Rally at UN calls on Bangladesh to implement 1997 CHT Accord and remove Temporary Army Camps from region

May 24^th 2011, United Nations, New York- The International Jumma Organization in association with Friends of CHT, Bangladesh, organized a large rally outside the United Nations. It was attended by large numbers of Jumma people from Bangladesh who now live in the United States. Also in attendance were Bengali people living in New York, and indigenous peoples’ activists from countries in Latin America, Africa, Asia and Europe who are attending the 10^th session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII).

Press Conference on Launch of United Nations Indigenous Peoples’ Partnership

20 May 2011- Using $1.5 million in start-up funds supplied by the Government of Denmark, the United Nations Indigenous Partnership (UNIPP) would work at the country level to promote dialogue and build partnerships, Raja Devashish Roy, a member of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, said at Headquarters today.

“This (partnership) will work on the ground,” he said at a press conference to launch UNIPP. “It will take projects and programmes and develop the capacity of Governments and indigenous peoples’ organizations. It will build partnerships at the country level with indigenous peoples in the driver’s seat.” The Partnership would expand on the global endeavours now carried out by the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, he added.

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State responsibility to uphold rights of indigenous people stressed at UN forum

18 May 2011- United Nations Member States have the responsibility to uphold the human rights principles outlined in the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, a member of the UN forum focusing on the issues said today, adding that violations of the fundamental rights of those communities persist.

“First and foremost, the nation Member States of the United Nations are to take the initial obligation to begin to adopt policies and legislation… to maintain consistence with the human rights standards that are embraced in the declaration,” said Dalee Sambo Dorough, a member of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, at a press conference at UN Headquarters.

Indigenous Craftswomen Take on Mexican Fashion World

AMEALCO, Mexico, May 9, 2011 (IPS) - Reina Pérez, an Otomi indigenous craftswoman in the central Mexican state of Querétaro, skilfully embroiders "grecas" or traditional design motifs in threads of many colours, on fabrics that will be used to make dresses, skirts and blouses.

"A piece of embroidery work can take me a week to complete, depending on the size and complexity of the order. A tablecloth or a set of place mats may take longer," the 37-year-old woman told IPS at her home in Yosphí, a village of approximately 1,000 people in the municipality of Amealco, 200 kilometres north of Mexico City.

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Women’s participation crucial for democracies, UN officials stress

4 May 2011 – Senior United Nations officials today stressed the need to promote the participation of women in decision-making, noting that democracy and gender equality are interlinked and mutually reinforcing.

“While women’s political participation improves democracy, the reverse is also true: democracy is an incubator for gender equality,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in his remarks at a roundtable held at UN Headquarters on gender equality and democracy.

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