India’s representative at the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) has stated that the concept of ‘indigenous people’ was not applicable in the Indian context.
- The UNPFII meet, the largest international annual gathering of indigenous people, was held in New York City from April 17-28.
Key points
- India’s representative had stated during the General Discussion at the 22nd session of the UNPFII that the issue of indigenous rights pertained to people in countries who are regarded as indigenous “on account of their descent from the populations which inhabited the country or a geographical region to which the country belongs at the time of conquest or colonisation or the establishment of present state boundaries”.
- These people, irrespective of their legal status, retain some or all of their own social, economic, cultural and political institutions.
- Indian representative noted that this was precisely the definition used in the International Labour Organization Convention 169 of 1989.
- Indian government had ratified the International Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples passed by the UN in 2007.
About United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues
- The Permanent Forum is an advisory body to the Economic and Social Council established by resolution 2000/22 on 28 July 2000. The Forum has the mandate to discuss indigenous issues related to economic and social development, culture, the environment, education, health and human rights.
- The Permanent Forum is one of three UN bodies that is mandated to deal specifically with indigenous peoples’ issues. The others are the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Special Rapporteur Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
- The Permanent Forum is comprised of sixteen independent experts, functioning in their personal capacity, who serve for a term of three years as Members and may be re-elected or re-appointed for one additional term.
