Statements & Urgent Appeals

Joint Statement to the 18th Session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues on “Conservation and Rights of Indigenous Peoples” Under Agenda Item 11: Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Chair of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples By Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact and Asia Indigenous Peoples Caucus Thank you, Madam Chair. We, indigenous peoples in Asia, through our customary laws and sustainable conservation practices have been conserving our forests, rivers, seas, and mountains, among others, for millennia. For example, in Malaysia, indigenous peoples practice a traditional ‘Tagal’ system to ...

Joint Statement to the 18th Session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) Under Agenda Item 9: Indigenous peoples’ Traditional knowledge, generation, transmission and protection By Asia Indigenous Peoples Caucus and Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact Madam Chair, Indigenous knowledge is a complex body of wisdom, skills and practices developed over the ages from our distinct relationships with land and nature and our understanding and respect for biodiversity and human nature. These body of knowledge has been transmitted from one generation to the next through our education systems, self-governing institutions, songs, stories, dances, weaving and other customary art and ...

Statement to the 18th Session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) on World Bank’s new Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) and engagement with the Indigenous Peoples Under Agenda Item 6: Dialogue with Indigenous Peoples By Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP) Thank you, Sir Moderator, In this dialogue, Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact would like to draw the attention of the Permanent Forum to the World Bank’s new Environmental and Social Framework and engagement with the Indigenous Peoples. We would like to recall the Forum’s recommendation from last year that the World Bank’s Environmental and Social Safeguard 7 (ESS7) ...

Joint Statement to the 18th Session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) Under Agenda Item 5: Discussion on the 2019 International Year of Indigenous Languages By Asia Indigenous Peoples Caucus and Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact Mahai Reoreo (Greetings) Madam Chair, We, the indigenous peoples’ organizations in Asia, welcome the efforts made so far for the commemoration of International Year of Indigenous Languages 2019 with UNESCO as the lead UN entity. We also appreciate the partnerships forged among States, indigenous peoples, the UN system and other stakeholders for the International Year, particularly at the international level. Two-thirds of ...

27 March 2019 We, the Indigenous Peoples’ representatives and CSOs, under the aegis of Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP) and International Land Coalition Asia (ILC Asia) from 10 countries attending a regional workshop on indigenous peoples’ land rights campaign and advocacy[i] from 21-22 March 2019, call on the governments of Asia region and other concerned institutions to immediately halt increasing threats to the rights of indigenous peoples to their lands, territories and resources and take urgent measures to promote and protect those rights. Those rights are extremely critical to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in line with the pledge ...

To, The Office of the Prime MinisterGovernment of IndiaSouth Block, Raisina HillNew Delhi-110011 Dear Honourable Prime Minister, The Supreme Court order of 13th February 2019 in the case challenging the constitutional validity of Forest Rights Act (FRA) directed the State governments to ensure the eviction of all forest dwelling Scheduled Tribes and other traditional forest dwellers from forest land whose claims under the Act have been rejected on or before 24 July 2019. 1 to 2 million claimants face the threat of eviction. The final countrywide numbers of forced evictions are likely to rise substantially as other states are forced to ...

JOINT PRESS STATEMENT Guwahati, 9th December 2018 On the occasion of the 70th International Human Rights Day, 2018, the following organisations reaffirm their commitment to the universal values and principles of human rights. Indigenous peoples’ organisations and movements gathered from 7-9 December at Guwahati to share “Experiences of Autonomy in North-East India” and for “A Critical Reflection and Dialogue on IP Struggles and Movements in NE India”. The meeting called for critical change in the institutional designs for self-government of indigenous communities where they themselves identify the needs and determine the structure of governance. The meeting expressed severe concern over ...

This October 15, we, the indigenous women of Asia, are celebrating the International Day of Rural Women by acknowledging our important role in the elimination of global hunger and malnutrition, and in meeting the goals for gender equality, sustainability of water, energy, human settlements, consumption and production, life on land and partnerships as set out by Agenda 2030. We, indigenous women in Asia, are estimated to be around 130 million and most of us reside in rural areas where we are the caretakers of our traditional lands. Indigenous women are the primary caretakers and providers of diverse and nutritious foods ...

Statement on the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples 9th August 2018 In recent years, we have seen significant increase in the attacks on human rights defenders and have witnessed the shrinking of civic space. At least 1019 human rights defenders, journalists and trade unionists have been killed in 61 countries since 2015[1], most of whom were protecting their community’s land and natural resources. Approximately, 40 percent of these are indigenous brothers and sisters from around the world, including Asia. In Asia, development aggression and militarization have been notorious in perpetuating serious human rights violations. With several authoritarian and ...

Introduction This written statement is submitted by the International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA) and Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP) to the Commission on the Status of Women’s 63rd Session, in line with the communications submission procedure. We respectfully acknowledge the upcoming priority theme of Social protection systems, access to public services and sustainable infrastructure for gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls and commend the commission’s work towards ensuring a sustainable and just future for women and girls everywhere. Despite progress in some areas of the Sustainable Development Agenda, and given the worsening conditions for human ...