Eighth Session of UN Permanent Forum Begins
New York, May 20, 2009 (Daily Star): The eighth session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues began in New York on Monday with a call to implement the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

More than 2,000 indigenous representatives from across the world as well as state representatives, civil society members, academicians and representatives from inter-governmental organizations are taking part in the two-week session.

In the opening session, UN General Assembly President Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann said the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples should be implemented to address the endless discrimination and violations of human rights of indigenous peoples around the world.

Indigenous peoples face marginalisation, extreme poverty, hunger, threats and negative impact of mainstream development, he added. Rachel Mayanja, assistant secretary-general of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, said, "It is through continuous commitment and international cooperation that we will achieve the goal of the Second Decade, namely progress on indigenous issues in the areas of human rights, economic and social development, environment, education, health and culture." "Let us work towards this goal in partnership with the indigenous peoples of the world," she added.

Victoria Tauly-Corpuz, chairperson of the session, said, "The biggest challenge is how to get the Declaration implemented by States, UN bodies and by indigenous peoples themselves and by society at large."
She said that indigenous women's rights should be protected under Article 22, which states, "Particular attention shall be paid to the rights and special needs of indigenous elders, women, youth, children and persons with disabilities in the implementation of this Declaration. States shall take measures, in conjunction with indigenous peoples, to ensure that indigenous women and children enjoy the full protection and guarantees against all forms of violence and discrimination."

The theme of the session is Implementation of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Indigenous Women, Second Decade and the Arctic Region.

From Bangladesh, Raja Devasish Roy, Father Joseph Gomes, OMI, Goutam Kumar Chakma and Rabindranath Soren are attending the session.

The Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues was established by the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in 2000, with a mandate to discuss indigenous issues within the mandate of the ECOSOC relating to economic and social development, culture, the environment, education, health and human rights.