UN Indigenous Forum opens May 20 with focus on health, education

The global Indigenous Youth Caucus presents its statement on health May 20 at the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. More than 2,000 indigenous participants from all regions of the world are expected to attend the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues at UN Headquarters in New York from May 20 to May 31. (PHOTO COURTESY OF RUNE FJELLHEIM)

More than 2,000 indigenous people from around the world are in New York City for the twelfth session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, May 20 to May 31 at the UN Headquarters.

During the session members of the Permanent Forum meet with indigenous peoples, UN Member States, and UN agencies, with culture, education and health at the forefront of the discussions.

“The right to culture, education and health are basic rights for indigenous peoples,” Paul Kanyinke Sena, chair of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, said in his opening address to the Forum. “They are at the core of indigenous peoples’ right to life, our right to dignity and well-being.

“This is a real challenge for us as we are well aware that indigenous peoples are still lagging behind in terms of access to basic services such as health and education and indigenous peoples’ culture is not respected by the wider society unless it is about luring the tourist dollars.

“We are aware that indigenous peoples throughout the world — whether they live in developed or developing countries continue to die from preventable diseases. In fact, it almost seems there is a real lack of understanding of indigenous peoples vision of health.

“Indigenous peoples’ health is widely understood to also be affected by a range of cultural factors, including racism, along with various indigenous-specific factors, such as loss of language and connection to the land, environmental deprivation, and spiritual, emotional, and mental disconnectedness.”

With youth as one of the themes of this year’s session, a great number of young indigenous people are attending the session, said a May 20 news release.

And several indigenous persons with disabilities are also attending the meeting to raise awareness about the challenges they face, the news release said.

Indigenous women plan to keep the spotlight on issues such as violations of their rights and on on their role as leaders and actors of change.

Discussions during the Forum will also address preparations for the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples, scheduled for September 2014.

A day will also be dedicated to human rights.