The United Nations report, State of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, is now available online.
Here’s an excerpt: With the adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in September 2007, an
important step has been taken and it is safe to say that indigenous issues have never been more prominent within
the United Nations system. The Declaration has the potential to become extremely influential. This potential,
however, can only be realised if indigenous peoples, states, civil society and the UN system make use of the
Declaration and make it a living document that has real relevance for indigenous peoples across the world.
Already, there is evidence that this will be the case. The Declaration has been adopted as national law in Bolivia
and is already being referred to and used in courts of law in other countries.
Go the United Nation’s link for the full report, just released in December 2009.
Jodi Rave
