Statement of the Inuit Circumpolar Conference To The Fourth Preparatory Committee Meeting Of The World Conference On Human Rights

From the briefing notes prepared for the Fourth Preparatory Committee Meeting Of The World Conference On Human Rights

It is very important that this final meeting of the Preparatory Committee Meeting Of The World Conference On Human Rights send a positive signal to the many indigenous peoples who have not been able to attend this meeting but who will be at the World Conference itself. Indigenous peoples around the world will examine the results of this meeting closely.

For Inuit the two main issues for the purposes of this meeting of the Preparatory Committee are:

1. recognition of indigenous peoples in a context that affirms the equal rights of peoples;
2. the need for a commitment to permanent institutional reforms within the UN to address indigenous human rights issues – such reforms should accord with the priorities of indigenous peoples in view of the new partnership theme of the International Year of the World’s Indigenous Peoples.

You may download or view the full briefing notes, and the final Inuit Circumpolar Conference statement, which are attached to this post.