World Conference Takes Concrete Action to Benefit Indigenous Peoples

Opening of the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples.
Image Courtesy of UN/Cia Pak.

November 3, 2014.

Will Micklin, 1st Vice President of the Tlingit Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska, has written an interesting and informative article for Indian Country Today about the outcome of 

the UN's World Conference on Indigenous Peoples.

"At present, indigenous nations are not members of the UN nor are they subject to the UN Charter, and therefore, indigenous nations do not vote on General Assembly resolutions; but UN member states do. The UN has relied upon non-governmental organizations organized in seven regional caucuses to report the interests and concerns of indigenous peoples. What indigenous leaders did accomplish with the World Conference is to establish that indigenous governments are the most effective advocates of their indigenous citizens, and by their advocacy, succeeded in transforming a rare opportunity into serious commitments by UN member states and into concrete and decisive actions that will be taken by various bodies of the UN."

-Will Micklin, Indian Country Today.

To read the full article, click here.

For more information, 

Visit:

• Ratified Document PDF
• The World Conference on Indigenous Peoples Website
• Press Release: UN Member States Reaffirm Commitment to the Rights of Indigenous Peoples at First World Conference PDF
• Media Releases
• Conference Video
• World Conference Outcome Document: States Win
• Indian Country Today, September 27, 2014.
• Preserving Indigenous Democracy
• February 27, 2014.
• Open Letter to Haudenosaunee
• August 21, 2014.
• United Nations, Indigenous Organizations Prepare for World Conference
• August 6, 2014.