Pitfalls and Pipelines - Philippine Indigenous Peoples Links

Chapter 2.7: International Processes and Complaints Mechanisms
273
Created in July 2000, it has a mandate to receive reports from
UN bodies and others relating to indigenous peoples issues,
conduct workshops, studies and discuss indigenous issues
related to economic and social development, culture, the
environment, education, health and human rights. Although
the role is essentially expert advice and awareness raising, the
fact that half the experts on the Forum are in practice nominated
by indigenous peoples, and that it is reporting to a high
level within the UN system, is a major advance for indigenous
lobbying. It also has an important role to ensure that other
bodies within the UN fully implement the UN Declaration.
The Permanent Forum meets annually for two weeks, normally
around the month of May, in New York. Indigenous
leaders or activists can attend, as long as they register in advance.
Although there is always a set agenda it is possible to
raise specific issues in short interventions within the meeting,
either as independent submissions or in a joint statement with
others. The more a speaker can adapt their points into the
agenda and making recommendations relevant to the general
topic the more impact it should have. As the meeting is often
focused on standard setting, however, it is possible that among
the best outcome will be the publicity received from delivering
a message at a UN meeting. There will likewise be benefits
from the networking that comes with such large gatherings,
including the chance to speak at side meetings. 2
The second UN body is the Expert Mechanism on the
Rights of Indigenous Peoples. It was created in 2007, The
Expert Mechanism reports direct to the Human Rights
Council, with thematic advice on the rights of indigenous
peoples as directed by the Council, who also appoint the five
experts. Under it’s mandate from the Human Rights Council
it focuses on producing studies. Recent research has included
consideration of aspects of the UN Declaration and specifically
on the right to participate in decision making, with focus on
extractive industries. 3 The Expert Mechanism meets annually
for one week in Geneva, usually around July. It is similar to the
Permanent Forum in the opportunities to attend, speak and
network, although its agenda is even more focused around
the theme of the particular ongoing research. 4