DECEMBER 2020 1 edito Ω Asia ...... 13 22 docip Ω Perspective of activities indigenous women . . . . 16 N° 115 2 focus Ω Technical secretariat . . . 22 The effects of Covid-19 on Ω Capacity building indigenous peoples’ rights 18 ongoing in their respective regions processes projects ...... 23 INFORMING Ω Africa ...... 2 Going beyond the pandemic Ω Oral history and memory project . . . 23 ABOUT THE Ω North America . . . . . 4 Ω The EU biodiversity Ω Eastern Europe, strategy ...... 18 Ω Documentation . . . . . 24

the Russian Federation, th RIGHTS and the Arctic . . . . . 6 Ω The 13 session Ω Docip's information of the EMRIP . . . . . 19 Ω Latin America, service ...... 24 OF INDIGENOUS South America Ω Statement of the Indigenous & the Caribbean . . . . 9 Caucus during the 9th session PEOPLES Ω Oceania ...... 11 of the FBHR . . . . . 20 26 agenda 2021

The current situation of our planet is a warning to all of us regarding the fragility of the environment' balances. Up d a t e español RUSSKIÜ – français – english

We believe together that this is still an early warning and that by the current pandemic rights and the respect of their action is possible to reverse the but also how their demon- ways of life. damages made to our Mother strated resilience allowed them Earth. The role of human beings to adapt to this new situation We all hope that in the lessons in her preservation is central. that affected the entire world learned from this troubled population. and tragic period, Indigenous Among the humanity, through Peoples’ voices will have an their resilience and their lifestyles We contacted representatives important role to play and Docip that are respectful of their envi- from the 7 socio-economic will play its part in the diffusion ronments, Indigenous Peoples regions to have the opportunity or their messages. show the way forward for the to read their testimonies. These entire world population. are inspiring, relevant, and full Rémi Orsier of practical experience. Docip Director For this very special year we the- refore wanted to put them afront Docip stands by Indigenous one more time, giving them the Peoples’ side with great pride, freedom to explain with their own but also great humility, to sup- words how impacted they were port the recognition of their 2

Focus

The effects of Covid-19 on indigenous peoples’ rights in their respective regions

To address this difficulty, the AFPAT, efficient as women quickly picked upon Africa after making daily phone calls to convey the actions to be taken if there is a suspi- information and thanks to the precious cion of pandemics within the community, By the Association of Peules Women support of its partner, visited the communi- and they will be able to use their traditional and Indigenous Peoples of Chad (AFPAT), ties around Lake Chad, to inform and raise knowledge before alerting public health contact: Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim awareness about the COVID-19 in Fula workers, in order to prevent the virus from language. Posters with illustrations of the spreading further. How did your community respond to safety precautions were used as communi- the coronavirus situation? cation tools in this regard, and then offered Did you notice an increase in the vio- to the communities. The AFPAT responded lation of your rights by some stakeholders At first, at the beginning of the pandem- to the poorest families by distributing food (armed forces, police, other communities, ics, the COVID-19 situation in our country and soap, as well as masks and a brief pre- etc.)? was shaped by information coming for all vention training to the people who had to institutions, every day, with various restric- get out of the community to carry out their In implementing the measures estab- tive measures and restrictions such as not activities. The women leader of the com- lished by the government, especially to go out, closing the marketplaces, while munity were given thermometers and also regarding the limitation of gathering and other sources conveyed conflicting informa- received a training on how to recognize the personal mobility, law enforcement offic- tion. This information is limited to national symptoms and which measures to be taken ers, who, even before ripped indigenous languages, i.e. French and Arabic, and is in case of a suspicion, as well as the AFPAT peoples off, take advantage of the situation broadcasted via mainstream media includ- phone number for daily report. to regularly issue unfair fines to indigenous ing tv, radio, circulars and social media. Yet, peoples. These exactions are too many to communities do not always speak these two Is traditional indigenous knowledge count, and usually consist in charges, or official languages and they do not necessar- helpful to tackle this virus, and if so, which cattle or land grab. This goes against the ily have access to these media. one? communities' well-being and increase their existing fear. Communities are fac- According to the Mbororo Fulani com- Traditional indigenous knowledge is ing limitations of transhumance between munities in Chad, information regarding a matter of ancestral practices. It consists the regions within Chad, due to regional the COVID-19 and related prevention are in the intake of beverages or in relying on border closures, which is not acceptable not officially disseminated within indig- simple actions, to prevent some seasonal for cattle. The seasons will not wait for the enous communities. The M'bororo Fulani diseases. To face this virus, however, tra- pandemics to get from hot to cold or rainy. communities get information about the ditional knowledge has not yet produced Even worse: cross-border transhumance is pandemics and its prevention orally via preventive remedies or suggested any pro- now impossible. So, fraud is becoming part phone calls from the Fulani Women and tective behavior. Nonetheless, communities of everyday life for communities who are Chad Indigenous Peoples Association – rely on the traditional knowledge to protect just trying to maintain their livelihood. the AFPAT, or through word-of-mouth the elderly by isolating them and paying reaching their communities. Again, it is more attention to their daily routine as to Did you feel supported by the interna- not usual for them to listen to the radio as avoid contacts outside of the community. tional community - taking for instance the some remote camps are out of radio sig- In our culture, even in the case of com- statement by the High Commissioner of nal reach. Even if they do, radio broadcasts mon diseases such as malaria, triploid, Human Rights for the International Day about the pandemics are not available in etc., women take care of the men, children of the World's Indigenous Peoples, the Fula language. or other women. This has proven to be various EMRIP and UNPFII statements, December 2020 3 the report from the Special Rapporteur on work in different languages and at different and have external contacts only when strictly Indigenous Peoples? hours because virtual meetings are sched- necessary, thus avoiding large gathering or uled on various time zones. It completely group movements, that become corridors Within the AFPAT, we make sure that changes the way our organization work. for the virus to spread. Indeed, to compen- we communicate with community focal Yes, it is easier to speak with everyone, but sate for the markets' shutdown, indigenous contacts on the communities' urgent needs it is not a good thing because this virtual peoples have tied relationships with shop- and their local initiatives in preventing the world is not ours and the connection with keepers in large cities around the camps to COVID-19 pandemics. Our actions have the environment as well as human contact procure essential goods. attracted attention from partners, who is much needed for indigenous peoples decided to finance training/educational and for our community. We are prisoners This solution could be enhanced with activities about the COVID-19 pandemics, of this pandemics and we fear that our life- a trade partnership with sedentary mer- as well as healthcare and protection equip- style will be even more threatened by these chants, for the purpose of, potentially, sup- ment, and food support, among others. new work habits, that for now, do not bring plying and trading products to the benefit any solid solutions in regard to the urgent of all. However, this is not working well, We regularly speak with community needs of our communities. because trade requires a cash flow and is leaders to inform them of the decisions not based on exchanging goods. taken by the government. With regard to Did you notice a decrease in your par- the international community and espe- ticipation in national, regional or interna- How do you foresee the indigenous par- cially the statements from international tional spaces because of the pandemics? ticipation in the international arena within institutions, it has been of no help so far the next year? because the text does not respond to the The measures taken by the govern- pressing issues faced by communities. We ments due to the pandemics, with regard to The organizations’ (national or interna- need financial resources and technical sup- airspace traffic and gathering, have resulted tional) downturn in activities of promotion port to help our communities. Moreover, in the interruption of regional, national and dissemination of indigenous peoples' we have not yet received any international and international meetings. We participate rights will impact the indigenous participa- help. As the statements are made in lan- in next to none physical meeting and very tion in the international arena. It is obvious guages that our communities do not under- few virtual meetings, as explained previ- that within a year from now, the momen- stand, very few of our requests reach the ously. These participations are limited for tum and fervour showed by the indigenous government. Advocacy panels organized by us as they rely on the availability of a few peoples in communicating about their the AFPAT still bring some hope of com- persons at the national level and one sin- rights will decrease. Scientists say that the municating about our situation, but they gle person at the interna- did not receive the answers that our com- tional level; and are limited munities expected, in particular about the to emails and WhatsApp at “Communities are facing limitations access to transhumance corridors, water, the regional level. of transhumance between the regions grazing land, hospitals, etc. So, the inter- within Chad, due to regional border national community does not support Chad Do you think that there Indigenous Peoples. has been a setback in the closures, which is not acceptable for cattle. Indigenous Peoples rights The seasons will not wait for the pandemics Did you have the opportunity to take during this period or, on to get from hot to cold or rainy. Even worse: part in the various videoconferences organ- the contrary has there been cross-border transhumance is now impossible. ized during the pandemics? progress? So, fraud is becoming part of everyday life for communities who are just trying Chad State limited all social networks at With the interruption to maintain their livelihood.” the time of the pandemics, while we need of legal activities, it is not the internet, it is only possible to get a con- possible to report any case nection in the capital city via a VPN, but in of land grabbing or other the countryside, even with a VPN there is cases of violation of our rights during this vaccine will not be available before a year. no connection, and it is very expensive so it period of pandemics. On the social aspect, This will marginalize even more indig- requires an additional investment. Besides, because they fear discrimination from enous peoples and limit their participation as mentioned previously, antennas and their communities, persons with symp- at the international level. even electricity remain a luxury service for toms of the disease or their relatives rather the communities who do not have access to keep silent than call health authorities for Which of the fundamental indigenous it. So, the Mbororo Fulani indigenous peo- care. Thus, in our opinion, the rights of peoples' rights were most impacted by the ples did not participate in any videoconfer- Indigenous Peoples have unfortunately suf- pandemics, in your opinion? ence during this period. fered a setback in this time of pandemics. Given that this community lives in But, through AFPAT, one of our mem- What are the best practices that you the rural world, and that its daily survival bers had to leave Chad for Europe to get have noticed during this period with regard depends on the exchange of goods in mar- access to this new virtual world, and take to the development of your community? ketplaces, the shutdown of the markets part in videoconferences or teleconfer- severely affects the life of indigenous peo- ences, etc. It was also an increased work- Chad Indigenous Peoples develop most ples, more particularly their food safety. By load for her to coordinate from afar what of their activities in the camps (breeding, the way, Chad is one of the countries in a happens in our communities. She must farming, transforming local products, etc.) phase of severe food insecurity according to Focus 4 the 2020 map of the World Food Program blankets brought by the government as Many live hours from the nearest health - WFP. The restrictions of transhumance “gifts” to Indian Nations, were purposely care clinics. During the first wave of the due to the borders closure between the introduced as acts of genocide. pandemic, in May 2020, the Navajo Nation country's regions as well as the neighbour- surpassed the states of New Jersey and New ing countries is a breach of the commu- Indigenous Peoples in North America York in the number of cases per capita. As nities’ land right and a constraint to their (the United States and Canada) have suf- of this release, as cases are spiking again lifestyle. Besides, as all information about fered violations of their inherent right to all over the US and Canada, it remains one COVID-19 is either in French or Arabic and health for centuries, making them dispro- of the most impacted Indigenous Nations only available via tv or radio, inaccessibil- portionately vulnerable to new infectious in the US. On November 11th, a statement ity to information makes the indigenous diseases. Resource exploitation, destruc- issued by Navajo Nation President Jonathan peoples even more vulnerable. Scarcity of tion of traditional food systems and toxic Nez confirmed that 34 communities on drinking water in the camps and around it contamination of Indigenous Peoples’ the Navajo reservation have "uncontrolled makes it impossible to comply with health lands, air, and waters have caused dispro- spread" of Covid-19. As the pandemic’s instructions to contain the virus, especially portionate disease rates including cancers impacts were increasing in April 2020, washing hands. The distance to health and asthma which compromise immune Elder Duane “Chili” Yazzie, President of facilities is a potential risk for the whole and respiratory systems among all ages. the Shiprock Chapter of the Navajo Nation community, if there is an outbreak of the Poverty, overcrowding, and long-standing who helped to coordinate community relief disease, because there is no special unit for lack of access to health care and even pota- efforts in his regions, stressed that, “We medical care. So, everyone will be exposed. ble water in some remote communities [the Diné] have weakened immune systems in both the US and Canada, have further because of our heart and respiratory con- To this day, officially, the authorities increased vulnerabilities. ditions, which are caused in large part by have taken no action to include the indig- breathing carbon polluted air from power enous peoples in the welfare programs rela- The current COVID-19 crisis highlights plants all of our lives and living amongst tive to the COVID-19 pandemics. Yet, the these ongoing human rights violations as abandoned uranium and massive coal strip COVID-19 pandemics is adding to their Indigenous Peoples have the highest rates mines. We live in a national energy sacri- vulnerability, when they already lacked of deaths among all ages. Tragically, the fice zone and because of our overcrowded drinking water, and especially now that highest death rates are among Indigenous housing situation, we are more susceptible they cannot go to the markets to get their elders, who are the wisdom, language and to catch the virus.” essential good supplies. knowledge holders for their Nations. Even before the pandemic hit, many Native While the disproportional impacts Finally, according to the results recorded Nations were considered "food deserts", highlight the outcomes of ongoing and past by the AFPAT in its advocacy for the pro- with limited access to nutritious and tradi- human rights violations. In addition, new motion and dissemination of the rights of tionally used foods in the best of times in human rights violations directly impact- indigenous peoples, the programs or pro- addition to basic food staples. For example, ing Indigenous Peoples are being carried jects regarding indigenous peoples are not in Southern Arizona, the Tohono O’odham out by both the US and Canada, using the planned in consultation with them; as a Nation, with the 2nd largest federally recog- COVID-19 pandemic as justification. For consequence, these projects do not really nized land base of 2.8 million (the size of example, the pandemic has been used by benefit the community. the US State of Connecticut) acres, has only American and Canadian federal and pro- one grocery store. The lack of access to tra- vincial governments and corporations to ditional foods and increasing dependency roll back environmental safeguards and fast on high-sugar, high fat foods, has resulted track development projects that Indigenous in diet-related illnesses, particularly dia- Peoples have long opposed. North America betes. Native Americans have the highest prevalence of this deadly and debilitating In Canada on April 1st, 2020, the Alberta Indigenous Peoples disease, which in some tribes affects up Provincial government committed over 1 Response to COVID-19 to 80% of the members, further increas- billion Canadian dollars for the construc- in North America ing their vulnerabilities to COVID-19 and tion of the Keystone XL Pipeline to bring other viruses. As many local grocery stores tar sands oil from Alberta through the US were depleted at the start of pandemic, heartland, committing to begin construction By Andrea Carmen & Rochelle Diver, Indigenous Peoples were also experienc- immediately despite the pandemic. This International Indian Treaty Council ing the impacts of Climate Change causing transnational pipeline is strongly opposed extreme heat waves and droughts as they by Indigenous Peoples all along its route, as Indigenous Peoples in North America struggled to find sources of fresh, safe, and a violation of their cultural, environmental, are profoundly concerned about the spread healthy foods. and Treaty rights. Alberta’s Energy Minister of the COVID-19 virus in their territories actually told an industry group that this is and the resulting loss of life and related In the Southwest region of the US, the a good time to build tar-sands-oil pipelines impacts on their communities, families, Diné (Navajo) Nation has been particularly because coronavirus restrictions limit gath- and future generations. We are reminded, hard hit. The Navajo Nation has the larg- erings of protesters to 15 people! as we face this new crisis, the devastating est federally recognized land base of any impacts on our Peoples of past pandemics Indigenous Nation in the US. Despite being In March 2020, the state of South Dakota brought in by European and American set- in a “developed” country, approximately 30% USA along the proposed Keystone XL pipe- tlers, miners, and missionaries. In some of the Nation’s citizens live in remote areas line route long opposed by Indigenous cases, such as case of the smallpox-infected without running water and/or electricity. Nations in both US and Canada, also adopted December 2020 5

“anti-protest” laws expanding the definition Dakota, Trump ally Kristi Noem, challenged the “Native Seed and Food Sovereignty of “critical infrastructure” to include oil, gas the Tribal sovereignty and Treaty rights of Project for COVID-19 Relief” was launched and utility equipment, and declaring “sub- the Oglala Lakota Nation and Cheyenne in Tucson Arizona, in collaboration with stantial interruption or impairment” of that River Sioux Tribe in an official letter threat- the International Indian Treaty Council, equipment as a felony. ening them with legal action if they did not Yoemem Tekia Foundation (YTF), San remove checkpoints on state roads leading Xavier Coop Farm (SXCF), and the That month a federal judge ruled that into their lands to protect their citizens O’odham Mutual and Cultural Aid (OMCA) California can pursue climate litigation from exposure to COVID-19. On June 22, based in and adjacent to the Pascua Yaqui against fossil fuel companies in state court, Cheyenne River Chairman Harold Frazier and Tohono O’odham Nations. The project, where its chances of success are far better reported that the US federal Bureau of which has recently expanded to include Indian Affairs was threaten- other organizations and communities, sup- ing to withdraw law enforce- ports Indigenous Peoples’ food sovereignty ment funding if he does not and restoration of traditional seed, food remove the checkpoints.” and medicinal plant use. “In March 2020, the state of South Dakota These Tribal Nations were USA along the proposed Keystone XL pipeline not intimidated by these The project also facilitates and supports route long opposed by Indigenous Nations threats and maintained the the establishment of family and commu- in both US and Canada, also adopted checkpoints for the protec- nity gardens for reservation households to tion of their citizens and supply and supplement their food needs “anti-protest” laws expanding the definition the assertion of their Treaty and provide access to fresh traditionally of “critical infrastructure” to include oil, Rights. grown foods (beans, squash, chiles, corn gas and utility equipment, and declaring etc.). IITC is working with these partners to “substantial interruption or impairment” In another example obtain seed sources; help build distribution of that equipment as a felony.” also in May 2020, a federal networks for food, seeds, and seedlings; judge ruled in favor of a organize inter-tribal exchange of skills, bid to move forward with a knowledge, seeds and seedlings; distribute uranium mine south of the emergency meals and food boxes; develop Grand Canyon, in opposi- and expand traditional seed banks; increase than at the federal level. Also in May, a fed- tion to the long standing position of the youth involvement in traditional food pro- eral judge ruled in favor of a bid to move Havasupai Tribe whose lands, waters and duction and inter-generational knowledge forward with a uranium mine south of the sacred sites would be directly impacted. sharing; and construct and enhance family Grand Canyon, in opposition to the long and community gardens through coordina- standing position of the Havasupai Tribe In the face of the mounting crisis and tion of the involved projects in response to whose lands, waters and sacred sites would the lack of positive and respectful govern- the pandemic and for long-term health and be directly impacted. ment responses, Indigenous Peoples and resiliency. Nations in North America have turned Other recent environmental rollbacks to their own solutions, increasing efforts In North America and around the by the Federal Environmental Protection to re-establish and expand their food sov- world, Indigenous Peoples hold the solu- Agency (EPA), happened behind closed ereignty and the use of traditional medi- tions and tools to successfully steward our doors while impacted communities, cines and healing practices. Our traditional lands and protect the health of our peoples Indigenous and non-Indigenous were knowledge holders and practitioners have and communities. However, now, more locked down or otherwise distracted by the presented solutions to mitigate impacts, to than ever, the rights of Indigenous Peoples pandemics growing toll. These included better protect us from disease and to pre- as affirmed in the UN Declaration on the easing fuel-efficiency standards for new pare our future generations for a secure Rights of Indigenous Peoples, must be cars, freezing rules for soot air pollution, and sustainable future. Indigenous Peoples respected in all efforts to address this crisis. proposals to drop review requirements for from throughout North America have con- These include our rights to the productive environmental toxics including liquefied firmed that restoring our medicines and capacity of our environments and a halt to natural gas terminals and leasing pub- traditional foods as well as halting the toxic contamination of our lands; rights to lic property to oil and gas companies to environmental contamination of our lands, health including both equal access to state increase extractive activities. The Trump air and waters, are essential for protecting health care services and to our traditional administration’s utter lack of action to ourselves and providing food security and medicines and practices; Free, Prior and curb the growing health impacts of the long-term health for our Peoples. informed consent regarding both develop- pandemic in the US was not accompanied ment and administrative measures; and by lack of attention to opportunities to fur- Local efforts by Indigenous commu- the right to participate in decision-making ther weaken any environmental protections nity members, such as the Navajo-Hopi regarding the planning, development, and which still in place after 3 years of its anti- COVID Relief Effort based in Gallup, New implementation of programs aimed at safe- environment policies. Mexico were launched to take donated food guarding the health of our Peoples that will to vulnerable families and elders, when build sustainable, resilient and just solu- In the US, efforts by some Tribal Nations local off-reservation stores were depleted or tions, now and post COVID. to protect their own Tribal Citizens from were even closed to Navajo families from infection based on their Treaty rights were the reservation as a response to the pan- The UN Special Rapporteur on the met with government repression. On May demic. Another example of response to the Rights of Indigenous Peoples dedicated his 8th 2020 the governor of the State of South food crisis faced by Indigenous Peoples, annual report to the UN General Assembly Focus 6 to the impacts of the COVID-19 on the We must also consider that indigenous rights of Indigenous Peoples. The report Eastern Europe, peoples' health in Russia is far worse than gives an overview of existing initiatives the Russian the country's general population's health. undertaken by Indigenous Peoples and Social diseases are widespread in the indig- others to ensure that the rights and needs Federation, enous communities in Russia, including of Indigenous Peoples are considered, and the Arctic alcoholism and tuberculosis (TB). For exam- addressed and respected in the fight against ple, the TB rate in regions where indigenous the pandemic. Please find the report, and peoples live is 9,5% higher than the Russian the global submissions here1. The COVID 19 impact average, and in some areas like Chukotka on indigenous peoples autonomous okrug, it is higher twice. The Finally, to further these discussions and of the Russian Arctic, mortality rate from TB, which is 4,5 times support Native Nations in North America, Siberia and Far East higher than the Russian average, is an even the International Indian Treaty Council more eloquent factor of the health system's had launched two series of weekly webi- poor condition in the remote regions where nars focusing on the COVID-19 Pandemic By Rodion Sulyandziga, Ph.D., Director, indigenous peoples live. and the rights of Indigenous Peoples, CSIPN, Russian Federation & Dmitry beginning on Friday, April 24 th and Berezhkov, Arctic Consult, Norway The internal messages from inside the October 9th, 2020. Topics addressed by Russian medical community showed that Indigenous Peoples representatives from The COVID-19 pandemic hit Russia the healthcare system was generally weak North America and other regions included at the end of March 2020. The Russian prepared for the COVID-19 pandemic. If big Food Sovereignty, Environmental Health Federation is a vast country that has weak cities like Moscow reacted fast to the new and Justice, the links between COVID-19 and expensive transport linkages between challenge, the local authorities in remote and the Climate Crisis, the impacts of the regions. That prevented the virus's quick areas, where indigenous peoples live, had pandemic on Indigenous women, children spread in the Russian Arctic, Siberia, no resources to respond appropriately to the and persons with disabilities, and perspec- and Far East territories where indigenous virus spread. The federal Government tried tives of Indigenous youth. To listen to the small-numbered peoples live. Fortunately, to react to the remote regions' needs and recordings of these webinars we invite you there were not many disease outbreaks in sent their military field hospitals, organ- to visit IITC’s web site at www.iitc.org. indigenous communities because of their ized by the Russian Ministry of Defense remoteness and the implemented quaran- and the Ministry of Emergency Situation. With prayers for the health and well- tine measures. However, after some time, They built such hospitals in Zabaikalsk, being of all our relations, and with words the virus had come to remote indigenous Krasnoyarsk, Murmansk, and some other from International Chief Wilton Littlechild, territories. Extractive companies, as they regions. However, in some cases, these who reports that cases are also now rising involve many shift workers, became the efforts led to the higher spread of the virus. in Maskwacis, where his Ermineskin Cree primary source of the COVID-19 on indig- For example, the Kamchatka region's mass Nation and three other First Nations are enous peoples’ territories in Russia. virus infection started among constructors located in Alberta, Canada where remains of the new military hospital invited by the positive that strict measures to lockdown The country’s health care system was Ministry of defense from the other areas of the Indigenous territory as well traditional not prepared well for the virus spread as it Russia. ceremonies and health knowledge will pro- was reformed recently, which resulted in a tect his Nation in the long run. catastrophic reduction of the medical facili- In general, the indigenous territories' ties, especially in rural and remote regions remoteness became the great advantage “One of the impacts of the pandemic that are home to indigenous peoples. of the local indigenous communities is that Indigenous rights were overridden during the first phase of the COVID-19 or ignored by government policy makers. The response measures developed by spreading in Russia. However, at a later They didn’t recognize our knowledge and the Russian authorities in a top-down man- stage (for example, during the potential traditional practices as real solutions. The ner with no consultations with affected second wave of the virus), the remote UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous communities put some indigenous peoples indigenous communities' closed nature Peoples Article 24 affirms our rights to in a stressful situation because of the cut could become an aggravating factor that our traditional medicines and practices connections between different parts of the promotes the virus spreading among the including healing ceremonies and other society. For example, some reindeer herd- local population. traditional health knowledge. The govern- ers were not available to visit urbanized ment tried to stop our Sundances, one of areas to buy supplies and sell traditional President Putin and the Russian Go- most important healing ceremonies for economy's products during the quarantine vernment declared several times the our Cree Nation. But we carried them out restrictions. measures to combat the crisis, including anyway, with physical distancing and other the financial measures of support of the measures that were put in place by our own Eighty percent of the Russian Arctic's Russian citizens and business. In addition ceremonial leaders. Yes, this is a health cri- population lives in cities. Considering that to the closure of borders with other states, sis and an economic crisis, but from our three-fourth of indigenous peoples live the Russian Government banned public perspective, this is also a spiritual crisis. there in rural areas, we can acknowledge events and free walking in the Russian cit- This understanding presents the solution: that the medical reform in Russia affected ies since the end of March. Since then, the When Indigenous Peoples’ rights and tradi- the indigenous population of small villages Russian citizens only allowed out to buy tional knowledge are respected, we can be a in the remote regions of the Russian Arctic food or medicines or to walk pets up to a significant part of this solution.” worst. radius of 100 meters from their homes. December 2020 7

Residents of the capital and several other A lot of businesspeople also note that officially work for the state have much Russian regions were also required to apply they will not receive the state's financial more chances to receive compensation for a digital pass before using their cars or support in the future as they will have to payments than those who have no official public transport. bankrupt their business because of the employment or work for themselves. economy crushing. Thus, millions of work- A distinctive feature of the Russian ers and small business entrepreneurs did The introduced quarantine measures quarantine measures, during which most not receive salaries from their employers have also severely disrupted indigenous- public activities were banned, became the or any state payments. owned businesses in communities, their introduction of the "Non-working days" economic development, and their trade and "Self-imposed isolation" regimes that At the same time, all stakeholders relations with buyers of the indigenous do not exist in the Russian legislation. mentioned significant bureaucratic obsta- peoples' traditional goods like fish and These regimes were introduced by the spe- cles to receive unemployment benefits or reindeer meat, which put them at risk of cial presidential decree and further by sev- another state's payments eral extraordinary legal acts of the federal as well as the tendency of and regional governments instead of the the bureaucrats to reduce legit and well-recognized "The Quarantine" the obligatory state's pay- and "The State of Emergency" legal frame- ments to people. There works, which were existed in the Russian were many cases around legislation before. the country when people “A significant challenge became for indigenous could not receive the prom- communities the policy of distance learning in According to the "Non-working days" ised state's payments or schools introduced by Russian authorities this and "Self-imposed isolation" modes, work- received seve-rely reduced ers who were not involved in sensitive and payments than officially spring as a COVID-19 response measure. Online critical public services and production (like promised ones. education became an insurmountable problem medical workers, food producers, or police for many indigenous children in remote rural officers) must "self-isolate" themselves The indigenous peo- areas due to limitations with internet access, at their homes but with a continuation of ples' ability to receive the lack of communication devices, high price for paying full salaries by their employers. state's compensation ben- communication services, and lack of school According to experts in labor legislation, efits for the lost revenues personnel experience. Many remote indigenous this was done by the Government to do not is even lower because of villages have no Internet connexion.” bear financial obligations to the Russian the lower education level, citizens for almost two months of their insufficient access to rele- forced lockdown. vant information, and poor infrastructure in remote In this situation, workers who receive villages. It is also worth the state's salaries or work for big corpora- saying that a substantial tions did not receive too much harm. Their stake of indigenous peo- employers continued to pay them wages ples' representatives works in traditional falling deeper into economic isolation. during the lockdown. However, this quasi- economies and informal sectors without Decisions on quarantine measures in legal regulation affected the small business engaging in official employment. Russia, which were developed in a top- negatively, both entrepreneurs and their down manner with no consultations with employees. The small business owners These groups cannot claim unemploy- affected communities, also violated the could not pay salaries as their business was ment benefits or apply for any other kind of freedom of movement, which for many stopped, and their workers did not receive financial assistance from the state, which indigenous peoples, especially for nomadic any payments. only extends to those on the official payroll. ones, more essential than for the popula- tion of urbanized areas. The Russian Government did not sup- The traditional for Russia gender distri- port the small business and the country's bution of employment among indigenous A significant challenge became for in- general population except for several mod- peoples also gives its input into the une- digenous communities the policy of dis- est steps like postponing some obligatory qual allocation of the state's compensation tance learning in schools introduced by tax payments, payment of 10 thousand benefits in indigenous communities. Russian authorities this spring as a rubles/130 Euros till families with children, COVID-19 response measure. Online edu- restructuring of home mortgage loans, and In Russia, indigenous women are cation became an insurmountable problem some others financial instruments. Those more involved in economic sectors which for many indigenous children in remote businesses which not fired staff received financed by the state budget by one or rural areas due to limitations with inter- the financial support from the state and another way like working in communities' net access, lack of communication devices, only according to the lowest state's rate (12 schools, kindergartens, administrations, high price for communication services, 310 rub/160 Euro per worker per month as medical facilities, while less urbanized and lack of school personnel experience. a subsistence rate), which is not cover the indigenous men more involved into tradi- real salaries in most sectors of the economy tional economies outside settlements, like (not to mention other obligatory operative hunting, fishing, reindeer herding. In the 1| https://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/IPeoples/ payments, such as rental of premises, pays situation of the "self-imposed isolation" SRIndigenousPeoples/Pages/Callforinput_ for utilities, cost of loans, etc.) declared by President Putin, persons who COVID19.aspx Focus 8

Many remote indigenous villages have no Taimyr region, local authorities sent addi- with Nenets indigenous people and other Internet connection. For example, about tional mobile medical troops to remote vil- non-indigenous populations. Nenets ok- a third of schools in Yakutia was forced to lages for checking the health of the indig- rug's residents, both indigenous and non- continue offline education after the Federal enous residents, including the testing for indigenous, started protest actions, despite Government issued an order on distance COVID-19. the prohibition of the mass gatherings in the online school education. Some economi- region because of the COVID-19 quarantine cally developed regions, like Yamal, rich by Regarding special COVID-19 meas- measures. oil and gas, where Nenets indigenous peo- ures towards the indigenous peoples, the ple live, were able to provide school laptops Federal Government limited itself by send- After several weeks of confronta- for every school student. In others, they ing a letter of information to the regional tion, authorities declared that they "post- were forced to use phones or visit schools authorities about the danger of the virus pone the process" of political merging to receive papers. pandemic for indigenous communities. of two regions and start "to work out a In this letter, the Russian Federal Agency joint program of the economic and social The Government's COVID-19 response of Ethnic Affairs (FAEA) stated that due development." measures increase the regional inequali- to the remoteness of indigenous peoples' ties between indigenous groups in dif- communities, their low social mobility, Nenets indigenous people make up ferent regions. For example, during their and demanding access to relevant informa- about 18% of the Nenets autonomous forced break in school learning, school tion and public services, there is a health okrug's regional population, which is a children in Yamal received "emergency threat not only to separate persons but also rather good percentage for Russia. However, quarantine food packages", which could for the small numbered indigenous peo- according to independent researchers, the be comparable with best experiences in ples as a whole entities. main power which pushed the authorities Western countries. In other regions where to step back became the mass protests of the indigenous peoples live, the school "food In this regard, the Federal Agency non-indigenous population of the regional packages" were much more modest. asked the regions' authorities to pay atten- center Naryan-Mar as those people would tion to sustainable communication with lose their oil incomes in case of the regions' We could also consider several special remote indigenous communities, to moni- union. response measures of the Russian authori- tor their health status, essential goods sup- ties to protect and support indigenous com- plies, and access to public services, includ- Another mass trend of social life digi- munities during the COVID-19 pandemic. ing medical services and distance learning talizing during the forced quarantine for schoolchildren. must be studied. A lot of public events are In Yamal, local authorities helped to organized now online, and it influences provide food and essential goods for the Also, Russia prepared a report on the right of indigenous peoples to free, remote villages and pay additional pay- COVID-19 in the Arctic regions for the prior, and informed consent. Many com- ments for reindeer herders to support Arctic Council. They mentioned the poten- panies, which extract natural resources on them during the COVID-19 breakout. tial difficulties for indigenous peoples who indigenous peoples lands, organize public Regional authorities also decided to offer may suffer from the virus under conditions events, including public hearings on the subsidies to indigenous communities of natural isolation of indigenous commu- web, because of the COVID-19 restrictions. involved in touristic business "to mod- nities in the High North and the lack of Considering the low access of indigenous ernize basic infrastructure" and create immune resistance. But the report's con- communities to the Internet, it could nega- alternative touristic programs for the local tent to the Arctic Council remained unfor- tively reflect their rights on lands and par- Yamal residents who could not leave the tunately unknown to the general public as ticipation in decision making. region for summer vacations because of it was not published online. the COVID-19 restrictions. Moreover, In conclusion, we must say that local volunteers published leaflets on virus Simultaneously, authorities tried to Indigenous peoples of the Russian Arctic, danger and prophylactic measures on the use the COVID-19 anti-crisis measures Siberia, and the Far East are a vulnerable Nenets language. to promote their political agenda, paying group that did not suffer much from the no attention to indigenous peoples' opin- COVID-19 during the first wave in spring In Khabarovsk Krai, reacting to the ions and their free, prior, and informed 2020 because of the traditional indigenous emergency in Borodskoye village, regional consent. For example, in the middle of territories' remoteness. Simultaneously, authorities sent the medical troop to help May, authorities of the oil-reach Nenets indigenous communities in Russia were the local hospital fight the virus. They autonomous okrug and the economically indirectly hit by the pandemic because of organized the total disinfection of the local weak Arkhangelsk oblast signed the agree- the challenges connected with the state's public premises. ment on merging these two regions into a response measures. The extractive busi- united sub-federal entity. They argued this ness which supported indigenous com- In Kamchatka, the indigenous com- initiative by falling of the oil prices on the munities through charitable programs munities, reacting to the reduction of the world's market because of the COVID-19 reduced such support because of the eco- touristic flow from other Russian regions crisis. According to their arguments, both nomic difficulties. and from abroad, decided "to refocus the regions come to an unfortunate economic touristic activities on internal tourism" and situation, and only merging the regions The COVID-19 pandemic reflected provide cheaper programs for residents could save the local economy. negatively on the indigenous peoples' sus- of the Kamchatka cities who are also not tainable development and added additional able to leave the peninsula for summer Regional authorities declared the process challenges to implementing their collec- vacations. In several regions, including of merging without any prior consultations tive rights on lands, resources, economic December 2020 9 development, and self-determination. The the elders. To do so, it was essential to set older generations of indigenous peoples Latin America, the main lines of action to tackle the situa- who are traditional knowledge holders South America tion of Indigenous Peoples during the cur- are under a particular threat of the virus rent pandemic (Indigenous from Colombia spread. In combination with other nega- and the Caribbean request to not mention the illness to avoid tive global factors like Economic Crisis attracting it). With different realities in or Climate Change, it could be a signifi- The Covid-19 pandemic different countries (for example, there are cant threat to indigenous cultures' very and other pandemics barely cases in Nicaragua, and the country existence. affecting Indigenous Peoples has so far avoided the devastating effects from Latin America and of the pandemic, unlike other countries as The response measures implemented the Caribbean Brazil, Ecuador or Uruguay), original peo- by the Russian Government put some ples have developed common strategies indigenous communities in a stress- to face the current crisis. The following ful situation because of the cut connec- By Jessica Vega Ortega, Co-chair del Global actions were recommended: tions between different parts of society. Indigenous Youth Caucus, Red de Jóvenes According to independent research, the Indígenas de América latina y Caribe Ω Traditional medicine state support for citizens during the forced Ω Climate action quarantine downtime was not adequate. We are aware that the world and our Ω Information and communication Its receiving was hampered by numerous regions are going through a difficult time Ω The effect of social systems bureaucratic obstacles that were especially as a result of Covid-19. Therefore, it is Ω Peace and security processes difficult for vulnerable groups, including important that the world acknowledges the Ω Social security and food security indigenous people. historical resilience of Indigenous peoples, communities and territories, in the context The pandemic is a new threat that The COVID-19 quarantine measures of the current pandemic and many others adds to the several challenges that we are significantly influence indigenous peoples' that Indigenous Peoples had to face before. still facing. Therefore, we need to remain right to free, prior, and informed consent After historical efforts to uphold human united in our thinking and continue to and their ability to participate in decision rights and individual and collective rights work for the recovery of our ancestral val- making. In Russia, this is complemented for Indigenous Peoples, we the Indigenous ues, like reciprocity, solidarity and collec- by the regional economic inequality. youth have made great efforts to integrate tivity, if we are to face the pandemic. our perspectives in the 2030 Agenda as a It is difficult to estimate the real scale of priority. But the current emergency con- From the Global Indigenous Youth COVID-19 influence on indigenous com- text has exposed the lack of conviction to Caucus, our regions and the grassroots munities in Russia as it is no disaggregated talk about gender equity, eradication of organizations that are part of different data on indigenous peoples in the Russian poverty, zero hunger or peace, to mention platforms like RED LAC) have sought to medical statistics. There is a possibility some of the goals of the agenda. We must develop strategies to prevent, contain and that remoteness and transport isolation of urge States to make a real commitment to manage the spread of the virus. RED LAC indigenous communities, which became meet these goals. is part of the platform that the Fund for the an advantage during the first phase of the Development of the Indigenous Peoples of COVID-19 spread, could be an aggravating While we have key agendas to advance Latin America and the Caribbean (FILAC) factor during the next virus waves. rights, there is also an anti-rights move- and Abyayala set up to gather efforts, a ment. The Indigenous youth needs to space where we are trying to mainstream The Russian Federation government remember that this pandemic has exposed efforts with global youth action and have must urgently elaborate a package of inequalities, discrimination, racism, sec- a local level reach. In the current emer- measures to strengthen indigenous com- tor division, class divide and fundamen- gency context, the Indigenous youth munities' health care system and restore talisms; these issues are important for have emphasized solidarity as one of the the medical facilities in remote indigenous the Indigenous youth, as profound reali- ancestral values as well as human rights, villages. Authorities should also provide ties like persecution and criminalization reminding the world that we must recover economic support for all indigenous peo- for speaking up about subjects as human these values and highlight the importance ples during the quarantine restrictions, rights put us in danger, as it does the cur- of ancestral knowledge in this new reality. including personal benefits and programs rent pandemic. Challenges continue to To do so, we need to give visibility to the for small businesses. appear, and now more than ever we need to role of Indigenous Peoples as key actors for accelerate the fulfilment of commitments. their great historical contributions to rec- To implement such actions, the We are committed, but we need States to ognise our individual and collective rights; Government must include indigenous add their commitment as well to uphold urgently without the contributions of our peoples into the elaboration process with the individual and collective rights for the peoples to the world, the new normality full respect for their right to free, prior, and Indigenous children and youth. will continue to create problems. Zoonosis informed consent. To effectively imple- processes and the lack of respect to the har- ment such measures, authorities must In this regard, since the pandemic mony of Mother Earth can trigger new and gather all necessary information about started and as part of the local, territorial unknown impacts, as it happened with indigenous peoples' development in a dis- and regional processes of the Indigenous the current virus. In the middle of this aggregated manner and provide adequate, Youth Network of Latin America and the pandemic, Indigenous youth leaders have timely, and accurate information to indig- Caribbean (RED LAC), the first priority for assumed different participatory roles to enous communities. the Indigenous youth was the protection of respond in a coordinated way at all levels, Focus 10 driving strengthening, innovative and pos- response strategy. As a result, a specific economic recession caused by the pan- itive actions that target specific issues that webinar on healing and mental health was demic are already evident in countries like are perceived as having a high impact in organized together with FILAC. Uruguay, Mexico, Ecuador and Guatemala. the context of the problems caused by this Street trading, one of the main livelihoods pandemic. 2) Information and communication for indigenous people, is the most affected activity. Mass redundancies have been REDLAC started coordinating with The search of reliable information as executed. Most of the workers that have around 18 countries in the region since a strategy to fight fake news, developing been made redundant are young, and the Covid-19 was detected in February of 2020. materials in native languages accessible economically active population is the hard- Internal dialogues and joint actions were for Indigenous Peoples. Indigenous young est hit by the recession. Despite the risk promoted to identify the impacts of the boys and girls have raised awareness among of contagion, this situation has led many Indigenous peoples on how people to organize community meals and the disease works, how it food basket collection and distribution can be avoided and its harm- centres so that people have something to ful effects for the health (in eat at home. If people are not well nour- Brazil and other countries, ished, they will have a weak immune sys- “In the current emergency context, some peoples don´t believe tem and will be helpless against the virus. the Indigenous youth have emphasized that the disease exists). They Community values are the ones respond- have worked as well to dis- ing to fight the hunger that people face, solidarity as one of the ancestral values credit conspiracy theories, while governments have done nothing to as well as human rights, reminding as instead of helping to pre- tackle the situation. States should com- the world that we must recover these vent and heal, they spark mit themselves to develop food emergency values and highlight the importance social chaos. Several indig- policies and an emergency basic income to of ancestral knowledge in this enous organizations from help the most vulnerable sectors, and not new reality.” countries like Colombia, only the private sector, as they are currently Brazil, Ecuador and Mexico doing. have developed their own information manuals in The pandemic could last until September indigenous languages. In this year, but the economic recession will Guatemala, community probably stay for several years. This eco- pandemic in different territories, address- radios that broadcast in their own languages nomic recession is also affecting the coun- ing aspects like the role and relevance of are the main health awareness tool about for tries that promote international coopera- traditional medicine, the consequences of the communities. States have been asked tion to help indigenous peoples; therefore climate change impacts, the need to rely to support community radio stations and a decrease of this cooperation is expected in on good information and communication other indigenous media to help raise health the upcoming years. as a preventive and monitoring measure, awareness. and the need to develop mechanisms that For all these reasons, some of the ini- address the immediate and future needs 3) The effects on social systems tiatives carried out have focused on pro- and worries, like peace processes and moting community vegetable gardens and social and food security. The brutal effects of the disease are also markets, trading goods, recipes and access felt in the overwhelmed health systems, to water. 1) Traditional medicine the increase of domestic violence during lockdowns, suicide rates and the global 5) Peace and security processes Traditional medicine plays an essen- economic crisis, including the increasing tial role to boost the immune system unemployment rate in urban areas, which The problem of the extreme police and and to guarantee people´s mental health. directly impacts indigenous migrants or military control. It is something neces- Several Indigenous organizations from residents, as they cannot return back home sary during the emergency, but what hap- Colombia, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Ecuador out of fear to carry the disease with them. pens after? We must make a call to avoid and Uruguay have systematized ancestral In addition, action lines should address the authoritarian abuse. If the extreme police knowledge to help prevent the disease, increase of gender violence; in Uruguay and military control is not combined with with measures ranging from the creation there were four femicides in the first ten effective health measures and emergency of traditional plant and food manuals, to days of lockdown, when on average there food policies, then there is instead a will the search for natural disinfectants, the is one every ten days. This situation is to increase the political power and subject importance of the spiritual cleansing of also happening in Mexico, among other the population. Several governments are people and their homes, and the spiritual countries. These deaths should be strictly taking advantage of the pandemic situation protection of our elders and leaders from accounted as covid-related deaths. to reinforce their authoritarian power, and this pandemic. this must not be allowed. 4) Social security and food security The Indigenous youth have recom- The specific situation in Colombia mended organizing online sessions to The fight against hunger and the immi- and the challenges of the armed conflict. strengthen the leadership of traditional nent economic crisis in the region and the On top of the pandemic and the food cri- medicine, and developing manuals that role of community meals and community sis, Colombia is still experiencing strong can be shared on digital platforms as a values to face the crisis. The effects of the processes of internal violence and armed December 2020 11 conflict. Some of the main vulnerable Oceania balancing beautiful blue shades of ocean, groups are Indigenous Peoples, leaders rugged shorelines, lush green valleys and and defenders. We make a special call to massive mountains on Viti Levu, it’s one of draw attention to the very difficult situation Impacts of COVID-19 the best ways to begin any day. in Colombia, as well as other countries in in the Pacific Regarding a similar situation caused by a political and the Respects of Indigenous However, something was difference institutional crisis unprecedented since a Peoples Rights: Reflection, upon arrival, the music still played. We very long time. Reset & Resilience to Realize were greeted with band playing but it Human Rights in Oceania didn’t play continuously for everyone It is important to follow the monitor- departing from the plane. A health official ing and reporting of cases of police abuse took temperatures pointing a temperature during lockdowns. Some cases have been By Joshua Cooper, Executive Director, gun straight at one’s forehead. Then if reported in Argentina and Chile. Oceania Human Rights number was low enough, a smile imme- diately appeared and the word, Bula, was 6) Climate impacts The Pacific remembers historically cheerfully expressed. Bula never sounded on how essential Economic, Social and better and I immediately went to walk into It is important to bear in mind that the Cultural Rights, specifically article 1 (right Nadi hearing Fiji wake up. Biting into a pandemic is going to hit harder peoples of self-determination) and article 11 (right creamy bun was never more delicious and from temperate areas, mountain regions to standard of living) and article 12 (right to the Royal Poinciana were in full bloom. and in the Southern Cone. Special care health), are for all of the inhabitants of the The final test would be entrance later in should be taken during the austral winter islands nations. the day in Apia, Samoa, hosting the first (June-August) in these regions. Similar to ever UN human rights treaty body session the flu, the disease is more easily transmit- The Indigenous Peoples of the Pacific in a region. The reward if passing the test ted in cold, temperate and season chang- reflected on the horrific health condi- would be arrival at the UN Committee on ing weathers, and less so in hot and tropi- tions that have devastated the Large Ocean the Rights of the Child (CRC) session fea- cal weathers. Extra care should be taken for Nations in the past. Oceania has learned turing four Pacific nations and a Talanoa Indigenous Peoples living in these regions lessons from previous encounters related Tent of daily side events. during winter, as they will be more vulner- to health and was determined to be decisive able than ever. to save lives. Oceania understands what Arriving in Samoa an even more strin- matters most in the world – health of the gent set of health officials reviewed all Mention should be made to the impor- people and the planet. Therefore, Oceania paper work of tests within 48 hours prior tance of Indigenous Peoples’ actions to recognized the reality emerging around the to departure and another temperature test preserve and look after the environment earth in early 2020 and made preventative taken, this time in the ear. and Mother Earth, preserving natural measures to protect human life. resources such as water and land in these All attending the UN CRC were willing contexts to guarantee food supply and face The Indigenous Peoples of the Pacific to undergo the extended precaution. We the climate impacts. realized the host culture and place based know there was recently a measles outbreak practices still exist and can be strengthened in December 2019.. We also know the his- In RED LAC, we needed to exchange through state policies to rediscover and tory of human rights challenges regarding ideas and discover the strategies developed seek public policies that are rooted in the health in Samoa. On November 7, 1918, in each of the countries of the region. This indigenous values. The reset to Indigenous the Talune arrived from Auckland to Apia. situation is not affecting one single coun- Peoples Rights rooted in the societal val- Before it was over, 22% of the Samoa peo- try, but the whole world, including the ues, voices and vision offer opportunities ple would perish from the influenza. The Indigenous Peoples who live in it. to survive and also thrive while the world pandemic wreaked havoc on human life continues to confront the COVID-19 and with 8,500 people perishing out of 38,302. We must remember that our free, prior climate crises. Tonga also lost eight percent of its popula- and informed consent for any measure is tion. These lessons encouraged a proactive, part of our collective rights, and that this The Indigenous Peoples of the Pacific preventative policy approach to COVID-19. emergency situation shouldn´t be used as comprehend that saving human life was This saved many lives in Oceania and kept an excuse to violate human rights or use paramount and to ensure past mistakes many of the communities sealed off in excessive armed force. under colonial leadership was not repeated. many ways but society left living together The indigenous cosmology offers opportu- in harmony with little of what the rest of Actions must be culturally relevant, nities to know returning to normal not nec- the world experienced. as the Covid-19 pandemic is not only an essarily the best way forward for the Pacific emergency; we Indigenous Peoples know and the world. Also, and most important, The peoples of the Pacific never forgot that it will affect our economies, food and the Indigenous Peoples of the Pacific know and knew must forge forward with the his- individual rights. Adding to the effects of the roots of the culture are deep in resil- torical life lessons. It was preventative and climate change, this and next year can be ience to adapt to waves of challenges arriv- proactive policies to isolate the islands and very challenging, but this could constitute ing on the shores. to lessen the impact of the emerging plan- as well an opportunity to continue to urge etary pandemic. The Pacific islands States actions to promote the rights of Indigenous On March 1, 2020, I arrived in Nadi, Fiji decided earlier to close the borders and can- Peoples and ensure that the 2030 Agenda airport. When one is able to see the sun- cel the chance of spread, considering the is effectively achieved. rise over the archipelago of natural beauty health of everyone ahead of the economy. Focus 12

In one of the largest nations where Nations partnered with Pacific Islands to save lives through traditional knowledge many Pacific Islands inhabit. By mid- advocates, activists, athletes and artists to and public policy rooted in the Pacific cul- March, self-isolation for two-weeks was create Pacific Unite: Saving Lives Together. ture. There were 12 countries that claimed policy in New Zealand and before the end The unique UN endeavor was a first-of-its- to have not one single case of COVID-19. of the month, all foreigners were banned kind televised and digitally streamed con- Two were dismissed as the dictators of those from entering the border. Prime Minister cert rippling across Oceania Jacinda Ardern noted its role as a key strengthening the human departure route and took responsibility to rights and public health protect Pacific neighbors swiftly and seri- movement to continue to “The Indigenous Peoples of the Pacific realized ously rooted in smart science. work together across the the host culture and place-based practices still Pacific region and partner exist and can be strengthened through state At the conclusion of March, when around the planet against policies to rediscover and seek public policies the world cancelled what we were all COVID-19 pandemic. that are rooted in the indigenous values. accustomed to and struggled to deal with The reset to Indigenous Peoples Rights rooted COVID-19 surges, the Pacific recorded its The virtual August con- in the societal values, voices and vision offer first death. The World Health Organization cert was hosted by Aunty opportunities to survive and also thrive while provided GeneXpert testing cartridges for Tala from the Laughing the world continues to confront the COVID-19 rapid processing and responding to results. Samoans featuring mes- and climate crises.” sages for the moment to At the conclusion of April, New Zealand maintain momentum in the concluded five weeks of strict level four lock- fight against COVID deliv- downs with 75% of the country’s economy ered by high level advocates from the United states couldn’t be trusted. The remaining returning to operation. It illustrates a path Nations, heads of state of Pacific Islands 10 were all Big Ocean Nations of the Pacific forward for Pacific Islands that concentrat- States and amazing artists sharing wisdom -- Marshall Islands, Samoa, Tonga, Kiribati, ing on health first and foremost provides through songs from across the vast Oceania. Palau, Micronesia, Tuvalu, Nauru, Solomon foundation to build back better but with Islands and Vanuatu. own Pacific touch of balance and beauty. UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed and World Health Organization The quick action to close borders even New Zealand is one of the first nations Director Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in the face of economic consequences was to successfully eliminate COVID-19 from spoke along with Tuvalu prime minister and heroic and illuminated a human rights lens its country. All restrictions were lifted Palau president. Also Her Royal Highness to save lives. It was necessary for nations domestically but committed to a closed bor- Princess Salote Mafileo Pilolevu Tuita of to recognize the health facilities are under der. By mid June, 20,000 plus fans were Tonga and the Riji National Rugby Sevens resourced and unable to cope with such a attending rugby safely in packed stadiums. Team along with Miss Pacific Islands uni- health crisis. In the Solomon Islands and The vigilance of testing, tracing and being fied the islands. The highlight was Te Vaka, Nauru there were no Intensive Care Unit tenacious was necessary to protect the Yosh, Jah Boy, Skillz and Poly Flavour all beds available and Cook Islands only had health of nations of the Pacific. entertained while educating about ways to two respirators. perpetuate the positive public policies of Since March, while numbers continue prevention and protected the health of all The global community must reward to rise and record number of deaths, Pacific Pacific islanders. the preventative approach by the Pacific for Islands States are pleased to announce offi- the COVID-19 pandemic and connect the cially virus free. The challenge remains res- The Pacific Unite concert was first ever multiple crises facing Oceania. During the urrecting tourism or remaining closed with virtual concert comprising artists from COVID-19 when folks are told to shelter economic consequences. By mid June, 15 Oceania being accessible to all audiences and use clean water constantly to prevent nations in Oceania declared being virus free. across the Pacific Islands and around the spread, Tropical Cyclone Harold illustrated planet highlighting the human rights based the climate emergency could simultane- Early and decisive efforts rooted in edu- approach signaling strong solutions are ously strike. cation are essential to eliminate COVID- coming from civil society and the states 19. All Pacific Islands public policy must in partnership together. The Pacific Unite If the world takes the UN Sustainable remain coherent, consistent and confi- concert also aimed to honor the essential Development Goals Decade of Action seri- dently calm explaining science behind the workers contribution to prevent transmis- ously to achieve the 2030 Agenda and the specific steps to save human life and take sion and save lives so far. It was also a call Paris Agreement, the assistance must actu- care of another during COVID-19 crisis. to remain vigilant as many vulnerable com- alize actions and activities to provide pos- Learning lessons from this crisis will be munities still face urgent consequences in sibilities in the Pacific. The peoples of the valuable in future efforts to engage around the unprecedented challenge in the Pacific. Pacific can do everything as illustrated with the climate emergency. the COVID-19 crisis and preventative poli- The Pacific Unite concert helped to con- cies of adaptation. We must unite and consider ourselves nect the most remote countries on earth. In one tenacious and transformative team in September when the world gathered at the However, it essential with sincerity and this COVID-19 crisis. The coherent pub- annual opening of the General Assembly solidarity to decarbonize through mitiga- lic health campaign was strengthened at to commemorate the UN 75th anniversary tion and assist with the multiple crises fac- the six month marker of the global shut- of the creation of the United Nations, the ing humanity for the Pacific to Build Back down among states. In August, the United Pacific stood tall in its ability to act decisively Better in Beauty and Balance. December 2020 13

We are all in this COVID-19 and climate with the United Nations and other relevant strengthen the macrolevel framework for emergency crises together. The world must bodies and mechanisms hoping for better the most vulnerable and foster sustain- not forget Oceania as we build a global livelihood and equal social status for them. able development; in other words, we need approach to achieve the 2030 Agenda and In 2015, the Sustainable Development systems that are tailored to the needs of the Paris Agreement. Assistance that rec- Goals (SDGs) were adopted to continue Indigenous Peoples. ognizes the indigenous expertise will build the missions started by the Millennium a balanced human rights based approach Development Goals (MDGs) in tackling the Impacts and challenges of where we can all get in our vaka and canoes economic, social, and environmental chal- COVID-19 to Indigenous Peoples’ to navigate the unchartered challenges fac- lenges in order to achieve global sustainable wellbeing and sustainable ing humanity but remain committed to development. In the 17 goals and 196 tar- development Malama Honua – to take care of each other gets the SDGs highlighted with the tenet of and our island earth. “leaving no one behind”, many are directly Information collected by AIPP through or indirectly related to the rights and well- a survey with member organisations in 14 being of Indigenous Peoples. countries shows the ramifications of COVID- 19 on Indigenous Peoples. The countries Five years into its implementation in with the highest numbers of confirmed Asia 2020, however, review reports have revealed cases are India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, the that, aside from the fact that no country is Philippines, Japan, Malaysia and Nepal (as COVID-19 and on track for achieving all the SDGs, some of June 12). In fact, Indigenous Peoples, in Indigenous Peoples key SDGs are even regressing. A report particular Indigenous women and girls, are in Asia released by the United Nations Economic often disproportionately affected by epidem- and Social Commission for Asia and the ics and other crises. Women often face sig- Pacific (ESCAP) states that Asia Pacific will nificant barriers to health care due to lack of By AIPP, this article has been built by not achieve any of the 17 SDGs by its 2030 autonomy over their own sexual and repro- selecting some pieces upon the full report ‘Asia target, based on its current trajectory. It fur- ductive health, inadequate access to health regional report on indigenous peoples and ther stated that “ASEAN has moved back- services, insufficient financial resources as Covid-19: Challenges to achieving wards on decent work and economic growth well as intensified gender-based violence, the SDGs submitted to the Indigenous Peoples (SDG 8), climate action (SDG 13), and among other issues. Some confirmed cases Major Group (IPMG)’ peace, justice and strong institutions (SDG of IPs contracting COVID-19 have been 16), and areas requiring immediate action found in the Philippines, Bangladesh and The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically to reverse trends, including a number of Malaysia. A Tripura Indigenous youth affected the world, posing a grave threat other social and environmental indicators.” aged thirty reportedly died of coronavirus to life and to the peace of humanity. The symptoms while undergoing treatment at health crisis, accompanied by the socioeco- It is, therefore, imperative at this stage Khagrachari Sadar Hospital of Chittagong nomic effects caused by the confinement for the States and all other development Hill Tracts, Bangladesh on 25 March 2019. affecting mobility, livelihoods, income gen- actors to include genuine partnerships eration, and access to food, is having dispro- with Indigenous Peoples in good faith and The numbers are increasing as migrants portionately adverse impacts on Indigenous through collaborative partnerships to tackle in huge numbers are being repatriated back Peoples, Persons with Disabilities, and the challenges Indigenous Peoples are fac- to their own territories. This is being done women across the world. The lack of trust- ing under the coronavirus crisis in sustain- through cramped public transportation worthy information in Indigenous lan- able manners. To provide sound response systems and under equipped and unsani- guages also invokes fear amongst these mechanisms, it is important to start by pro- tary quarantine centers on their return. In already vulnerable groups. When solidarity viding health services, information, and sys- Northeast-India where most of the states and collaboration is most needed, records tems to ensure life security of Indigenous have substantial IP population, the number still show intensified racial discrimination, Peoples. Equally urgent is addressing the of cases has increased tremendously since criminalization, and human rights viola- socio-economic situation and provision of the inter-state repatriation of the migrants, tions against Indigenous Peoples in various basic services and economic recovery mech- the record of 2019 recording 4,694 cases manners. Indigenous Peoples human secu- anism, underlying that all interventions in Assam, Tripura at 1,135, Manipur at 552, rity and political standings are deteriorat- and actions must follow the process of Free, Nagaland at 113, Mizoram at 121, Arunachal ing in the world, which is already in chaos. Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), with Pradesh at 99, Sikkim at 70, Meghalaya at While their non-Indigenous counterparts UN agencies and Governments respect- 44. Testing rate and positive cases count is are gradually recovering from the shock and ing Indigenous Peoples’ food sovereignty, increasing by the day. Since access to health adapting to the “New Normal”, Indigenous land rights and acknowledging the impor- centers is very limited in the Indigenous Peoples are still bearing the heavy burden tance of the unique biodiversity preserved areas, the safety of the Indigenous commu- of the erosion of livelihood and wellbeing, in Indigenous territories. Central to the nities is at a very high risk. coupled with a rolling back of their rights. achievement of the SDGs for Indigenous Peoples is the compliance of States to their The impacts of COVID-19 on Indi- Before the world became fully im- human rights obligations and commit- genous Peoples are multifaceted. Amongst mersed in a global COVID-19 pandemic ments, undertaking transformative actions them health issues are one of the most emergency, attention to the once invisible and democratization, recognition of the pressing, and directly related to Indigenous Indigenous Peoples has been brought to importance of equality and empowerment Peoples’ wellbeing. Indigenous Peoples are the fore through the collaborative efforts of and partnership with Indigenous Peoples “nearly three times as likely to be living in of indigenous leaders around the world, and their communities. It is also vital to extreme poverty as their non-Indigenous Focus 14 counterparts”10 which has also increased brought the virus to the community. There supposed to be the main body that carries the likelihood of having underlying health have been many instances where the peo- out plans led by the government. It is, how- conditions, making them extremely vulner- ple from the North-East were spat upon, ever, repeatedly reported from the ground able to virus attack. As most, if not all, atten- denied entry to shops even to buy essen- that government designated emergency tion is drawn to the treatment of COVID- tials, beaten up or taken into custody with- relief often does not reach Indigenous 19, there is a shortage of providers for other out explanation. There were several reports Peoples in a timely manner or at all. health related issues, which results in the of mistreatment of migrant workers and exacerbation of other ailments. In addition women from this region living in a trau- It is therefore disheartening to dis- to poverty and underlying health conditions, matized situations in urban areas. These cover that many of these policies, plans many Indigenous Peoples live in remote or cases are serious human rights violations and their implementations have either isolated areas, where health-care services, against Indigenous people, suggesting ignored special societal groups including sanitation and protective equipment (such long-standing racial inequality in Indian Indigenous Peoples, people with disabili- as masks) as well as accurate and authentic society. COVID-19 has acted as an agent to ties, Indigenous women and the elderly or information on COVID-19 have difficulty bring this chronic issue to light and further are being delivered in a slow and delayed to reaching and have limited capacity or do set back the goals of sustainable develop- manner or even worse, imposing unfavora- not exist. In many cases in the Asian region, ment in terms of creating an inclusive and ble ramifications on many aspects of their governments have not yet provided trans- equal society. lives. Thus, the risks and challenges to the lated information in local languages and the Indigenous Peoples are compounded by the information is not friendly for persons with Reflecting on the SDGs and the central failure of responsible institutions to imple- disabilities. promise to ‘leave no one behind’, it is still ment benign counter-pandemic policies true today that the risks of leaving many and plans that are tailored to the sustainable Lack of food security is another menace behind regarding life-saving measures are needs of Indigenous Peoples. for the wellbeing of Indigenous Peoples. great and grave. Indigenous Peoples’ live- For communities that do not have suf- lihood and wellbeing, as well as their dig- Aside from government relief opera- ficient food supplies within their lands, nity, freedom, and security as equal human tions, some Indigenous Peoples’ organiza- the outbreak and subsequent often rushed beings are in dire need. tions have also taken steps to solicit and dis- response measures such as national lock- tribute relief packages such as rice, canned downs can completely cut off their source Ramifications and challenges food, medicines (particularly for persons of supplies. As many of the Indigenous of response measures on with disabilities), eggs and vegetables to peoples are also dependent on daily wages, Indigenous Peoples’ wellbeing urban poor and other vulnerable commu- losing their jobs during the pandemic can and sustainable development nities. AIPP, along with its members and be devastating for their families. As food networks, organized relief work in several stocks become limited and even scarce, it is During the state of emergency, citizens countries and set up the Regional Response feared by many Indigenous communities are turning their hopes to the government and Network on COVID-19. However, these that if infections were to occur in their ter- for disaster assistance and emergency groups have limited resources to continue ritories, it may take a formidable shape and relief. In order to contain the spread of the to do this and they rely heavily on the solici- cause brutal destruction. Many Indigenous virus and keep its consequences to a mini- tation of donations. representatives, in calling for a reconsid- mum, the governments of affected coun- eration of the policies and measures taken tries have all established various policies One policy that has been universally to contain the virus, have strongly stated: and plans as they see fit. Governments have adopted by the governments is social dis- “Instead of coronavirus, the hunger will announced allocation of financial packages tancing, quarantine and nationwide lock- kill us”. and material aid such as food, water and down, albeit to various degrees. Social medical provisions to alleviate the socio- distancing can be difficult to practice as As their wellbeing and livelihood are economic impacts on their people. some Indigenous communities live in over- under threat, Indigenous Peoples are also crowded conditions. As many Indigenous forced to bear the ramification of pub- Indeed, these measures are devised People migrate to cities to work as wage lic fear and anxiety against COVID-19. with good intensions. Some govern- laborers, their working conditions also pre- Racial attacks and discrimination against ments are aware of the extra burden on vent them from abiding by the rules of social Indigenous people from North-East India Indigenous Peoples and have established distancing. Since quarantine is regarded as have spiked since the start of the COVID-19 specific policies and programs with refer- an effective public health measure, social pandemic, ignoring the fact that the North- ence to Indigenous Peoples’ land, health, and economic activities of Indigenous com- Eastern states have one of the least reported educational issues and have even set up munities are highly disturbed. Culturally, cases. These cases are mainly witnessed specific institutions to take care of these Indigenous People tend to gather in groups in cities where a large number of North- issues. The Thai government supports to perform rituals in times of crisis or during Eastern Indigenous people migrate to seek workers and farmers affected by COVID- communal farming activities. In terms of education and employment opportunities. 19 with a cash handout of 5,000 baht per quarantine centers, many are ill-equipped. Instead of acknowledging their contribu- month for three months. As infected cases Some are unable to provide proper distanc- tion to the socioeconomic wellbeing of the decrease, it is also rolling out staged restric- ing among people, resulting in the soaring society, cases of racism against them are tion lifting so as to stimulate the economy of infected cases after being “quarantined”. constantly reported, with the situation esca- and secure jobs. India has its own Ministry Many lockdown measures are carried out in lating due to the pandemic. People were of Tribal Affairs. In the Philippines, there a rushed manner, which have caused many subjected to being called “corona virus” is a National Commission on Indigenous adverse impacts, particularly on already and were taunted and accused of having Peoples (NCIP). These institutions are marginalized groups. December 2020 15

During lockdown, many governments on the rights and security of Indigenous in them. This has resulted in irrational have failed to provide the people with infor- Peoples. Issues of land rights disputes, behaviors which, if left unattended, can mation on COVID-19, leading them to militarization and human rights abuses are cause deeper social issues and divergence. panic and uncertainties. As the provision of exacerbated during the pandemic lockdown. Psychological distress caused by the pan- relief and sanitary goods, as well as public demic also leads to a surge in the suicide health care remain inaccessible in many COVID-19 is being used to fur- rate in some countries. Nepal has reported rural and remote areas where Indigenous ther exploit the lands and territories of a total of 875 suicides during the lockdown People reside, many of them find them- Indigenous Peoples. Transnational corpo- period since March 24. selves in an unfavorable condition. This is rations (TNCs), under the support of some largely due to longstanding systematic dis- state and local governments, have advanced Overall, the key measures taken by the crimination by the society and its institu- their ravenous agenda over Indigenous governments and responsible institutions, tions rather than a careless mistake made lands and resources. Often these mega if any, to combat the COVID-19 pandemic accidentally. Students are amongst the most projects are destructive to affected groups during the pandemic as the land and livelihood of many schools are forced to close and the Indigenous communities conditions of some schools are not appro- and cause subsequent viola- “COVID-19 is being used to further exploit priate for the containment of infectious tion of their rights to self- diseases. Equal access to education has also determination and ecological the lands and territories of Indigenous Peoples. deteriorated during the lockdown. integrity. In the time of pan- Transnational corporations (TNCs), under the demic, as people are stuck support of some state and local governments, With this unpredictable situation, several under lockdown and quaran- have advanced their ravenous agenda over governments have introduced or prescribed tine and community organ- Indigenous lands and resources. Often these online classes across the spectrum in an izing and protest actions mega projects are destructive to the land unscientific manner. This policy is resulting prohibited, resource exploi- and livelihood of Indigenous communities in increasing social divide between the eco- tation, land grabbing and and cause subsequent violation of their rights nomically privileged and the economically rights violations are taking to self-determination and ecological integrity.” backward. Groups like Indigenous Peoples place. “Land rights activists are being excluded from education due to and IP human rights defend- lack of digital/online education, which is ers are continuously being called for in a democratic country that guar- criminalized and attacked antees universal public education. Further, for defending the ancestral territories and have proven to be insufficient and ineffec- the hardest hit are persons with disabilities ways of life” was noted in a report prepared tive for Indigenous communities. Some of as their specific needs and concerns have by Indigenous Peoples Movement for Self the realities are the consequences of poor not been taken into account. Determination & Liberation. planning and implementation by national governments and related institutions, The handling of migrant issues by the Some governments are taking advan- whilst some are the result of discrimination government also proves to be inefficient tage of COVID-19 and conducting military and disregard for Indigenous Peoples. The and insufficient in many countries. Internal operations, targeting activists, red tagging cases reported as part of the enforcement and international migrant workers have activists and leaders, attacking freedom of of the restrictive measures by the govern- been the backbone of many labor intensive speech and so on. With intensified militari- ments have increased systematic oppres- industries in this region. Indigenous peo- zation in some parts of Asia, particularly in sion of Indigenous communities, further ple take up a large percentage of migrant Myanmar, Bangladesh, Northeast India and undermining Indigenous Peoples’ rights to workers in urban areas. A sudden lockdown the Philippines, several people have been self-determination. could render their lives uncertain and cause tortured and killed. “In a lockdown situa- huge damage to their lives and the lives of tion, we are not able to go to the courts or Efforts and initiatives their families. These issues are especially come out to protest, and governments are of Indigenous Peoples stringent in countries like Thailand, with effectively using this situation to suit their in addressing COVID-19 millions of migrants from neighboring own designs and vested interests. We are countries and, as most countries have inter- seeing that governments are rolling back Many Indigenous communities in Asia nal migrants, the impact of COVID-19 is protective laws and policies, weakening are taking their own initiatives to save highly relevant to them as well. environmental safeguards, and diverting themselves from the COVID-19 Pandemic. forestlands for large-scale development pro- Reports have come in that several The socioeconomic impacts listed above jects and agricultural purposes.” Secretary Indigenous communities have revived their exemplify issues faced by the Indigenous General of Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact age-old rituals that were used when epidem- population due to the failed measures (AIPP) Mr. Gam A. Shimray notes, and ics occur. They have declared self- quaran- under the COVID-19 emergency, since expresses in his account great concern on tine and village lockdowns. Facing shortage these measures cause health issues, value the development of these events, and urges of protective equipment, they have organ- chain breakdown, unemployment, seces- action and solidarity from developmental ized among themselves workshops for sion of remittances and migration back to actors. making masks, hand sanitizers and soaps. community. Not limited to the above, under Some are also campaigning in social media, a global emergency, historical inequality As many Indigenous Peoples are forced translating awareness-building messages, among racial and ethnic groups has been to bear the blame for the spread of the factsheets, and leaflets on COVID-19, and evoked, leading to graver consequences virus, antagonizing emotions are brewing distributing them across communities. Focus 16

We firmly believe that Indigenous Peoples Perspective of different elements of nature and its collec- are custodians of a wealth of Indigenous tive spaces that today are negatively affected. knowledge, practices and culture which indigenous women States fail to recognize this conception. are deeply rooted in our connections with land, territories and natural resources Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 and can contribute to our health and well- The impact of Covid-19 pandemic, it has been said that older peo- being. These have endured time as well on the Lives of Indigenous ple are one of the highest risk groups. as challenges of crisis. The role of elders Women: Resisting and Among the Chamorro, in the Pacific, older in Indigenous communities is particularly defending ourselves women or Manåmko are the only native significant as they are the backbone of the collectively speakers. The death of indigenous elders survival and thriving of these communities not only represents the loss of human lives, and hold key roles in keeping and transmit- but also the loss of indigenous culture and ting Indigenous knowledge, practices and By the International Indigenous Women’s it will increase the current ethnocide of culture to their descendants. During the Forum, November 2020 Indigenous Peoples. COVID-19 crisis, we are delighted to wit- ness and hear many cases where Indigenous The pandemic has increased the multi- The imposed quarantines and the Peoples are taking charge to fight the virus ple inequalities and exclusions that have an mobility restrictions meant that Indigenous and the discriminative policies imposed on impact on the lives of Indigenous Women, Peoples could not maintain the connection them. As their awareness and knowledge such as impoverishment, violence and rac- with their spiritual spaces. It also meant of the virus increases, their responses have ism, limited access to education, health that male members and young women who also transformed from panic-driven into and clean drinking water services, forced were studying or working away from their well-planned responses. displacement and degradation of natural communities were not able to get back home resources due to extractive industries, energy with their families. This had a great impact Conclusion projects and climate change (CIM, 2020). on the increased workload of Indigenous Women, mainly in those families where As the world is undergoing tremendous The case-fatality rate among Indi- there were positive cases of Covid-19, as the change and nations are taking turns roll- genous Peoples is three times higher than care responsibilities fall entirely on them. ing out their ‘lockdown’ status, many have the national average, which means that one begun to rethink the relationship between in three people dies of COVID-19 (Muñoz- The new care responsibilities at home humans and their environment. However, Torres et al., 2020). This is the case in will make Indigenous children and young five years into the adoption of the SDGs Quintana Roo, México, where 40% of the people lag behind in their education level. by the United Nation, Indigenous Peoples population identify themselves as Maya. In the Chamorro people, in Guam, the are still either somewhat invisible to the The same occurs in other regions around workload has increased for girls and young dominant societal forces or remain mar- the world, where a clear relation between women who take care of elderly men and ginalized and ill-respected. Going forward, ethnicity and death rates is observed. women, sick family members, as well as sib- it is vital to bring Indigenous Peoples to lings or children who do not attend school. the fore and acknowledge their values and The challenges that indigenous commu- School closures and the implementation of heterogeneities, values that should be rein- nities face to cover their basic needs make online education programs have increased forced within non-Indigenous communi- the measures to prevent the spread of the the gaps in the access of Indigenous Peoples ties. Protecting elders is a value highly held virus harder to implement, like constant to education and media. by the Indigenous communities. It is con- hand washing and use of masks. In the trary to the suffering of the seniors of some Navajo Nation, in the United States, only One of the most pressing issues that we nations under COVID-19. Sharing food is 30% of the population has access to clean have worked on over the years is the multiple also an essential value among Indigenous drinking water (Sala, 2020) and they have to expressions of violence, including structural Peoples, especially in times of need. travel approximately 30 kilometers several violence, in each of the impacts mentioned However manic hoardings are recorded in times a week to find a source of drinking in this article, as this is part of the systemic many cities around the world, particularly water (Lima, 2020). culture and is one of the biggest problems at the beginning of the pandemic. These affecting the lives of Indigenous women. are fundamental human values that are In most of the regions in the world, lim- proved to be fundamental and sustainable ited access to healthcare is an ongoing chal- Since the pandemic started, the number for humankind and need to be shared, rein- lenge. Michelle Tom, a Navajo physician, of cases of violence has increased globally. forced, and adopted. It is more crucial than said that at the Wistow hospital, Arizona, For example, in Guyana, South America, ever to recognize Indigenous Peoples’ food there are not enough tests and hospital beds miners have arrived to the territory over sovereignty, territorial rights, and relation- available to assist the indigenous population time and women leaders are responsible ship to biodiversity. Positive outcomes need and that there is no protective equipment for monitoring the places of entry into the to be seen. But they will never be achieved by for the medical team. To face this situation, community, so they have been threatened. Indigenous Peoples alone. Inclusion, equal- they have sought support through a NGO Mukkuvar Indigenous Women from Sri ity, collaboration, and empowerment among to gain access to the basic health service to Lanka state that domestic violence is caused all related actors should be the principal protect themselves and preserve their lives by increasing frustrations and overcrowd- codes of conduct when channeling resources (Lima, 2020). Importantly, for Indigenous ing in communities. Amazigh women are to the Indigenous communities and creating Peoples health is not only linked to physi- also concerned as they consider that con- favorable conditions for a more sustainable cal wellbeing, but also to the spiritual finement is a physical and psychological post-coronavirus environment for them. well-being. Spiritual well-being integrates imprisonment. December 2020 17

In addition, we have identified that Various peoples have celebrated heal- Faced with a lack of culturally relevant assistance systems for reporting sexual ing rituals and practices led by Indigenous information, Indigenous communities have assault and gender violence are not active Women, such as the Kankanaey Igorots prepared and disseminated messages in in many countries, resulting in an institu- peoples in the Cordillera (Ubaya/Tenerw) indigenous languages for greater under- tional gap that only generates greater vul- in Philippines and Karen in Thailand (Kroh standing and acceptance of the information. nerability for Indigenous Women in the Yee). Women of the Lakota nation, in the Some organizations have conducted public context of COVID-19. United States, state that they have been events, home visits, and used community resisting through prayers, cultural beliefs speakers and radios to disseminate infor- In some countries, it has been noticeable and fellowship time in the community. mation about COVID-19. Social networks that governments have intensified the con- Spiritual counseling in various organiza- have been very useful to organize cam- trol of indigenous areas and territories dur- tions has allowed them to express their paigns, report on the situation of commu- ing the pandemic. In Colombia, for example, problems, restore their physical-mental bal- nities and raise funds for the most affected murders of social and indigenous defenders ance and deal with the impacts resulting communities. in the areas of the Embera people in Chocó from the crisis. did not stop during the confinement period Intergenerational transmission has been covered in FIMI’s research. Even in coun- Several organizations state that they have a line of work, so that, in several cases, indig- tries such as Chile, the Army and Police are “explored traditional indigenous medicine enous girls and young women have been repressing and arresting traditional authori- treatments in order to find natural rem- trained in the manufacture of reusable face edies to prevent and treat masks or in the production of sanitary pads coronavirus”, which, in the to be distributed among women and girls. case of Amazigh and Gbagyi “We Indigenous Women have analyzed women in Morocco, and There is no doubt that the pandemic has the educational impact of the pandemic making other peoples in Asia, Africa, exposed the global vulnerability of human- Indigenous children lag behind. To reduce this The United States, Latin ity, and has forced us to reimagine and rein- effect, communities have implemented some America and the Caribbean, vent ourselves in the face of new realities. measures, like the distribution of books in derives from its relationship It has also given us an opportunity to show communities with little or no access to the with its territory, worldview the importance of Indigenous Peoples´ val- network or other means for online education, and environment. They ues and knowledge to guarantee our health, so that girls and young women do not miss use various parts of plants, like solidarity, reciprocity, the duality of life, the school year.” fire, water, salt, black soap, traditional medicine, native production of spices, bulbs, stones, roots food and self-government. and bark for sterilization, disinfection and purification More than ever, there is an urgent need ties who have made efforts to control the of food and rituals, for the well-being of body for States to assume real responsibility and transit through the territories of indigenous and mind, including inhalation and fumiga- take concrete action for the implementa- communities (CLACSO, 2020). tion for cleaning houses in an ecological and tion of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable safe way. Development and the Beijing Platform for Indigenous Women fighting Action. They must do so through public against the pandemic To fight food insecurity and keep the policies and programs with their budget- community healthy, cases have been docu- ary allocations and including Indigenous Faced with this critical situation, Indi- mented in which they have shared and/or Women in the processes as change agents. genous Women have shown themselves to exchanged food, water, disinfectant prod- be resilient, adopting innovative and crea- ucts, made masks to donate them, or pro- tive measures based on ancestral knowl- vided support so that people stuck in other edge and practices of their peoples, through cities due to quarantines can come back, which they have sought to exercise their among others For more rights as women and members of their information respective peoples, participating in the We Indigenous Women have analyzed exercise of the right to self-determination, the educational impact of the pandemic strengthening organizations for personal making Indigenous children lag behind. To AFPAT: http://www.afpat.net and community care, respecting the differ- reduce this effect, communities have imple- IITC: https://www.iitc.org ent visions and promoting changes for an mented some measures, like the distribu- inclusive and fair world. tion of books in communities with little or CSPIN: http://www.csipn.ru/ no access to the network or other means for An example of this is the application of online education, so that girls and young GIYC: https://www.globalindigenous traditional practices of isolation to prevent women do not miss the school year. youthcaucus.org community transmission of the virus, pro- Oceania Human Rights: http:// hibiting the entry and exit of people and The organization of women in the state hawaiiinstitute4humanrights.org/ closing community borders, as observed of Edo, Nigeria, prioritized the distribution in Bangladesh and other countries in Asia, of masks to people with disabilities and AIPP: https://aippnet.org Africa and Latin America. In some cases, relatives of the unemployed. In other cases, women have performed duties as gatekeep- they have promoted the creation of small FIMI: http://www.aynifund-fimi.org ers at gates and barricades. emergency funds. 18

Ongoing Processes

Going beyond the pandemic

In fact, the European Commission aims The Green Deal is intended to be a Introduction to at investing 260 billion euros annually to holistic strategy influencing every aspect of the European Green achieve carbon neutrality in 2050, plans to EU policies. It is likely that in future years, devote 25% of the existing budget of the EU actions, projects and funds in favor of cli- Deal and the EU to the Green Deal, and to support an invest- mate and the environment will be reviewed biodiversity ment plan of 1,000 billion euros over the and rethought. We can also expect a signifi- next decade. cant number of effects in areas relating to strategy for 2030 the protection of the rights of Indigenous The European Commission has annou- Peoples such as development aid policies By Mathias Wuidar and Amalia Rodriguez, nced new initiatives covering a number and support for human rights and democ- Docip office in Brussels of areas, including climate, environment, racy. It is crucial that Indigenous Peoples energy, transport, industry, agriculture and are consulted and participate in this pro- By initiating its European Green Deal, the sustainable finance, but the Green Deal first cess because of their predominant role in European Union (EU) has announced that it and foremost involves a review of existing the preservation of nature, management will make a clean slate of the past, reform its initiatives, projects and policies in the EU. of resources and the fight against climate economy and develop a growth strategy based Indeed, The Green Deal stresses the need change. on the fight against climate change. This deep for a holistic approach in change in the EU system can be expected to which all EU actions and have significant effects in EU initiatives to policies linked to the objec- protect the rights of Indigenous Peoples. tive of climate neutrality will be reviewed and, if neces- “The European Commission has announced The Green Deal is a huge European sary, revised according to the new initiatives covering a number of areas, action plan whose main objective is to make increased climate ambition. including climate, environment, energy, Europe climate-neutral by 2050. transport, industry, agriculture and Many of these projects sustainable finance, but the Green Deal first Presented on 11 December 2019 by the may concern Indigenous and foremost involves a review of existing 1 European Commission and adopted by the Peoples, whether they are initiatives, projects and policies in the EU. Member States in the European Council, the directly devoted to them, or (…) Many of these projects may concern Green Deal aims at proposing a whole new whether they address issues Indigenous Peoples, whether they are directly growth strategy for the European Union and that may impact them as devoted to them, or whether they address aims at transforming it into "a climate neu- the influence of EU actions tral, fair society, with a modern, resource- extends far beyond its bor- issues that may impact them as the influence efficient and competitive economy”. ders. The EU is a major eco- of EU actions extends far beyond its borders.” nomic power, it is in particu- What makes the Green Deal particularly lar the leading donor in the notable is the extent of the reforms and the world for the protection of means implemented by the EU in achieving human rights and develop- this objective. The analysis of the budgets ment aid, and it maintains diplomatic and These new climate ambitions could also allocated to the Green Deal is particularly commercial relations with almost all the influence the actions of EU diplomacy in significant and have no precedent in the States in the world, either as a regional insti- partner states and in international struc- European Union. tution or through its 27 Member States. tures such as the United Nations. December 2020 19

The Green Deal presupposes that the surface under conservation status by 2030, corporate accountability, effects of climate EU also carries out extensive legislative virtually double of the current area. change on human rights and the role of envi- reform. An impact assessment plan will be ronmental defenders on this matter, protec- presented to bring to at least 50% the objec- With the NaturAfrica initiative, for tion and restoration of the world's forests, tive of reducing the EU's greenhouse gas instance, the European Commission tries and impacts of climate change on vulnerable emissions by 2030. To achieve this, each to protect nature in Africa while promoting populations in developing countries. It also existing law will be reviewed on its climatic the role of non-state actors in this process. advocates for greater consideration and col- merits and new legislation will be produced Many examples show that upholding territo- laboration with Indigenous Peoples. on biodiversity, circular economy, agricul- rial rights and enabling local communities ture, innovation, building renovation and to manage their lands is the best strategy to Even if it is too early to conclude pre- many other areas. protect biodiversity, but land grabbing and cisely on the impact that the Green Deal human impacts of conservation projects will have on the protection of the rights of Currently, there are two main initia- and abuses by eco-guards continue to make Indigenous Peoples, it is notable that this tives proposed under the Green Deal: the headlines. policy change initiated by the Green Deal European Climate Law and the EU Bio- is already favoring increasing calls in the diversity Strategy for 2030. Here we will only We cannot, at this stage, precisely define EU for a better protection of the rights of focus here on the EU Biodiversity Strategy the place that will be given to Indigenous Indigenous Peoples and for a radical change for 2030, but you will find at the end of this Peoples in this process and the nature of in the design and management of conserva- article some reading suggestions to go fur- the conservation model the EU will develop tion programs. ther on the European Climate Law. for 2030.

Member States have expressed their The process is only at its very beginning, concern about the global rate of biodiver- but there are some encouraging elements sity loss and recognizes the need to step up regarding the place that Indigenous Peoples Discussions efforts by addressing the direct and indirect will have in this future strategy. It should held during drivers of biodiversity and nature loss. They be noted that the European Commission th reiterated their call for a full integration of itself has been confronted with cases of vio- the 13 session biodiversity objectives into other sectors lations of the rights of Indigenous Peoples of the EMRIP such as agriculture, fisheries and forestry linked to projects it subsidies and has had and a coherent implementation of EU meas- to react. For example, in the Republic of ures in these fields by adopting Conclusions the Congo, the European Commission has The format of this year’s session was on December 19, 20192. decided to suspend part of its funding to the modified due to COVID-19 pandemic. The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) related EMRIP experts and secretariat decided to As a response to these Conclusions, on to the planned creation of Messok Dja. The opt for regional meetings, whose topic was 25 May 2020 the European Commission decision was taken owing to the recent vio- “The impact of COVID-19 on the rights of transmitted to the European Council the lations of the human rights of Indigenous indigenous peoples under the UN Declaration communication "EU Biodiversity Strategy Peoples in the area. on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples”. The for 2030 - Bringing nature back into our online session divided in 4 regional meet- lives"3. This communication is considered A second encouraging sign of the ings, of 2hs each. as one of the central elements of the Green involvement of Indigenous Peoples in the Deal. It aims at protecting and restoring biodiversity process is that the European The discussions were divided as follows: Europe's biodiversity and well-functioning Commission also proposes in its communi- ecosystems which is key to boost resilience cation on the "EU biodiversity strategy for Ω Monday 30 November 2020: North of the EU economy and societies to future 2030 - Bringing nature back into our lives" America and Africa threats, such as climate change impacts, that the EU ensures a principle of equality. st forest fires, food insecurity or disease out- This principle includes notably “the respect Ω Tuesday 1 December 2020: Asia and breaks. To this end, the communication for the rights and the full and effective par- the Pacific includes a number of commitments on ticipation of indigenous peoples and local nd nature protection and restoration, a new communities. Ω Wednesday 2 December 2020: Eastern biodiversity governance framework and an Europe, Transcaucasia, Russia and the EU global action on biodiversity. “Even more, the European Commission Arctic recommends that in all of its work the EU rd Facing the urgent need to restore bio- “strengthen the links between biodiver- Ω Thursday 3 December 2020: Central, diversity and reduce the effects of the sity protection and human rights, gender, South America and the Caribbean climate crisis, EU institutions are focus- health, education, conflict sensitivity, the ing on extending protected areas. In its rights-based approach, land tenure and 2030 Biodiversity Strategy, the European the role of indigenous peoples and local Commission proposes to transform at least communities.” 1| Communication from the Commission: The Euro- 30% of Europe's land and sea into protected pean Green Deal, 11 December 2019 areas. Biodiversity will also receive greater Finally, the European Parliament is cur- 2| Biodiversity - Council adopts conclusions attention at the international level as part of rently working on numerous reports dealing 3| Commission communication on the "EU biodiver- the new Convention on Biological Diversity with issues of vital importance to Indigenous sity strategy for 2030 - Bringing nature back into (CBD) goal of placing 30% of the Earth's Peoples such as corporate due diligence and our lives + ADD 1 Ongoing processes 20

With regards to participation and state- Statement made which often promote and support human ments, the Expert Mechanism decided on rights violations by the business commu- the list of speakers on the basis of the fol- by the Indigenous nity. Businesses operating on Indigenous lowing criteria: the content of the statement, Caucus during the 9th lands and territories have failed to observe the organizations level of expertise and free prior and informed consent and most experience on indigenous issues; the size session of the Forum business models do not include benefit of the organization and indigenous peoples on Business and sharing. Indigenous owned and controlled represented; and whether the statement is a companies have suffered financially, and do joint one and thus given preference. Human Rights not receive the same amount of support as non-Indigenous companies. In a nutshell, the topics raised by indig- enous peoples’ organizations are com- Preventing business-related human rights We have a spiritual relationship with mon across the different regions. Worries abuses: The key to a sustainable future our lands, territories and natural resources. around the distribution of the vaccine and for people and planet. It goes beyond subsistence or tenancy. The the hopes that States will respect their free, Presented by Migdalia Ma. Pellicier existence of a different cosmovision and prior and informed consent were expressed. spirituality is a fundamental means for the Mostly, indigenous peoples have shown a From the 16th to 18th of November, 2020 existence of the indigenous peoples. great resilience to the Covid-19 pandemic, Indigenous Peoples’ Caucus Statement by realizing themselves their own soaps and The lack of respect for Indigenous sanitizers, putting themselves in quaran- The Indigenous Peoples attending the Peoples’ collective land rights and the fail- tine to protect the communities, and mainly Indigenous Caucus on Business & Human ure to provide indigenous communities used their traditional knowledge and medi- Rights from the regions of Africa; Asia; with secure land tenure undermines their cine to protect them against the pandemic Arctic, Russian Federation, Latin America ability to protect their lands and resources and heal their people. and the Caribbean, North America and the from the damage of large-scale projects such Pacific, state the following: as extractive industries (Article 26). This However, they stated against the lack of environmental violence impacts the repro- access to information as health measures We, Indigenous Peoples have inhabited ductive health of women and children, our were not properly translated into indig- our lands and territories from time imme- lands, water, air and natural resources and enous languages, along with a recurrent morial. We have preserved and cared for our the health of our communities in general. problematic access to public health facili- biodiversity through our cosmovision and ties. A big concern remains that various our traditional knowledge. This relationship Indigenous Peoples are subject to acts stakeholders took on this opportunity to is essential to all peoples of the world. of intimidation and repression by state and non-state actors against indigenous rights As we address this year’s defenders. Indigenous Peoples are encour- theme, “Preventing busi- aged to take action to ensure accountability ness-related human rights for the perpetration of reprisals. abuses” we firmly believe “Mostly, indigenous peoples have shown that “the key to a sustainable Indigenous Peoples are the most vul- a great resilience to the Covid-19 pandemic, future for people and planet” nerable groups to COVID-19 who face by realizing themselves their own soaps is intrinsically connected entrenched inequalities, stigma, sexual and sanitizers, putting themselves in to respecting the rights of violence, increased isolation and discrimi- Indigenous Peoples. In this nation. Insufficient access to basic health quarantine to protect the communities, regard, we highlight the care services, sanitation, unemployment, and mainly used their traditional knowledge fundamental need to use and limited or non existent access to tech- and medicine to protect them against the minimum standards nology for online education platforms are the pandemic and heal their people.” in the UN Declaration on some of the structural problems impacting the Rights of Indigenous communities’ capabilities to cope with this Peoples, as well as other ins- pandemic. Moreover, there have been many truments such as ILO 169. legislative developments during COVID- 19 throughout the world, including land These instruments set forth seizures and sacred sites destruction that increase land grabbing and killings over fundamental rights such as the right to Self undermine Indigenous Peoples rights, indigenous rights defenders, using the Determination (Art. 3), the rights to lands, sustainable human-environment interac- pandemic as pretext for non-vigilance from territories and resources (Art. 25-28), and tions and broader enjoyment of their rights international mechanisms. the rights to free prior and informed con- over their customary and ancestral territo- sent in all matters involving our peoples ries. Indigenous Peoples have established The pandemic enhanced further known and our lands and territories. response and coping mechanisms to epidem- challenges faced by indigenous peoples, ics based on their Traditional Knowledge, such as trans-border exchanges among In this time of Covid-19, Indigenous including medicines, healing ceremonies, communities, increased economic inequali- Peoples worldwide have suffered dispropor- rituals and other customary practices. Also ties in the population and no inclusion tionately the impacts in economic, health, by declaring community lockdowns, social in the decision-making processes, either social, education, and other areas. This has distancing, and staying at home to preserve nationally or internationally. been exacerbated by government policies the health of the community and the land. December 2020 21

Extractive industries, GMOs and pesti- political support and commitment to recommend a suspension of activities in cides, structural violence, discrimination promote the effective implementation the affected areas. and marginalization are posing alarming of the Guiding Principles on Business threats to Indigenous Women’s individual and Human Rights, and to follow up on Ω Call States and Multilateral organiza- compliance with the guid- tions -including international financial ing principles of the United institutions- to work with Indigenous Nations related to compa- Peoples to develop standards and regu- “We, Indigenous Peoples have inhabited our nies and their policies in lations to achieve SDGs, adhering to lands and territories from time immemorial. indigenous territories. It Business & Human Rights Guidelines, We have preserved and cared for our biodiversity is an established fact that core UN instruments and Declaration on through our cosmovision and our traditional companies routinely dis- the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. knowledge. This relationship is essential respect and violate human to all peoples of the world.” rights in indigenous terri- Ω To stop using COVID-19 to further tories, generating violence shrink civic and democratic spaces, to and sometimes sponsor- use as cover to deploy military operations ing the creation of armed for the criminalization and persecution and collective human rights, especially for groups outside the law. Usually with of human rights defenders and the ille- those living in rural areas where the integ- impunity. gal appropriation of Indigenous Peoples rity of the land is essential to their survival, lands and territories. well-being, and reproductive health. Ω To create a UN monitoring and report- ing mechanism on Business and Hu- Ω To respect our right to Free, Prior and The Indigenous Peoples Caucus urges man Rights for Indigenous Peoples, Informed Consent (FPIC) and to include the Governments to take urgent action and where our grievances could be reported, our full and effective participation to redress in the countries where detrimental corrected and redressed. For example, constructively engage in processes that laws and regulations have been passed dur- cases of violations of the Indigenous may affect our identities, lives, liveli- ing the COVID-19 pandemic period. Peoples rights by mining companies hoods and cultures, especially those have become systematic and it is neces- related to our lands, as per the UN Our recommendations are: sary to introduce such specific interna- Declaration on the rights of Indigenous tional oversight in those countries where Peoples. Specially ensuring the inclusion Ω We strongly recommend that all the mining is carried out, namely in the ter- of Indigenous Women and Youth during States ratify the ILO Convention 169, ritories of traditional economic activity FPIC processes. implement the United Nations Decla- and use by Indigenous Peoples. In case ration on the Rights of Indigenous of detection of violations of Indigenous Thank you Mr. Chairperson/ Peoples, and that States demonstrate Peoples rights, the mechanism can Madame Chair.

For more information

To go further regarding European Climate Law:

Draft partial general approach 12083/20 European Council conclusions, 15-16 October 2020 (press release, 16 October 2020) European Council conclusions, 12 December 2019 (press release, 12 December 2019) Strategic agenda adopted by the European Council on 20 June 2019 Amended proposal for a European climate law by the European Commission Original proposal for a European climate law by the European Commission Commission communication on ‘Stepping up Europe’s 2030 climate ambition Climate change: What the EU is doing (background information)

To go further regarding EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030:

Commission communication on the "EU biodiversity strategy for 2030 - Bringing nature back into our lives + ADD 1 UN Biodiversity Summit: Council sends a united signal to step up global ambition for biodiversity (press release, 21 September 2020) Biodiversity - Council adopts conclusions (press release, 19 December 2019) Strategic agenda adopted by the European Council on 20 June 2019 Biodiversity: how the EU protects nature (background information) 22 Docip's activities

Docip's activities

Technical Secretariat

The aim of Docip Technical Secretariats is to bring technical assistance to Indigenous delegates during various UN confer- ences and international meetings on issues affecting them. During these meetings, Docip Technical Secretariat assists the Indigenous delegates by (1) creating a back office where they can seek assistance and have access to computers, printers and photocopiers; (2) producing and distributing detailed informative documents on the international mechanisms as a support of orientation; (3) providing interpretation services in its four working languages – English, Spanish, French and Russian – for side-events, bilateral and informal meetings; (4) providing translation services for statements or other documents; (5) assisting with the organization of preparatory Indigenous Caucus meetings.

From January to March 2020 Docip has assisted several Indigenous delegates and Indigenous organizations in the frame- work of the 43rd session of the Human Rights Council held in Geneva.

Following the Covid-19 pandemic that erupted earlier this year, the Technical Secretariat had to adapt its services to support remotely Indigenous Peoples during online meetings, consultations, webinars and conferences by providing online meeting platforms and online interpretation and translation services. The new technology adopted by Docip Technical Secretariat has permitted the remote assistance to Indigenous Peoples in the framework of the following UN mechanisms:

— The WIPO Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore. — The 13th session of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP) — The 45th session of the Human Rights Council — The 9th session of the Forum on Business and Human rights

Since the beginning of the year, Docip Technical Secretariat has provided simultaneous interpretation services during 3 onsite side-events plus 64 online webinars and online meetings organized by/for Indigenous Peoples (which also included 10 online Indigenous Caucus meetings and 1 online consultation meeting). These meetings have required a total of 500 hours of interpretation work in Russian, French, Spanish, English and Portuguese.

Docip technical secretariat has been delighted to support Indigenous initiatives through these new online services and is looking forward to continuing to help maintain the communication between Indigenous Peoples from different regions and between IPs and UN bodies until the global situation allows them to meet in person again.

Contact: Johanna Massa – [email protected] December 2020 23

Capacity-building Projects

Docip is offering different capacity-building projects:

1 – the Update: It exists in electronic and printed version in our four working languages. It contains the latest discussions held Oral history and during the year regarding indigenous peoples' rights, either during the different UN mechanisms on indigenous Memory project peoples' rights, or by making reference to other pro- cesses that concern indigenous peoples. The Update provides new and updated information on what is In 2013 and 2015, two four-day Symposiums happening at the global level, such as the forthcom- organized by Docip brought together some ing agenda for the following year, Regional News on of the First Indigenous delegates who came processes regarding indigenous peoples in the various before the UN in 1977/1981 and Indigenous indigenous regions – two per issue are dealt with – and youth from the Americas, Asia, Africa, the a new section on the activities provided by Docip. Arctic and the Pacific and layed the ground- work for a review of 36 years of the promo- 2 – Docip Training-of-Trainers (ToT) session: tion of Indigenous Peoples' rights through Once a year, Docip organizes a Training of Trainers on intergenerational and interactive dialogue. The indigenous peoples’ rights at the international level; and in Elders hoped to pass on a message to indige- collaboration with our partner HURIDOCS, for a work- nous youth, who represent the next generation shop on how to document human rights violations. At of indigenous rights defenders, so they can the end of the training, the trainees participate in an continue the tradition of oral transmission, to international conference. relate not only the experience of those who first came to the UN, but also the struggles of their 3 – Trainings in the field: local communities. As a direct outcome of the ToT, Docip conducts a close follow-up of the trainings that the trainee organized A more extensive research project was laun- once they returned home, in order to achieve more ched on the transmission of oral memory advancement of indigenous peoples’ rights in their among Indigenous Peoples by developing addi- region. tional training workshops at the local/com- munity level. So far, three regional workshops 4 – Coordination of volunteers: have been organized, each assembling 10-12 Volunteers are a crucial to Docip’s work during an Indigenous Youth from different communities international conference. The services that require and 5-6 Elders during 5 days. The first work- volunteers are technical secretariat, publications and shop was held in South Dakota (USA) in July documentation. 2015. The second was held in Buenos Aires (Argentina) in September 2016 and the third As a follow-up of the two previous years of trainings, fellows was held in Narok (Kenya) in December 2017. from Solomon Islands are submitting a report for the next UPR review of their country. Also, in Papua New Guinea, Since 2018, Docip followed up with the Youth national laws have been changed to grant recognition to an in order to select, edit, archive and document indigenous territory close to the main city Port Moresby. all the video material recorded by them during Furthermore, a collaboration between humanitarian actors the Symposiums and the workshops and also and previous fellows in Colombia is being implemented (later/after) in their communities. An Internet to help them face their human rights violations in coun- platform is about to be launched aimed at shar- try. The next step for Docip’s training program is to secure ing and narrating all this curated digital herit- funds to keep granting such results for next generation of age in culturally relevant and ethically-minded fellows. Also, we happily go into the field to provide train- ways. A new workshop was planned in Asia ings when we receive invitations. Do not hesitate to contact this year but due to the Corona virus it will be us for further information! postponed to next year.

Contact: Claire Moretto – [email protected] Contact: Fabrice Perrin – [email protected] Docip's Activities 24

Documentation

The main duty of Docip’s Documentation Centre is to make its documents available through its platform, Greenstone. The central core of the database is its extensive collection of statements made by Indigenous Representatives, as well as NGOs, States and International Organizations at the UN or during other meetings. However, this year has been peculiar as the COVID 19 pandemic occurred, which has greatly impacted the UN conferences’ agenda. Indeed, numerous conferences, such as the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and The WIPO Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore have been postponed to 2021. This has affected the number of documents collected, but Docip still managed to add to its database 101 statements.

This uncommon period has also given me time to explore and update our database. Important sessions such as the folder regarding the UPR sessions is now up-to-date. In addition, on another level, documentary research has been an impor- tant activity, when requested by Indigenous Representatives or Docip’s partners. The Documentation Centre also contains 2,036 monographs in hard-copy and can be consulted here in Geneva. Hopefully, next year, visitors, especially Indigenous Representatives, will be able to take a tour of it while attending conferences in the Geneva UN Headquarters.

Finally, regarding the Summary Notes, which are a report on the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII and one on the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP) issued in our four working languages, only one of them has been published. Indeed, because the Permanent Forum has been postponed to 2021, its Summary Notes have not be written. However the one regarding the EMRIP will be issued in the beginning of 2021; its form will be slightly different from the previous years, as the session happened in a reduced and virtual form.

Contact: Priscilla Saillen – [email protected]

Docip's information Service

Docip’s timely information service aims to inform Indigenous Peoples around the world about important international and regional meetings and events, and to support their active participation in those events. Since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, most international meetings have been cancelled or postponed, many others moved online. Since May 2020 Docip's information service published information on over 300 webinars and other online events. For the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples on August 9, 2020 we produced a webpage with information on 30 events. During the first months of the pandemic, we compiled information from various UN sites on their pandemic response. Special efforts were made to keep track of shifting deadlines and new online procedures for the submission of statements and reports.

To achieve our goal, we maintain an extensive network of sources from Indigenous Peoples' organizations, NGOs, UN agencies, and the academic community. We constantly monitor our own email and social media accounts, as well as our network’s mailing lists for important news, and we disseminate relevant information in our four working languages via our information channels:

Mailing lists: http://bit.ly/docip-subscription Social media channels: Website Newsfeed: http://bit.ly/docip-news • Facebook: http://bit.ly/docip-fb On-line agenda: • Twitter: http://bit.ly/docip-tw http://bit.ly/docip-agenda-en • LinkedIn: http://bit.ly/docip-li

Every Friday, we publish a weekly newsletter to our mailing lists and on our website announcing meetings and events, dead- lines and other selected information for Indigenous Peoples. To maintain and improve our information service, we depend on you: please include our address [email protected] in your distribution lists, and send us feedback on your information needs.

Contact: Pascal Angst – [email protected] December 2020 25

List of abbreviations

CBD Convention on Biological Diversity

CRC Committee on the Rights of the Child

CEDAW Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women

CERD Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

EMRIP Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

EU European Union

FBHR Forum Business and Human Rights

FPIC Free, Prior and Informed Consent

HRC Human Rights Council

NGO Non-Governmental Organization

UN United Nations

UNDRIP United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

UNESCO United Nations Organization for Education, Science and Culture

UNGA United Nations General Assembly

UNPFII United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

UPR Universal Periodic Review

WIPO World Intellectual Property Organization 26

Agenda

Agenda for 2021

CONFERENCES Ω 38th session Dates: 03 - 14 May 2021

Review of Namibia, Mozambique, Paraguay, Denmark, Somalia, Niger, Estonia, Belgium, Palau, Seychelles, Ω 48th session of the Human Rights Council (September session) Solomon Islands, Latvia, Sierra Leone, Singapore.

Date: 13 September - 01 October 2021 Ω 39th session (second week with the annual half-day discussion on the rights Dates: 01 - 12 November 2021 of indigenous peoples, tentative). Review of Suriname, Greece, Samoa, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sudan, Hungary, Papua New Guinea, Tajikistan, the United Republic of Tanzania, Antigua and Barbuda, Eswatini, Trinidad and Tobago, Thailand, TREATY BODIES Ireland.

Ω UPR sessions Ω Committee on the Rights

of the Child (CRC) Ω 37th session Dates: 18 - 29 January 2021 Ω 86th session Review of Federated States of Micronesia, Lebanon, Dates: 18 January - 05 February 2021 Mauritania, Nauru, Rwanda, Nepal, Saint Lucia, Oman, Austria, Myanmar, Australia, Georgia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, States Parties reports: Afghanistan, Cambodia, Cyprus, Sao Tome and Principe. Czech Republic, Eswatini, Poland, Tunisia. December 2020 27

Ω 87th session Ω International Covenant on Civil Dates: 17 May - 04 June 2021 and Political Rights (CCPR)

States Parties reports: Afghanistan, Croatia, Cuba, Djibouti,

Greece, Kiribati, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Somalia. Ω 131st session OPAC : Afghanistan. Dates: 01 - 26 March 2021

Lists of Issues: Burundi. Lists of issues prior to reporting: Democratic People's Republic Ω 88th session of Korea, Fiji, Grenada, Iceland, Malawi, Nepal, Sao Tome Dates: 13 September- 01 October 2021 and Principe, Seychelles, United Republic of Tanzania. States Parties reports: Canada, Iceland, Kuwait, Luxembourg,

Philippines, Ukraine, Vietnam. Ω 132th session Dates: 28 June - 23 July 2021

Lists of issues prior to reporting: Albania, Canada, Ecuador, Ω Committee on the Elimination of France, Mozambique, Timor-Leste, Turkey. Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)

Ω 78th session Ω Committee on Economic, Social Dates: 08 - 26 February 2021 and Cultural Rights (CESCR)

States Parties reports: Bahrain, Kyrgyzstan, Maldives, Nicaragua, South Sudan, Yemen, Russian Federation, Spain. Ω 69th session (virtual) Dates: 15 February - 05 March 2021

States Parties reports: Finland, Latvia. Ω 80th session Dates: 01 - 05 March 2021

th States Parties reports: China, China (Hong Kong), China (Macao), Ω 68 session (pre-sessional working group) United Arab Emirates, Hungary, Mauritania, Namibia, Uganda. Dates: 08 - 12 March 2021 List of items to be addressed before submitting reports States Parties reports: Brazil, Cambodia, China, China for adoption: Bhutan, Chile, Italy. (Hong Kong), China (Macau), Lithuania, Panama, Portugal.

In the Docip website ( www.docip.org )

you can find an exhaustive agenda of the conferences throughout the year, updated every week.

A weekly mail is sent to the people who subscribed on the welcome page of our website to receive the news related to the agenda. Update n° 115 December 2020

Summary of this edition

As any other project, Docip Update has been slightly modified this year to adopt to the current circumstances.

Indigenous peoples’ voices must be heard, no matter if it is online or offline, through an umbrella organiza- tion or through the small NGO that gathers leaders from the communities. In these times of pandemic which had put the entire world to reflect about the societies, Indigenous Peoples have shown an incredible resilience and taught the rest of us many more things about the incredible richness of their traditions and cultures. And, of course, ties to their homelands.

As many saw in 2020 this opportunity for a change, it has also been the opportunity for many States and companies to increase the criminalization against human rights defenders, to get more impunity for land grabbing and more generally to discriminate even more – if possible – Indigenous Peoples. And it has been the opportunity for Indigenous Peoples once more to rise up with the means they have, and those definitely are great.

This issue presents in its Focus section the situation induced by the pandemic in the several socio-economic regions, giving the voice to Indigenous organizations. In the Ongoing Processes section, you will find a first article on the EU biodiversity strategy, a second article that summarizes the discussions that were held in the realm of the 13th session of the EMRIP and finally the written statement submitted by the Indigenous Caucus during the 9th session on the FBHR. Finally, the Docip team is being held accountable to our network by presenting the services provided to indigenous peoples this year.

I sincerely hope that you will enjoy reading this edition, and stay at your entire disposal for any further comment.

Yours sincerely,

Claire Moretto Capacity-Building Projects Coordinator [email protected]

Disclaimer: This issue, originally prepared and edited in English, is also available Please be advised that the opinions and positions expressed herein in Spanish, French and Russian. Online versions in all languages may do not necessarily reflect the views of Docip, which is an organiza- be found on Docip’s website. Additionally, Docip sends printed copies tion committed to the principle of neutrality and impartiality. to indigenous organizations and to academic institutions, and copies are made available at the Docip documentation centre in Geneva and This issue of the Update was redacted and compiled by Claire Moretto at the UN conferences that Docip attends. in DECEMBER 2020. Therefore, some of the news and information reported in the issue may have changed or been updated during This document has been produced with the financial assistance the time it was being edited and translated before its publication in of the European Union. The contents are the sole responsibility of DECEMBER 2020. The reproduction and dissemination of informa- Docip and should under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting tion contained in the Update is welcome, provided sources are cited. the positions of the European Union.

With the • The European Union Proof reading support of: • City of Geneva of this issue: • The Sámediggi (The Sámi Parliament) in Norway Mary Holihan [email protected]

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