Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, 9 September 2016 (IUCN) –
Key
decisions boosting support for Indigenous peoples’ rights have been
adopted by IUCN State, government and civil society members today at the
IUCN World Conservation Congress taking place in Hawaiʻi.
In
a landmark decision, the IUCN Members’ Assembly has voted to create a
new category of membership for Indigenous peoples’ organisations. This
will open the opportunity to strengthen the presence and role of
Indigenous organisations in IUCN – a unique membership union gathering
217 state and government agencies, 1, 066 NGOs, and networks of over
16,000 experts worldwide.
“Today’s
decision to create a specific place for Indigenous peoples in the
decision-making process of IUCN marks a major step towards achieving the
equitable and sustainable use of natural resources,” says IUCN Director General Inger Andersen.
“Indigenous peoples are key stewards of the world’s biodiversity. By
giving them this crucial opportunity to be heard on the international
stage, we have made our Union stronger, more inclusive and more
democratic.”
“This
decision is historical in that it is the first time in IUCN’s history
that a new membership category has been established,” says Aroha Te Pareake Mead, Chair of IUCN's Commission on Environmental, Economic and Social Policy (CEESP). “It also marks a turning point for the inclusion and full participation of Indigenous peoples in all aspects of IUCN's work.
“For
Indigenous peoples this provides an unprecedented opportunity to
contribute to global policy on biocultural conservation, indigenous
issues, traditional knowledge and the future direction of conservation
as distinct peoples. I am proud of IUCN and its members for doing the
right thing and enabling Indigenous peoples to speak for themselves as
full members of the Union.”
IUCN
Members have also called today for all protected areas to be considered
as no-go areas for environmentally damaging industrial activities and
infrastructure developments. IUCN Members emphasized the need for
respect of Indigenous peoples’ rights as a high priority, to ensure
their free, prior and informed consent in relation to activities in
sacred natural sites and territories conserved by Indigenous peoples and
local communities. To date, only World Heritage sites have been
recognised as off limit.
The
need for consideration of the rights of Indigenous peoples has also
been emphasized as part of the decision to increase the coverage of
marine protected areas in order to achieve effective conservation of the
oceans.
Tomorrow
IUCN Members are expected to vote on a motion related to primary
forests, which highlights the role of Indigenous peoples and local
communities in conserving intact forest landscapes. Ecosystems such as
primary forests are vital for the protection of Indigenous cultures and
livelihoods of the poorest and most marginalised communities.
Other motions important for Indigenous peoples have also been adopted on a wide range of topics.
The
Members' Assembly is the highest decision-making body of IUCN. It
brings together IUCN Members to debate and establish environmental
policy, to approve the IUCN Programme and to elect the IUCN Council and
President.
Motions
are proposed by IUCN Members every four years to set priorities for the
work of IUCN. IUCN’s membership currently stands at over 1,300 and
includes some of the most influential government and civil society
organisations from more than 160 countries, giving the decisions taken
at the IUCN Congress a powerful mandate.
Resolutions
and Recommendations on important conservation issues are adopted by
this unique global environmental parliament of governments and NGOs,
guiding IUCN’s policy and work programme and as well as influencing many
other organisations around the world.
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