Informal Interactive Hearing on the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples

Item 1: Implementation of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

Statement submitted by:
Continental Network of Indigenous Women of the Americas
Enlace Continental de Mujeres Indgenas de las Amricas (ECMIA)
June 17, 2014

Dr. Rosalee Gonzalez, Co-Coordinator, ECMIA-North Region


Thank you Mr. Chair, I address this body on behalf of 23 national Indigenous Womens
organizations throughout 19 countries, which make up the Continental Network of
Indigenous Women of the Americas.

We make the following recommendations on Item 1: Implementation of the Rights of
Indigenous Peoples:
1. Special Rapporteur on ALL forms of Violence Against Indigenous Women
As noted in the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the Violence Against
Women, we recall that violence against Indigenous women constitutes a violation
of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of women and violence against
women impairs or nullifies their enjoyment of those rights and freedoms.
As affirmed in the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous
Peoples, we note that to effectively address violence against Indigenous Peoples,
it must be understood, not as pathology of individual perpetrators and victims,
but as a human rights violation of near universal scope, which is mediated in each
case by social conditions and specific histories.
Given the alarming and unresolved rates of violence that Indigenous women
experience worldwide, due to the intersectional factors of race/ethnicity, gender,
class discrimination (among other factors), we call on the Human Rights
Council to establish and appoint a Special Rapporteur on ALL FORMS of
violence against Indigenous Women, to examine ways and means of overcoming
existing obstacles to the full and effective protection of the rights of indigenous
women.
2. monitoring mechanism for the implementation of the UN Declaration of the
Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
We call for the creation of a monitoring mechanism for the implementation of the
UN Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Noting that there are gaps
between international developments in the field of indigenous international law
and its practical implementation and lack of consistent reporting by states, we
draw your attention to the 13
th
Session of the Permanent Forums Study on the
Optional Protocol. This study provides evidence-based research that can inform
this body on the elaboration of a monitoring mechanism, which may build and




strengthen the current UN mechanisms in place to protect and promote the right
of IPs.
3. Highlighting the wide disparate terminologies adopted by States in their reference
of Indigenous Peoples, we call for the need to Develop a Mainstreaming Strategy
to ensure the consistent use of the term of Indigenous Peoples in line with the
Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, in all areas of work within the
UN System, but also the national level, whenever dealing with issues and rights
of Indigenous Peoples. This is of vital importance in upholding the
implementation of the Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
4. Recognizing the historic advances in the increased participation and leadership of
Indigenous Peoples, yet highlighting particularly that of Indigenous women,
within the UN System, much work remains to be accomplished to ensure
Indigenous Peoples full and meaningful participation in decisions that directly
affect our lives. Therefore, we call for the need to Develop a Mainstreaming
Strategy to ensure the consistent and increased attention to indigenous womens
perspectives, issues and the goal of gender equality in the work of the United
Nations. This is of vital importance in upholding the implementation of the
Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
5. We call for a 3
rd
Decade on Indigenous Peoples.
6. We call for the HLPM, to be known as the World Conference on Indigenous
Peoples, to create a substantive Platform for Action to advance the promotion and
protection of the rights of Indigenous Peoples.