INTERNATIONAL
DECADE - 1995 - 2004
The plight of the
world's indigenous people -- an estimated 300 million in more than
70 countries -- has become a major focus of concern for the
international community.
Descendants of the
first known humans in their regions, from the Amazon to the Arctic
Circle, they once lived isolated existences, free to be different in
their cultures, religions, and patterns of economic and social
organization.
The modern,
industrialized world changed all that. Dispossessed by
modernization's thirst for energy, minerals, timber, farmland and
living space, millions of indigenous peoples are facing extinction
as distinct peoples.
They have been pushed
to what the United Nations Secretary-General, Boutros Boutros-Ghali,
has called the "the margins of national and international
life".
But their voices are
finally being heard. Their concerns were on the agenda of the United
Nations Conference on Environment and Development (Earth Summit) in
June 1992. At the Earth Summit, States acknowledged the need to
recognize indigenous peoples' values, territories, traditional
knowledge and subsistence rights. They also admitted that indigenous
people have a special relation with the Earth: their ecological
knowledge and agricultural systems often play a vital role in
promoting sustainable development.
Beginning in 1993,
the International Year of the World's Indigenous People, the United
Nations started promoting new partnerships to spur global efforts to
help address problems of indigenous people in such areas as human
rights, environment, development, education and health. It was
recommended at the United Nations Conference on Human Rights, held
in Vienna in 1993, that the International Year be extended into a
Decade and that a permanent forum for indigenous peoples be
established.
A Decade of the
World's Indigenous People (1995-2004) proclaimed by the General
Assembly in its resolution 48/163 will be launched on 8 December
1994. Under the theme "Indigenous people: a new relationship -
partnership in action", the main goal of the Decade is to
further cultivate the partnership promoted between indigenous people
and the international community during the International Year. It
will provide a time-frame to build on the results and lessons of the
International Year.
In his speech on the
launch of the Year, the Secretary-General emphasized the need for
global cooperation: "I believe that the Year will be the
starting point for two partnerships", he said, "one
between indigenous people and States, and another between indigenous
people and the United Nations. Unity through diversity is the only
true and enduring unity." The seeds of new partnerships were
sown: new partnerships that would be equitable and based on mutual
respect and understanding, new partnerships that would allow
indigenous people to be consulted and to participate more actively
in the decision-making processes that affect their lives.
In their struggle to
win respect for their ways of life, indigenous people have organized
themselves locally, nationally and regionally. And their fight has
been recognized in the international sphere as well. The
Secretary-General sees the issue of the indigenous people as one
that cuts across a vast portion of the United Nations agenda.
"If we are
serious about development, political participation and human
rights", he said, we must address the special situation of
indigenous people... One thing is clear: the human and community
rights of indigenous people will flourish best in an atmosphere of
respect and mutual tolerance."
Declaration on
Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Efforts by the
international community to support the cause of indigenous people
led to the preparation of a draft Declaration on the Rights of
Indigenous Peoples by the United Nations Working Group on Indigenous
Populations, a subgroup of the United Nations Human Rights
Commission. The draft Declaration, which is to be submitted for
adoption through the Commission on Human Rights to the General
Assembly, recognizes the aspirations and needs of indigenous peoples
and asks States to respect and honour any legal instruments agreed
upon by both parties. The Declaration, if adopted, will represent a
major success for indigenous communities, since it acknowledges
their basic human rights and fundamental freedoms, which are of
utmost importance and have been denied to them for centuries.
Inclusion of these rights in national legislation as well as their
realization will be a significant achievement of the indigenous
peoples' struggle. The draft Declaration emphasizes, among other
things:
- The right of
indigenous people to be free and equal to all other individuals,
- Their right to
self-determination: to freely determine their relationships with
States and their political status, and to freely pursue their
economic, social and cultural development,
- The right of
indigenous people to their lands, territories and resources,
- Their right to
maintain their distinct identities and characteristics.
Partnership between
indigenous people and States
Since the proclamation
of the Year, there has been a growing trend towards recognition and
acceptance of indigenous people's cultural diversity. An increasing
number of Governments are considering their demands and trying to
fashion provisions favouring indigenous people's rights. Indigenous
communities have been consulted on questions of health, education,
agricultural production, arts and crafts, demarcation of lands and
indigenous mining zones. Emphasis was put on the participation of
indigenous people in finding solutions to their problems in the
fields of human rights, environment and development. In most
countries where indigenous peoples live, non-governmental
organizations were very active during the Year. Around the world,
indigenous people seized this rare opportunity to intensify their
campaigns for the recognition of their civil, political, cultural,
economic and social rights.
*
In Australia, a major accomplishment for the indigenous communities
was the adoption by the Australian Parliament of the Native Title
Act 1993, which recognizes that Australia was not terra nullius,
or land belonging to no one, when first settled by the British in
the late eighteenth century.
* In
Colombia, a Permanent Committee on Indigenous Human Rights was
established, and a council was created to assist and monitor mining
in indigenous areas. The Government provided legal assistance to
indigenous communities in their negotiations with private
entreprises for the exploitation of mineral resources in their
territories.
*
In New Zealand, the Government supported many Maori initiatives in
the fields of health, education and environment and provided
financial assistance for projects related to these questions.
*
In Sweden, a Parliament for Saami indigenous people, established as
an advisory group, held its first elections in 1993. The Parliament
plays an important role in policy formulation on indigenous issues.
United Nations
response
The United Nations
system has been actively involved in improving the lives of
indigenous people. In the past, when carrying out development
projects which were supposed to benefit indigenous populations,
international organizations have often overlooked key elements such
as community organization and empowerment, participation,
territorial security and cultural identity. A new strategy is
emerging and the international community is now focusing on
self-development. The concept of self-development tries above all to
strike a balance between maintaining and strengthening the cultural
identity of indigenous communities and improving their economic
conditions.
* In
Mexico, the United Nations International Fund for Agricultural
Development (IFAD) is carrying out a project dealing with the
"Development of Indigenous Communities in Puebla". One of
the project's goals is to strengthen existing indigenous grass roots
organizations. IFAD offers its own expertise and works closely with
the National Indigenist Institute (INI), which engages in many
cultural and social projects. The Puebla project has established the
Regional Solidarity Fund, thus allowing the indigenous people to
participate in the project. The Fund, run by the indigenous
communities themselves, processes credit applications, approves
credit and pursues loan recovery. This control over their own funds
allows indigenous people to participate significantly in the
project's decision-making process.
* The
International Labour Organisation (ILO) was the first organization
in the United Nations system to act to rectify the situation of
indigenous and tribal peoples: it has adopted the only two
international legal instruments specifically concerning indigenous
and tribal peoples - ILO Conventions 107 and 169. While ILO
Convention 107 (1957) promotes integration of indigenous
populations, ILO Convention 169 (1989) is based on respect for their
cultural diversity and encourages States to use the participatory
approach whenever development projects and matters that affect the
indigenous and tribal peoples' lives are at stake. ILO has not only
set up standards but has developed a mechanism to make sure that the
countries which have ratified the Conventions also implement them.
Through technical
assistance programmes, ILO is currently providing assistance in
drafting legislation for the indigenous peoples in the Russian
Federation, and is helping the Government of Guatemala to devise a
policy and institutional framework to solve the problems faced by
the indigenous peoples in that country.
* The
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is providing technical
assistance for projects that benefit indigenous communities and is
promoting the sharing of knowledge and experience among them. For
example, UNDP, in collaboration with the United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), organized a meeting
of Mayan leaders, scientists, educators and representatives of
international organizations to discuss approaches to participatory
development in the five countries of the Mayan region, with the aim
of setting up a regional project.
* The
World Bank has committed itself not to assist development projects
that infringe on indigenous people' traditional territories unless
adequate safeguards are provided, such as, for instance, the
demarcation and protection of indigenous lands. It has also
encouraged the participation of indigenous people and their sharing
in the social and economic benefits of the development process.
The International
Year: lessons learned
The efforts of the
indigenous people led to the proclamation by the United Nations
General Assembly of the 1993 International Year for the World's
Indigenous People. It was a unique opportunity for indigenous people
to promote their fundamental rights before the world community.
The main objective of
the Year was to strengthen global cooperation for solving the
problems faced by indigenous communities in areas such as human
rights, environment, development, education and health.
A special Voluntary
Fund was also established to support projects specifically designed
for the Year.
Raising awareness in
the world community about the situation of indigenous people and
widening indigenous people's knowledge of the United Nations system
were the two main objectives of the International Year. Meetings of
indigenous women, youth and tribal elders were held. Issues of
concern to the indigenous communities, such as preservation of their
culture, land rights, forest conservation and environmental
protection, education and health, were discussed.
In the short period
of one year dedicated to the world's indigenous people, many
successful activities were undertaken by indigenous people
themselves and non indigenous people to build a new partnership.
The Decade and the
future
The International Decade
of the World's Indigenous People (1995-2004) will be a time for the
United Nations system, Governments and all major actors to take up
the challenge facing them and to further commit themselves to the
question of the promotion and the protection of the human rights of
indigenous people. Governments and international agencies alike
should make sure that the issue of indigenous people is included in
their programmes, that they adopt resolutions on indigenous concerns
and that they work in a constructive manner towards the goals of the
Decade.
The Decade will
contribute to the elimination of some deficiencies observed during
the Year:
- Need for the
communication networks to be strengthened to ensure proper provision
of information to the indigenous communities. Some questions related
to strategic dissemination of information were raised, e.g. how to
better disseminate the information and how to reach the indigenous
communities, who, very often, live in remote areas. More documents
should be translated into indigenous languages for the information
to have the expected impact;
- Need for financial
resources from international organizations, Governments,
non-governmental organizations and the private sector to finance
projects;
- Need for the
different organizations to include indigenous people in their
programmes, to consult and negotiate with them on developing
projects that affect their lives.
- The Decade should
place priority on the new role of indigenous people as decision
makers and beneficiaries of national, regional and international
development activities. Cooperation, consultation and full
participation of indigenous people in the planning,
implementation and evaluation of development projects affecting
them should be the basis of all activities. A greater number of
indigenous staff members should be recruited in all the relevant
United Nations offices and agencies. The Working Group on
Indigenous Populations stressed the importance of securing
adequate financial and human resources for achieving the goals
of the Decade and for the successful carrying out of the
activities to be included in the programme of action.
It was suggested that
the Voluntary Fund for the Decade be jointly administered by
indigenous and non-indigenous actors.
At its last meeting,
the Working Group on Indigenous Populations proposed that the
International Day for Indigenous People be proclaimed by the General
Assembly and observed annually on 9 August. That day marks the
beginning of the recognition of indigenous people and their struggle
for dignity by the United Nations system. It is the anniversary of
the first meeting of the Working Group which took place in 1982.
Another objective of
the Decade is the recommendation for the establishment of a
permanent forum in the United Nations system with equitable
representation of indigenous and non-indigenous actors. The forum is
expected to play an important role in operational coordination for
development and other issues.
As Ingrid
Washinawatok, Chairperson of the NGO Committee on the United Nations
International Decade of the World's Indigenous People, said during
the 47th Annual DPI/NGO Conference (New York, 20-22 September 1994):
"We must unlock the silence of our people. Unlock the silence
and let us speak to the world." After a year devoted by the
international community to their issues, the indigenous people feel
they still have not got their message across. However, indigenous
people have the will and determination to make their voices heard,
to further open the channels of communication with the international
community, to be better understood and to become full partners in
today's world.
Published by the
United Nations Department of Public Information *
DPI/1608/HR--December 1994