Message of the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, on the International Day of the World's Indigenous People, 09 August 2008

In 1994, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 9 August as the International Day of the World’s Indigenous People. There were many reasons for this decision, but the fundamental motivation was the Assembly’s recognition of the need to place the United Nations clearly and strongly behind the promotion and protection of the rights of indigenous peoples, in order to put an end to their marginalization, their extreme poverty, the expropriation of their traditional lands and the other grave human rights abuses they have faced and continue to encounter. Indeed, the suffering of indigenous peoples includes some of the darkest episodes in human history.

Statement and Action Plan of the Asia Workshop on the UNDRIP

Statement of the Asia Workshop for the Promotion of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) held last June 7-12, 2008 to reflect on the opportunities and challenges the Declaration presents, and to strategize on how indigenous peoples and governments in Asia could fully and effectively implement the Declaration.

We are 80 representatives of 29 indigenous peoples’ organizations including four (4) national alliances of indigenous peoples’ organizations from 11 countries in Asia; regional and global indigenous peoples networks and organization including the Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP), Asia Pacific Indigenous Youth Network (APIYN), Asian Indigenous Women's Network (AIWN) and Tebtebba; and advocate group International Work Group on Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA).