Human Rights and International Affairs Directorate
International Affairs:
Aboriginal female gender perspectives are also required at the international level, such as, the United Nations (UN) and the Organization of American States (OAS). Aboriginal issues are advocated collectively with Indigenous peoples worldwide due to similar economic and social experiences such as: human rights violations, education challenges, poor health, environmental impacts from development and trade on indigenous rights, border crossing issues, the preservation of cultural, language and traditional knowledge and lands rights and many oither issues.
NWAC is also actively involved with partner organizations across the globe towards internationally promoting its collective goals, in the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), Amnesty International and the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). NWAC welcomes the opportunity to share, support and learn from Aboriginal populations worldwide. NWAC currently participates on the following international fora:
- World Conference on the Elimination of Racism
- The Organization of American States (OAS)
- The UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues
- The International Indigenous Women’s Forum
- The Indigenous Summit of the Americas
- The World Urban Forum
- The International Indigenous Youth Conference (IIYC)
- Human Rights for Indigenous Peoples Internationally
Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD)
CERD NWAC Submission PDF
CERD Joint Media Advisory PDF
CERD Concluding Observations PDF
Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)
The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) is the body of independent experts that monitors implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. CEDAW Committee consists of 23 experts on women’s rights from around the world. Countries who have become party to the treaty (States parties) are obliged to submit regular reports to the Committee on how the rights of the Convention are implemented. During its sessions the Committee considers each State party report and addresses its concerns and recommendations to the State party in the form of concluding observations. In accordance with the Optional Protocol to the Convention, the Committee is mandated to : (1) receive communications from individuals or groups of individuals submitting claims of violations of rights protected under the Convention to the Committee and (2) initiate inquiries into situations of grave or systematic violations of women’s rights. These procedures are optional and are only available where the State concerned has accepted them. The Committee also formulates general recommendations and suggestions. General recommendations are directed to States and concern articles or themes in the Conventions.
Organization of American States (OAS):
Indigenous peoples throughout the Americas have had a long and dark history of marginalization and abuse dating back to colonization. The lack of dignity and, too often, the lack of basic human rights afforded to these peoples are tragic policies that have been allowed to continue for far too long. The OAS is committed to ending discrimination against the native people of the hemisphere, as well as to affording them the same basic human rights as enjoyed by the rest of the population of the region. In order to reach this goal, the OAS has ratified numerous documents on indigenous rights, and is currently negotiating a landmark Declaration of Indigenous Peoples, which would enshrine these stated principles as official OAS policy.
United Nations Fora:
The UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is a comprehensive statement addressing the human rights of indigenous peoples. It was drafted and formally debated for over twenty years prior to being adopted by the General Assembly on 13 September 2007. The document emphasizes the rights of indigenous peoples to live in dignity, to maintain and strengthen their own institutions, cultures and traditions and to pursue their self-determined development, in keeping with their own needs and aspirations. The Declaration addresses both individual and collective rights, cultural rights and identity, rights to education, health, employment, language, and others. The text says indigenous peoples have the right to fully enjoy as a collective or as individuals, all human rights and fundamental freedoms as recognized in the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the rest of international human rights law. Indigenous peoples and individuals are free and equal to all other peoples and individuals and have the right to be free from any kind of discrimination, in the exercise of their rights, in particular that based on their indigenous origin or identity. Indigenous peoples have the right to self-determination. By that right they can freely determine their political status and pursue their economic, social and cultural development. They have the right to maintain and strengthen their distinct political, legal, economic, social and cultural institutions, while retaining their rights to participate fully, if they choose to, in the political, economic, social and cultural life of the state.
Universal Periodic Review
Joint Submission to the United Nations Human Rights Council
in regard to the Universal Periodic Review Concerning Canada
(Second Cycle), Submitted By:
Grand Council of the Crees (Eeyou Istchee); First Nations Summit; Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations; Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs; Chiefs of Ontario; Native Women's Association of Canada; Canadian Friends Service Committee (Quakers); Treaty Four First Nations; Assembly of First Nations of Québec and Labrador/Assemblée des Premières Nations du Québec et du Labrador; Atlantic Policy Congress of First Nations Chiefs Secretariat; Hul'qumi'num Treaty Group; KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives; First Peoples Human Rights Coalition (October 2012) PDF
See also:
United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) http://www.nwac.ca/sites/default/files/imce/WEBSITES/201105-06/UNDRIP%20-%20FACTSHEET%20-%20June%202011.pdf
UNDRIP Poster format:
International Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD)
International Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)
International Convention on the Rights of the Child (ICRC)
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)
Mother Earth Water Walk:
Declaration of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment: thttp://www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.asp?DocumentID=97&ArticleID=1503&l=en