Les Malezer on Commemorating UNDRIP
On September 13 we commemorate the anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples by the United Nations.
The Declaration is an instrument to enshrine the rights that constitutes the minimum standards of survival, dignity and well-being of Indigenous peoples around the world.
International Day For The Elimination of Discrimination 2026
The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, observed each year on 21 March, marks the anniversary of the Sharpeville Massacre, when police in Sharpeville, South Africa, opened fire on a peaceful demonstration against apartheid pass laws, killing 69 people and injuring many more. Established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1966, the day serves as a global call to confront racism, promote equality, and protect human dignity.
Produced by Shaldon Ferris (Khoi/San)
Music: "Whispers" by Ziibiwan, used with permission.
WCIP: Les Malazer on His Role at The UN and the Steps Taken to Organize an Indigenous Facilitator Before WCIP 2015
Les Malazer, the Indigenous Co-advisor to the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples in September 2015 discusses the preparation in the run up to the WCIP.
Les Malezer On The Expert Mechanism's Role In The Human Rights Council
Les Malezer, of the National Congress of Australia's First Peoples, discusses the origins and goals of the expert mechanism and it's importance to the rights of Indigenous Peoples around the world.
Nina Cass On Madala's Work With College - Bound Indigenous Youth
Nina Cass, of New South Wales, Australia, discusses her work with Madala, a youth organization that helps Indigenous young people go to school as well as the issues facing the Indigenous Peoples in Australia such as the promotion of culture, relocation, discrimination, suicide, etc. and how she can help in her role.
UNSR: Indigenous Peoples Were Not Consulted on the TPP
UN Special Rapporteur Vicky Tauli Corpuz discusses the international trade deal known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership which is being negotiated by Canada,The United States, Mexico, Peru, Chile, Singapore, Brunei, Japan, Vietnam, Malaysia, Australia, Japan, and New Zealand. She confirms that Indigenous Peoples must be consulted before these deals are negotiated.
The Military Coup in Myanmar and Its Impact on Indigenous Peoples
February 1, 2021, the day on which the newly elected parliament had scheduled its first official parliamentary session in Myanmar after the election held in November 2020. Just hours before the scheduled sessions, the military conducted a house-raid and arrested several elected leaders and politicians, including Aung San Suu Kyi, politician, diplomat, author, and a 1991 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, and president Win Myint and other senior government figures. The Myanmar military then declared a state of emergency and imposed curfews putting restrictions on public gatherings.
The Military Coup in Myanmar and Its Impact on Indigenous Peoples - Part 2
For months now, since the military coup on February 1, 2021, people from all walks of life in Myanmar have been continuously taking to the streets in protest. Everyday thousands of people have been detained, including high profile leaders and politicians of the civilian government. Many are kept under house arrest with no outside contact and in most cases their whereabouts are still unknown. Large demonstrations against the coup are occurring daily in Myanmar, defying the curfews and restrictions put in place by the military.
UNPFII - The Climate Crisis Affects Indigenous Women Differently Naw Ei Ei Min
The first meeting of the Permanent Forum was held in May 2002, with yearly sessions thereafter. The Forum usually meets for 10 days each year, at the UN Headquarters in New York. According to the ECOSOC resolution E/2000/22, the Forum may also meet at the UN Office in Geneva or at such other place that it decides.
Cultural Survival attended the permanent forum in April 2023, and spoke to some of the delegates who attended.
Produced by Dev Kumar Sunuwar (Sunuwar)
Interviewee: Naw Ei Ei Min
Image: Cultural Survival
We Crossed Mountains, Rivers, and Streams: Refugees in Asia
In this interview, Dev Kumar Sunuwar of Cultural Survival speaks with Mohammed Rofique, a member of the Rohingya community, who shares the powerful story of how his family was forced to flee their homeland in Myanmar. Rofique recounts the difficult and dangerous journey they undertook, crossing rugged terrain, dense forests, and treacherous paths in search of safety. Facing violence, uncertainty, and exhaustion, his family ultimately reached the border of Bangladesh, where they sought refuge.