Indigenous Peoples have a strong presence at the Copenhagen United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)summit, where their main message is: “First, respect our rights!”  
 
Indigenous representatives from every continent have been gathering at all the pre-Copenhagen meetings (in Bali, Bonn, Bangkok, and Barcelona), putting together the platform of the Indigenous Peoples Global Caucus on Climate Change. 

Here is their statement:

Statement by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay on Human Rights Day: 10 December 2009
 

The concept of non-discrimination lies at the heart of human rights. For this reason, it has been designated the official theme of this Human Rights Day, which occurs every year on the anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. And for this and many other reasons it should be an unofficial theme every day, every year, for everyone.

The recent visit of Commission on Human Rights Chairperson Leila de Lima in Didipio last 05 November is commendable and shows seriousness and sincerity on the part of the commission to undertake a top level investigation with regards to complaints of human rights violations committed by OceanaGold Philippines Inc (OceanaGold) against the indigenous peoples’ residents of Barangay Didipio, Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya.

It appears that the White House Tribal Nations Conference held on November 5th, 2009 will be the first of many such meetings. President Barack Obama has now signed a presidential memorandum establishing “regular and meaningful consultation and collaboration” between tribal nations and the federal government.