THE UNITED NATIONS DECLARATION
ON THE RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
ADOPTED BY THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY
13 September 2007

United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

Declaración de las Naciones Unidas sobre los derechos

Déclaration des Nations Unies sur les droits








Tebtebba (Indigenous Peoples' International Centre
for Policy Research and Education)
Special Publications

UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Pamphlet
 The pamphlet includes a first-person account by Victoria Tauli-Corpuz on how the UN Declaration was finally adopted by the UN General Assembly on its 61st Session in 13 September 2007. Included also are the official English text as well as the Pilipino, Ilokano and Bisaya unofficial translations of the Declaration.

United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

TO THE CHILDREN OF THE WORLD'S INDIGENOUS PEOPLES

One day you will receive the benefits of this Declaration, adopted today, 13 September 2007 by the United Nations General Assembly.

You will need to work hard to know and set into motion your rights. As you continue your journey into the future, your lives may become a little easier. Let the words of this Declaration and the spirit of your ancestors inspire and guide your hearts and footsteps. May you become great leaders and walk, always, in dignity. Today, the world recognizes you for who you are and your right to determine your destiny according to your own desires and principles.

Editor, Dialogue Between Nations
Inuvik
Northwest Territories
Canada

A LOS HIJOS DE LOS PUEBLOS INDIGENAS DEL MUNDO

Un dia ustedes recibiran los beneficios de esta Declaracion adoptada hoy 13 de Septiembre del ano 2007 por la Asamblea General de las Naciones Unidas.

Ustedes tendran que trabajar duro para saber y poner en accion sus derechos. Como sigan su camino en el futuro, la vida podra ser un poco mas facil. Dejad que las palabras de la Declaracion y el espiritu de sus antepasados les inspire y guie sus corazones y sus pasos. Que puedan llegar a ser lideres y caminen siempre con dignidad. Hoy el mundo los reconoce por lo que son y reconoce su derecho a determinar libremente su destino de acuerdo a sus propios deseos y principios.

Editor del Dialogo Entre Naciones
Inuvik Territorios del Noroeste
Canada
 

September 13, 2007 will mark the date when the United Nations welcomed Indigenous Peoples to its fold and that the collective and individual human rights of Indigenous Peoples are no less or more important than those of the rest of the world. It is a momentous occasion and we should be humbled while we celebrate.

Statement from Grand Chief Edward John
Executive member of the First Nations Summit,
Representative of the Assembly of First Nations on international issues,
and Co-Coordinator of the North American Regional Indigenous Peoples Caucus.
 

UNITED NATIONS ADOPTS
DECLARATION ON RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
61st Session - General Assembly
13 September 2007

13 September 2007
General Assembly
GA/10612 Department of Public Information • News and Media Division • New York

Sixty-first General Assembly

Plenary

107th & 108th Meetings (AM & PM)

GENERAL ASSEMBLY ADOPTS DECLARATION ON RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES;
 ‘MAJOR STEP FORWARD’ TOWARDS HUMAN RIGHTS FOR ALL, SAYS PRESIDENT
 The General Assembly today overwhelmingly backed protections for the human rights of indigenous peoples, adopting a landmark declaration that brought to an end nearly 25 years of contentious negotiations over the rights of native people to protect their lands and resources, and to maintain their unique cultures and traditions.
 

General Assembly Webcast Archives

Adoption of indigenous rights declaration ‘major victory’ for United Nations
in long history of developing human rights standards, says chair of UN Forum

MESSAGE OF VICTORIA TAULI-CORPUZ
Chairperson of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues
on the occasion of the adoption by the General Assembly today of the
Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
 

S T A T E M E N T S

Statement by Ambassador John McNee
Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations
to the 61st Session of the General Assembly
on the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
September 13, 2007

United Nations General Assembly Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Explanation of Vote by New Zealand Permanent Representative
H E Ms Rosemary Banks
13 September 2007

AFN National Chief applauds today’s passage of the
UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Recognizing 30 years of work in the making
September 13, 2007

Adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Joint Statement by International Non-Governmental Organizations
New York – September 13, 2007
 

P R E S S   S T A T E M E N T S



Implementation of Critical Universal Human Rights Instrument

News Release (pdf)
April 9, 2008

Indigenous Peoples' organizations and human rights groups welcome yesterday's decision by the Canadian Parliament to endorse the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. (more)

Assembly of First Nations
Amnesty International Canada
Canadian Friends Service Committee (Quakers)
First Nations Summit
Grand Council of the Crees (Eeyou Istchee)
International Organization of Indigenous Resource Development (IOIRD)
Inuit Circumpolar Council (Canada)
Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami
KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives
Native Women's Association of Canada

From the Office of Dr. Wilton Littlechild
April 09, 2008
Hobbema

Press Release
Historical vote in the Canadian House of Commons



Dr. Wilton Littlechild

On Tuesday, April 08, 2008, the House of Commons held a vote that Dr. Wilton Littlechild, Regional Chief of Treaties 6, 7, 8 (Alberta) describes as historical. The House passed a Motion that the Government endorse the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as adopted by the UN General Assembly on September 13, 2007; this Motion also instructs that Parliament and the Government of Canada fully implement the standards contained therein. (more)

ASIA INDIGENOUS PEOPLES CAUCUS
ON THE OCCASION OF THE ADOPTION OF THE UN DECLARATION
ON THE RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES

HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
HAILS ADOPTION OF DECLARATION ON INDIGENOUS RIGHTS

HUMAN RIGHTS UPDATE
WORDS OF POWER
13 September 2007
UN Adopts Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

NZ in 'Coalition of Willing' vs Indigenous Rights
Friday, 14 September 2007, 12:00 pm
The Maori Party NZ joins the ‘Coalition of the Willing’ against Indigenous Rights
Dr Pita Sharples and Tariana Turia, Co-leaders of the Maori Party

National Indigenous Times , Australia
Passing of UN Declaration after two decades a "milestone": Calma
Issue 137 - 06 Sep 2007
By Amy McQuire
NATIONAL
September 14, 2007

 Passage of UN Declaration an historic day: Canada’s opposition a national disgrace
News Release: September 13, 2007
Coast Salish Territory, Vancouver

BBC NEWS Indigenous rights outlined by UN
13 September 2007

Indian Country Today
United Nations moves to adopt indigenous declaration
Posted: September 14, 2007
by: Valerie Taliman

 News Brief
Collection of International Press Articles
Story Edition - U.N. General Assembly Upholds Rights Of Indigenous People

Reuters Canada
U.N. Assembly backs indigenous peoples' rights
Thu Sep 13, 2007
by Patrick Worsnip

 Northern leaders slam Canada's rejection of UN native rights declaration
 Thursday, September 13, 2007
CBC News

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE DECLARATION

LEADING UP TO THE ADOPTION PROCESS
BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY


READ THE UN DECLARATION

Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
United Nations declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples

On Thursday 29 June 2006, the Human Rights Council adopted the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and recommended its adoption by the General Assembly.

See the resolution and declaration
 

UNITED NATIONS PRESS CONFERENCE ON INDIGENOUS RIGHTS DECLARATION
6 September 2007

Indigenous peoples’ representatives, at a Headquarters press conference this morning, endorsed the amended text of the draft Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and called for its adoption by consensus by the General Assembly next week.

Speaking to the press about the latest developments regarding the negotiations on the draft were:
Les Malezer, Chair of the Global Indigenous Caucus;
Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, Chairperson of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues;
and Joseph Ole Simel, Coordinator of the African Regional Indigenous Caucus.

UN WEBCAST ARCHIVES
6 September 2007

Press Conference:
Les Malezer, Chairperson of the Global Indigenous Caucus; Victoria Tauli-Corpuz,
Chairperson of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues;
and Joseph Ole Simel, Coordinator of the African Regional Indigenous Caucus;
to respond to the amendments proposed by Member-States
to the Draft Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Webcast: Archived Video - English: 41 minutes

Report to the President of the General Assembly
on the Consultations on the
Draft Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (pdf)

Submitted by Hilario G. Davide, Jr.
Permanent Representative of the Republic of the Philippines
to the United Nations
13 July 2007

Supplement to the report of the Facilitator on
the draft declaration of the Rights of the Indigenous Peoples

20 July 2007

Letter to the President of the General Assembly
Non-paper on the Draft Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
From the Permanent Missions of Canada, Colombia, New Zealand
and the Russian Federation
August 13, 2007

Oficina del Alto Comisionado de las Naciones Unidas para los Derechos Humanos
Proyecto de declaración sobre los derechos de los pueblos indígenas

El jueves 29 de junio de 2006, el Consejo de Derechos Humanos aprobó la Declaración sobre los derechos de los pueblos indígenas y recomendó su aprobación por la Asemblea general.

Ver la resolución y declaración.

ONE YEAR LATER


Press Release: Amnesty International – Canada
June 28, 2007
“Lost year” for the rights of Indigenous peoples worldwide:
Canada must stop stalling on vital United Nations declaration


Statement by the Delegation of Canada
to the Plenary Meeting Convened in Relation to the
UN Draft Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Delivered by: Ambassador John McNee
Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations
New York, June 29, 2007


Letter to the Prime Minister of Canada
from Irene Khan, Secretary-General
International Secretariat, Amnesty International (pdf)
June 8, 2007


Letter from the Assembly of First Nations (AFN)
to Canada’s Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
May 17, 2007


Annex to the AFN Letter
U.N. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Canada’s Actions that Undermine the Declaration
 

Since last June, Canada has virtually ignored two motions adopted by the House of Commons’ Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs, which motions call on Canada to support adoption of the UN Declaration at the Human Rights Council and General Assembly. All federal opposition parties strongly support the adoption of the UN Declaration by the General Assembly. As a minority government, Canada shows little regard for the democratic will of Parliamentarians on such a crucial issue as the human rights of the world’s Indigenous peoples. (Annex xxxv)

Rights & Democracy
Indigenous Peoples’ Rights
The United Nations Draft Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples:
Documents published by Rights & Democracy, the United Nations and Rights & Democracy's partner organizations