NPA supports the Shuar people in Ecuador

Indigenous Peoples rights are especially mentioned in several conventions and declarations 1. The Convention concerning Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in Independent Countries (ILO 169) states that:

“Peoples in independent countries who are regarded as indigenous on account of their descent from the populations which inhabited the country, or a geographical region to which the country belongs, at the time of conquest or colonisation or the establishment of present state boundaries and who, irrespective of their legal status, retain some or all of their own social, economic, cultural and political institutions”.

Through declarations and conventions Indigenous Peoples are entitled to individual and collective rights. In international debates the term “indigenous” has come to be applied to politically marginalized, territorially based ethnic groups, who are culturally distinct from the majority population of the nation states in which they now find themselves, and who recognize themselves as indigenous.

Indigenous Peoples
United Nations estimate the worlds indigenous population to be 300 millions, in approximate 5000 groups living in 70 countries. International work on the rights of indigenous people began focusing the situation of indigenous peoples in North America, Australia and New Zealand.

Europe
In the European Parliament political parties are represented, not the different Indigenous Peoples. But the European Parliament has called on all of it’s member states to follow the example of the Netherlands and Denmark,   signing and ratifying the ILO convention (Jan 2003). Russia, the biggest nation in Europe, has an estimated indigenous population of 1 million. Due to internal and external pressure, Russia has had a bit more open approach to indigenous peoples than in the former USSR. Several of the European indigenous peoples are member of Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation.

The Scandinavian Sápmi indigenous people’s peaceful struggle resulted in the establishment of the   Sami Parliaments: Finland (1973), Norway (1989)and   Sweden (1993). Nordic Sami Council (1956) joins Sami organisations in Finland, Norway, Sweden and Russia. Norway signed the ILO convention 169 in 1990 . The convention has been an important tool in order to claim and defend indigenous rights. ILO played a highly influential role when a particular proposal on land law for the Sami areas in Norway was considered. The ILO expert committee decided that the Norwegian government proposals violated the provisions of Convention 169, and the proposal was changed. Only 2 European countries beside Norway have ratified ILO 169: Denmark and the Netherlands.

Asia
Although 2/3 of the world’s indigenous people live in Asia, many Asian government have protested that the term “indigenous” does not apply to their country since the majority of the population are indigenous. Few of the Asian states recognize their indigenous populations, with the exception of Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan and Vietnam. In addition Bangladesh, India and Pakistan are parties to the ILO convention.   Indigenous Peoples of Asia includes all or part of those groups that are officially distinguished from the society of the national majority including hill tribes and aboriginal tribes. Many Asian Indigenous Peoples are members of Unrepresented Nations and People’s Organisation.

Africa
Africa’s 14-15 million Indigenous Peoples are mostly from hunting and gathering societies or from nomadic herding peoples.   The African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights has incorporated in their guidelines for state reports the obligation to take the situation of indigenous peoples into account. The Indigenous Peoples of Eastern Africa have made a number of recommendations directed to African Governments, related to recognition, governance, land and natural resources, education, environment, advocacy, food security and poverty alleviation..   South Africa’s government recognises Indigenous People and has challenged other African countries to do the same. Several African organizations participated in the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in 2002

Latin America :
In Latin America the indigenous peoples are estimated to 11-12 million. Even if most Latin American countries have signed ILO 169, the majority are treated as second-class citizens in the land of their ancestors.   Amnesty international figures show that “Basic rights of indigenous communities, including the right to land and to cultural identity – in the use of language, education and the administration of justice - are systematically violated in a variety of countries (in the Americas)” However, years of organizing, taking a major leap with the “500 years of resistance” campaign in 1992, the last 10 years has given birth to organisations and movements representing the indigenous peoples.  

The Kimberly Declaration , (from the International Indigenous Peoples Summit on Sustainable Development) “urges UN to promote respect for the recognition, observance and enforcement of treaties, agreements and other constructive arrangements concluded between Indigenous Peoples and States”.   Preservation, securing and developing languages and culture are also key issues. Economic globalisation is named in the declaration as “one of the main obstacles for the recognition of the rights of Indigenous People”.           

Taking this into consideration, promotion   and knowledge of indigenous culture within the   Indigenous Peoples movements and ranks, are important issues in order to improve   self esteem and self confidence strengthening   their capacity to claim and   voice their rights.

Thematic objectives
Long term development objective : Indigenous Peoples claim, administer and defend their rights. Immediate development objective : Right based indigenous organisations and movements have strengthened their capacity to promote and claim indigenous rights

Focus areas:

Capacity building of right based organisations, movements and NGO’s working within the field of indigenous rights

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• Universal declaration of Human Rights
• The international convention on: economic, social and cultural rights, convention on political and civil rights, convention on the elimination of all forms of racial discrimination, convention on the right of the child, and convention on biological diversity and the draft declaration on the rights of Indigenous Peoples
• Rio declaration/Agenda 21 chapter 26
• The Vienna declaration and programme of action
• UNESCO’s declaration on cultural diversity