UN Forum opens in NYC

Indigenous people have made progress over the past decade, but continue to suffer from prejudice and ill-will, are often trapped in conflicts and conscripted into armed forces, and faced with summary executions, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan told the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, as it opened its third session this week in New York City.

Kofi Annan said indigenous people also suffer from extreme poverty, disease, environmental destruction and, sometimes, permanent displacement.

The forum again elected Ole Henrik Magga, a Saami from Norway, as its chair.

Magga said he hoped the current session would help advance indigenous women’s issues and develop recommendations that would improve the quality of life for indigenous women worldwide.

Magga said indigenous peoples were searching for their own solutions to the growing issues of domestic violence and violence against women and children, with indigenous community organizations in many parts of the world setting up programs for men and boys to complement the work of women’s organizations.

Magga said indigenous men are increasingly recognizing the importance of maintaining the cultural value of respect for women and girls.