By CHIRAPAQ
Designation believed to help strengthen dialogue between Indigenous citizens and states. World Conference on Indigenous Peoples to be held in September 2014 at UN Headquarters.
On January 28, 2014, Indigenous Women of the Americas requested John Ashe, President of the United Nations General Assembly, to designate an Indigenous delegate who, together with the states’ representative, will facilitate the process of the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples to be held this September in New York.
Leaders of the Continental Network of Indigenous Women of the Americas – ECMIA have joined the petition made by Indigenous organizations throughout the world to ensure their representation at this meeting where there will be an analysis of progress made and challenges faced in the recognition and exercise of the rights of their peoples.
By means of a letter made public, their members pointed out that this nomination ‘will intensify the commitment of the United Nations to dialogue and democratic participation’.
In this communication, the representatives of ECMIA reminded Ambassador Ashe that this kind of joint facilitation was successfully employed at previous sessions of the United Nations.
The Indigenous Peoples have already elected John Henriksen of the Sami people of Norway to play this role, a decision which it is hoped will likewise be taken into consideration.
"(We) are confident that (Ashe) will come to a decision that will strengthen the good relations built up over the past thirty years," they concluded.
Photo: Ben Powless.
