UN SRIP Prof. S. James Anaya listed the voices of Nepalese Indigenous Peoples in Kathmandu, Nepal

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National Network of Indigenous Women (NNIW) organized a Reception programme on the occasion of official visit of UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of Human c Fundamental Freedom of Indigenous Peoples in Kathmandu on 25th Nov. 2008 .

On the programme the Special Rapporteur said that his official visit to Nepal is to study the situation of indigenous peoples from the perspective of human rights and to promote United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) conveying through his reports to the Human Rights Committee in the UN mechanism. He briefed about his mandates and his visit is to reflect the support of UN to the indigenous peoples.

On the programme Ms. Lucky Sherpa, Member of Constituent Assembly and Legislative Parliament as well as the President of NNIW made a presentation of the output of a national workshop held on 23rd Nov. 2008 in Kathmandu represented by indigenous women organization across the country and handed over to the UN Special Rapporteur to consider the recommendations made in the presentation in his report. The presentation was also backed by the testimonies of Indigenous Women Members of Constituent Assembly Ms. Usha Gurung expressed the violences practiced in political parties against indigenous women and Ms. Bhatani Devi Khavas spoke out about the violation of the rights of self-identity of indigenous peoples and Ms. Shanti Jirel brought out the cultural violence against indigenous women prevailed in the society.

The presentation highlighted different kinds of violence against indigenous women such as political, social, economic, domestic etc. and made recommendations addressing to UN agencies, Nepal Government, Civil Society and to Indigenous Peoples themselves. Recommendations provided on behalf of National Network of Indigenous women are as follows;

UN Organizations

1.

Review Gender Policy under MDG inserting the programmes deals with Indigenous Women specifically.
2.

Ask reports annually to the government on the programmes conducted for IP Women
3.

Recognize Asian Indigenous Women Network
4.

Ensure full involvement of indigenous women in negotiation of peace dialogue and agreements at national and international levels, including through provision of training for indigenous women and their organisations on formal peace processes.

Nepal Government

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The state should recognize identity of indigenous women and specify indigenous women in all plan, policy, strategy, operational strategy, program, budget, monitoring and evaluation and make necessary arrangement for proportional distribution of budget, resource and means
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Insert Indigenous Women’s Development Policy in National Development Plan
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Recognize the diversity of Indigenous women in national women commission
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Formulate the Reservation Act Immediately for ensuring participation and representation of indigenous women in all mechanisms of the government.
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Ensure proportional representation and special rights of indigenous peoples-women and men, at all levels of the tree organs of the state - executive, legislative and judiciary
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Ensure the participation of indigenous women in the formulation of policy, plans and programmes by government.
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Free Prior and Informed Consent and effective participation of indigenous women should be respected.
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Implementation the ILO Convention 169 effectively in consultation with IP Women.

To the Indigenous Peoples

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Respect the spirit and aspiration of indigenous Peoples movement
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Respect the international practices of characteristics of indigenous peoples
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Respect the federal, inclusive democracy and diversity
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Get united and make space for all Nepalese Peoples

To the Civil Society and International Organizations

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Consider a National Concern to the problems and issues of Indigenous women and peoples.
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Encourage Indigenous women and men to come forward in strengthening federalism and democratic republic in a meaningful way.
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The state, women’s movement, and international aid agencies should recognize diversity of women or gender in terms of caste, ethnicity, language, culture and region to ensure proportional participation and representation in all sector.

In response to the recommendations Mr. Ramchandra Jha, Minister for Local Development on behalf of the government informed to the participants that within a week or 2 Nepal government will form a Task Force to move ahead the re-listing procedure of the communities demanding their distinct identities of indigenous peoples. Similarly Mr. Subaschandra Nembang, Chairperson of the Constituent Assembly expressed deeply concern about the recommendations and pledged to put forward them into the Assembly for making a new constitution more inclusive, federal democratic under the campaign of New Nepal.

Furthermore addressing to the programme Head of Canadian Cooperation Nepal

Expressed his embassies concern on the issues of excluded and marginalized communities he have further compared the issues of first peoples of his country to Nepal. Mr. Ananta Rijal, Senior program officer of UNIFEM also expressed their gratitude and made clear about their programmes to support for marginalized social groups including indigenous women. In the programme Ms. Joan Carling, Vice President of AIPP expressed the solidarity in the movement of establishing the rights of indigenous women across the region.

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SOURCE

http://www.asianindigenouswomen.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=50&Itemid=1