23 May 2014: The 13th session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (PFII) concluded with a call for indigenous peoples to be “in the co-driver’s seat” at the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples (WCIP) in September 2014. The meeting also addressed good governance, violence against women, indigenous children and youth, human rights, the post-2015 development agenda, and the situation of indigenous peoples in Asia. Around 1,500 participants attended PFII 13, held from 12-23 May 2014, in New York, US.

In opening remarks, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said indigenous peoples’ voices are a critical part of the process toward the post-2015 development agenda, highlighting that traditional knowledge and practices are vital to addressing the impacts of climate change.

Dalee Sambo Dorough, PFII Chair, stressed that indigenous peoples in Asia are among the most discriminated against, and called for the effective implementation of free, prior and informed consent.

Several speakers expressed concern that the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) have not been fully achieved in relation to indigenous peoples.

Csaba KÅ‘rösi (Hungary), Co-Chair of the Open Working Group (OWG) on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), gave PFII participants an update on progress, saying that a zero draft on the SDGs will refer to traditional knowledge, access to decision making and natural resource management. He said indigenous peoples are included in the “vulnerable groups” referred to in the text. Several participants called for the SDGs to specifically recognize indigenous peoples.

A representative of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) emphasized sustainable pastoralism as an important tool for development, calling on UN agencies to bring this into the post-2015 discussions.

Indigenous leaders urged governments and the UN to respect their right to full, direct, equal and effective participation in the WCIP, referring to the 2012 UN General Assembly (UNGA) resolution on modalities for the Conference, which says discussions will be co-chaired by one Member State and one representative of indigenous peoples. PFII member Raja Devasish Roy (Bangladesh) said this arrangement will enable indigenous peoples and governments to work together in steering the outcome of the WCIP. The modalities resolution also calls for an interactive hearing to take place by the end of June 2014, in preparation for the Conference.

At the end of the PFII session, Crispin Gregoire, Special Advisor to the UNGA President, announced that Member States had not reached a consensus on preparing a zero draft of the WCIP outcome. The Indigenous Global Coordinating Group (GCG) of the WCIP expressed disappointment at the lack of outcome regarding arrangements for the WCIP. [PFII Website] [Agenda] [WCIP 2014 Website] [Letter from UNGA President] [GCG Statement] [2012 Modalities Resolution] [Opening Press Release] [Press Release on Asia Discussion] [Press Release on SDGs Discussion] [ECOSOC Press Release on PFII]