Avexnim Cotji brings us interviews from a preparatory meeting in Guatemala in April of 2016 for members of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. At the meeting, they discussed local media as a crucial element of cultural preservation and the protection of Indigenous community rights.
Kaimana Barcarse interviews Menase Ntutu from the Maasai nation about the concerns of Indigenous Peoples living with disabilities, and how communities can collaborate to support the work of the Disability Caucus. Recorded at the 2015 UNPFII.
This spot outlines the recommendations made by the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issue in 2013 on the importance of drawing attention to Indigenous issues in the media through journalism and other modes of communication. The UNPFII is a UN body responsible for bringing international attention to specific issues related to Indigenous Peoples’ health, human rights, economic and social development, environment, education and culture by making recommendations to UN member states and agencies.
Catherine Murupaenga-Ikenn speaks about Indigenous Peoples' power in numbers to fight back against companies trying to defy their rights and occupy their lands.
Lemoine LaPointe, a Lakota of South Dakota and Minnesota, speaks about community conversations and their importance in providing support for Indigenous Peoples and their relationship with the surrounding region both in the present and in the future. We met up with Lemoine at the UNPFII 2015.
Kealii Gora of Hawaii gives advice on how to get involved in advocating for Indigenous rights. Gora believes it is important to get Indigenous voices on the record and present concerns and perspectives in international arenas to make a change.
Chief Bellegarde speaks at UNFPII to bring to light the gap between Canada and its Indigenous Peoples in regard to the United Nations Human Development Index and the rights of indigenous peoples in Canada. Belgard works to close the gap between the wealth of Canada as a nation and Canada's indigenous peoples. He calls on Canada to respect the rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Vicky Tauli-Corpuz talks about her visit to Paraguay in her capacity as UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of Indigenous Peoples. She discusses the process and the preparation of these visits, highlighting the need for autonomy and security for the people she talks with.
It is an opportunity to meet with Indigenous communities, civil society organisations, government ministers and the private sector and encourage dialogue across society.