The Organization of American States (OAS) has several mechanisms for participation by Indigenous Peoples.
As the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) climate talks opened in Panama this week, Indigenous leaders from around the world gathered in Finland and called upon the international community to remove scientific bias against Indigenous knowledge from climate change science and policy.
On September 20, 2011 while addressing the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, James Anaya, called attention to the fact that large scale development projects and natural resource extraction in or near the territories of Indigenous Peoples is one of the most significant sources of abuse of their human rights worldwide.
UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples released his annual report on his communications with governments concerning 25 cases of specific violations of human rights of Indigenous Peoples in 15 countries. For some cases the Special Rapporteur has provided detailed observations with specific recommendations or descriptions of other follow up measures he has taken.
The 25 cases include:
• Chile: Situación de los presos mapuche en una huelga de hambre y la aplicación de la ley antiterrorista en su contra
August 9 is the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, and Cultural Survival joins the world in recognizing and honoring of the strength, resilience, dignity, and pride of Indigenous Peoples around the world.
Members of the U.S. Congress heard testimony from Indigenous Peoples of Africa at a Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission hearing on May 12. The hearing at the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, D.C., was co-chaired by Rep. James McGovern and Rep Frank Wolf. It followed on a similar hearing last year for Indigenous Peoples of Latin America.