Regional Centre in Bangkok

The 5th Session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

UN Headquarters, New York, 15-26 May 2006

UNDP and the Asian Indigenous Peoples' Caucus

The Asian Indigenous Peoples' Caucus and UNDP's Regional Indigenous Peoples' Programme hold a side-event at the UNPFII on the 19th of May, 2006, to highlight achievements in building partnerships to further indigenous peoples' rights and development in Asia.

The side-event was opened with a welcome by Mr. David Lockwood, Deputy Director of the Regional Bureau of Asia Pacific, UNDP. This welcome was followed by a presentaiton by Ms. Victoria Tauli-Corpuz on the Millennium Development Goals, processes of development in Asia and challenges faced by indigenous peoples in gaining greater control over the development processes taking place in their lands.

Mr. Dicky Komar, Consular, Republic of Indonesia, presented on the work that the Indonesian Government has been doing to further the rights of indigenous peoples and customary/traditional communities. In particular he brought attention to the work of the National Human Rights Commission and the collaboration between the government and the Alliance of Indigenous Peoples of the Archipelago (AMAN).

Ms Joan Carling, Cordillera Peoples' Alliance, then spoke of the importance of the human rights based approach to development, and the need for indigenous peoples to control the course of their own development.

Ms Chandra Roy provided an introduction to the work of the Regional Indigenous Peoples' Programme and the partnerships and collaboration established by the programme. Future plans for work and strategic areas for stronger programming were also presented.

The presentations were followed by an open discussion from participants in the side-event. Discussions covered the situation of indigenous peoples' in various countries in Asia and the work that a number of organizations are doing to meet the challenges faced. There was also discussion about the policies of major development institutions towards development projects impacting on indigenous peoples.

• UNDP Regional Indigenous Peoples' Programme partnership for indigenous rights and development, Ms Chandra Roy.
• The Human Rights Based Approach to Development, Ms. Joan Carling