’s Lobby, Tuesday 17 May 2011.

The opening of an Indigenous cultural exhibit will take place on Tuesday, 17 May, at 6.15pm at the UN Visitor’s Lobby, with performances by indigenous artists from around the world.

The Indigenous cultural exhibit entitled “The Right to Water and Indigenous Peoples” is organized by the UN Department of Public Information, the NGO Committee on the UN International Decade of the World’s Indigenous Peoples and the Secretariat of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous issues.

The exhibition is composed of photographs, short films, and a full-size watercraft, which convey  indigenous peoples’ relationship with waters, lands and its resources for their cultural vitality and resilience, as well as their social and economic well-being. It includes contributions from indigenous artists worldwide.

The exhibition opening will be followed by a reception and performances by indigenous artists from around the world, including Nive Nielsen – an Inuit singer from Greenland, Kinding Sindaw – a Maranao dance troupe from the Philippines, and KHANA – a traditional Aymara band from Bolivia, among others.

Logistical Information
Please click here for information regarding accommodation and transportation in New York City.

Travel and Visa Information
Arrangements for travel, including visa procedures, accommodation and transportation are the responsibility of NGOs and IPOs and other interested organizations. Representatives of participating organizations must deal directly with United States consulates in their countries of residence regarding visa issues. The United Nations will send a confirmation letter to NGO and IPO representatives once they have been pre-registered. This confirmation letter may be used by NGO and IPO representatives to request a visa from American authorities.

Funding
The only UN source of funding for travel to participate in the sessions of the Permanent Forum is the Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Populations, which is managed by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Please note that applications close in October of the year preceding the Permanent Forum’s Session. Please click here for more details.

Our organization is interested in attending the next session of the Permanent Forum. Can we participate?
Participation in the sessions of the Permanent Forum is open to NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC, indigenous peoples’ organizations and academic institutions. All participants need to pre-register for the sessions of the Permanent Forum. The sessions of the Permanent Forum tend to take place in April or May each year. Online pre-registration tends to begin in January or February on the website of the Permanent Forum. Pre-registration closes about 2-4 weeks before the session starts.

Our organization attended the other sessions of the Forum. Do we still need to pre-register?
Yes. All accredited organizations interested in attending the next session of the Forum are invited to pre-register. In addition, all representatives of accredited organizations are requested to register at their arrival at the United Nations before attending the session.

My organization enjoys consultative status with ECOSOC, but we have not received an invitation to attend sessions of the Permanent forum. How can we pre-register?
All interested NGOs in consultative status should use the online pre-registration system to apply to attend the session.

Can representatives of NGOs and IPOs attend sessions of the Permanent Forum without pre-registration?
We do not encourage attendance of sessions of the Permanent Forum without pre-registration. All participants, including those from organizations enjoying consultative status with ECOSOC and holding annual ground-passes, are strongly encouraged to pre-register and register at the site of sessions of the Permanent Forum. The United Nations Secretariat will not be in a position to register participants who did not pre-register before the opening of the session.

Can my organization make a statement at the Permanent Forum session?
During previous sessions the Permanent Forum, representatives of NGOs and indigenous peoples organizations have made presentations. Most of the organizations that have addressed the Forum do not enjoy consultative status. In other words, all participants registered to attend the session may make oral presentations, depending on availability of time.

Will the United Nations help me with my visa to New York?
Arrangements for travel, including visa procedures, accommodation and transportation are the responsibility of NGOs and IPOs and other interested organizations. Representatives of participating organizations need to deal directly with United States embassies/consulates in their countries of residence regarding visa issues. The United Nations will send a confirmation letter to NGO and IPO representatives once they have been pre-registered. This confirmation letter may be used by NGO and IPO representatives to request a visa from United States authorities. If necessary, the Division for Social Policy and Development will assist in providing information regarding the status of NGOs and IPOs at the request of American authorities. However, the United Nations does not send unsolicited correspondence to United States embassies/consulates to validate a request made by an NGO or IPO representative to obtain a visa.

Does the United Nations provide funding for NGOs to attend the Forum?
The only UN source of funding for travel to participate in the sessions of the Permanent Forum is the Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Populations. Please note that applications close in October of the year preceding the Permanent Forum’s Session.

Can my organization make a statement at the Permanent Forum session?
During previous sessions the Permanent Forum, representatives of NGOs and organizations of indigenous populations have made presentations. Most of the organizations that addressed the Forum do not enjoy consultative status. In other words, all participants registered to attend the session may make oral presentations, depending on availability of time.

Can I submit a written statement or report to the Permanent Forum?
Indigenous organizations and NGOs have occasionally submitted reports to the Permanent Forum in the past. If your organization is interested in doing so, then you are advised to contact the Secretariat of the Permanent Forum and discuss the possibility of submitting such a report. The deadline for these reports/statements is 31 January of each year.

For further information about submitting reports, see the below excerpt form ECOSOC resolution 1996/31.

36. Written statements relevant to the work of the commissions or other subsidiary organs may be submitted by organizations in general consultative status and special consultative status on subjects for which these organizations have a special competence. Such statements shall be circulated by the Secretary-General to members of the commission or other subsidiary organs, except those statements that have become obsolete, for example, those dealing with matters already disposed of and those that have already been circulated in some other form to members of the commission or other subsidiary organs.

37. The following conditions shall be observed regarding the submission and circulation of such written statements:
(a) The written statement shall be submitted in one of the official languages;
(b) It shall be submitted in sufficient time for appropriate consultation to take place between the Secretary-General and the organization before circulation;
(c) The organization shall give due consideration to any comments that the Secretary-General may make in the course of such consultation before transmitting the statement in final form;
(d) A written statement submitted by an organization in general consultative status will be circulated in full if it does not exceed 2,000 words. Where a statement is in excess of 2,000 words, the organization shall submit a summary, which will be circulated, or shall supply sufficient copies of the full text in the working languages for distribution. A statement will also be circulated in full, however, upon the specific request of the commission or other subsidiary organs;
(e) A written statement submitted by an organization in special consultative status will be circulated in full if it does not exceed 1,500 words. Where a statement is in excess of 1,500 words, the organization shall submit a summary, which will be circulated, or shall supply sufficient copies of the full text in the working languages for distribution. A statement will also be circulated in full, however, upon the specific request of the commission or other subsidiary organs;
(f) The Secretary-General, in consultation with the chairman of the relevant commission or other subsidiary organ, or the commission or other subsidiary organ itself, may invite organizations on the Roster to submit written statements. The provisions in subparagraphs (a), (b), (c) and (e) above shall apply to such statements;
(g) A written statement or summary, as the case may be, will be circulated by the Secretary-General in the working languages and, upon the request of a member of the commission or other subsidiary organ, in any of the official languages.