International Council on Mining and Metals' Indigenous Peoples and Mining Position Statement

In May 2013 the ICMM issued its Indigenous Peoples and Mining Position Statement extending Free Prior and Informed Consent to its member companies. See Emily Greenspan's brief article at Oxfam America for comment on the Position Statement.

Migration Flows Raise the Question: Who are the Indigenous Peoples of Russia?

Who are Indigenous Peoples? This question has several answers and causes a number of problems in domestic and international law. This brief article from Estonian World Review gives one view from the Russian perspective.

Migration Flows Raise the Question: Who are the Indigenous Peoples of Russia? Arvamus 21 Mar 2013 Paul Goble EWR

Staunton, March 21 – Sergey Sokolovsky, a senior scholar at the Moscow Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, notes that the concept of “indigenous peoples” however strange it may seem entered into Russian anthropological discourse relatively recently and arose first in the sphere of law and administration.

Sokolovsky, who edits “Etnograficheskoye obozreniye,” says that “when we speak about statuses connected with the particular features of culture and language of communities … as indigenous peoples or national minorities, we inevitably land in [a complicated] inter-disciplinary situation,” where law, “powerful political influence, and everyday understandings” about indigenousness intersect postnauka.ru/faq/10578.

“How are indigenous peoples distinguished from others?” the ethnographer asks. What does this term refer to? Is it just an updating of the now outdated Russian term “tuzemnost’” and what do suggested replacements like “autochthonian, aboriginal, or indigenous” add or contribute to our understanding?

Continued at http://www.eesti.ca/migration-flows-raise-the-question-who-are-the-indigenous-peoples-of-russia/article38974

The United Nations' Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

The Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

Introduction

The Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP) was established by the Human Rights Council, the UN’s main human rights body, in 2007 under Resolution 6/36 as a subsidiary body of the Council.

Mandate

The Expert Mechanism provides the Human Rights Council with thematic advice, in the form of studies and research, on the rights of Indigenous peoples as directed by the Council. The Expert Mechanism may also suggest proposals to the Council for its consideration and approval.

Continued here: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/IPeoples/EMRIP/Pages/EMRIPIndex.aspx

A video on the Expert Mechanism is here: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/IPeoples/EMRIP/Pages/Video.aspx

UNHCHR on Treaty Obligations to Indigenous People

UN rights chief Navi Pillay urges States to do more to respect treaties with indigenous peoples

GENEVA (07 August 2013) –States need to do more to honour and strengthen their treaties with indigenous peoples, no matter how long ago they were signed, UN human rights chief Navi Pillay has said in a statement to mark International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples on 9 August.

“Even when signed or otherwise agreed more than a century ago, many treaties remain the cornerstone for the protection of the identity, land and customs of indigenous peoples, determining the relationship they have with the State. They are thus of major significance to human rights today,” she said.

Treaties often marked a decisive step in ending a period of conflict, exploitation and expropriation, the High Commissioner noted.

“The honouring of treaties has in many cases been described as a sacred undertaking requiring good faith by each party for their proper enforcement. Yet too often indigenous communities are obliged to go to the courts to force States to live up to their promises,” she added.

Continued here http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=13610&LangID=E

International Day of the World's Indigenous People, 9 August 2013

2013 Theme: "Indigenous peoples building alliances: Honouring treaties, agreements and other constructive arrangements" The International Day of the World's Indigenous People (9 August) was first proclaimed by the General Assembly in December 1994, to be celebrated every year during the first International Decade of the World's Indigenous People (1995 – 2004). In 2004, the Assembly proclaimed a Second International Decade, from 2005 – 2014, with the theme of "A Decade for Action and Dignity." The focus of this year's International Day is "Indigenous peoples building alliances: Honouring treaties, agreements and other constructive arrangements." Continued here: http://www.un.org/en/events/indigenousday/

United Nations World Conference on Indigenous Peoples, September 22-23, 2014

In accord with resolution A/C.3/65/L.22/Rev.1 a high-level plenary meeting of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly, to be known as the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples (WCIP), assembles on Monday, September 22 and Tuesday, September 23, 2014, at the UN headquarters in New York, U.S.

The International Work Group on Indigenous Affairs has a website for the World Conference, http://wcip2014.org/

A preparatory conference was held in Alta, Norway, see http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2013/hr5145.doc.htm

Exposure Draft of Guide for Business on Indigenous Peoples’ Rights – Call for Comments

Several years ago the UN started the Global Compact as an initiative to engage with global business. In December 2012 it released a Exposure Draft of the Business Reference Guide on the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (“UNDRIP”) It has now issued a Call for Comments.

Indigenous Peoples’ Rights

Exposure Draft of Guide for Business on Indigenous Peoples’ Rights – Call for Comments

The UN Global Compact has released for comment the exposure draft of the Business Reference Guide on the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (“UNDRIP”). The exposure draft is open for public comment and consultation until 1 June 2013.

• Download the Exposure Draft of the UNDRIP: Business Reference Guide: English
• Participate in a consultation webinar: 27 February | 9 April | 17 Abril (Español) | 30 April
• Read the media release.

All interested people are invited to submit comments on the exposure draft to undrip@unglobalcompact.org. If you would like to share your comments publicly, please post them to the dedicated discussion thread at the Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum. All submissions received will be considered for incorporation into the Guide.

Links to all the above are here.