Representatives of Indigenous Peoples organisations and UN agencies are currenltly gathered in New York for the UN Permament Forum on Indigenous Issues, 19-30 April.
Projects and programmes from UNEP/GRID-Arendal and Many Strong Voices - such as MSV's Climate Change and Food Security in the Canadian Arctic, and the Portraits of Resilience photography project - received specific mention of how UNEP is engaging within North America and the Arctic with indigenous peoples and their communities on environmental challenges.
About UNEP's engagement with Indigenous Peoples:
UNEP's engagement with Indigenous Peoples flows from UNEP's policy decisions to enhance engagement with civil society as well as with Indigenous Peoples in its work. UNEP is looking in its work at ways on how to assist its partners to better understand tyhe synergies and linkages between Indigenous Peoples and the environment, to inform decisions in policy development and implementatin as well as to inspire potential partnerships within the UNEP priority areas of interest to Indigenous Peoples and to UNEP.
About the UN Permanent Forum on indigenous Issues (UNPFII):
The UNPFII is an advisory body to the Economic and Social Council, and has a mandate to discuss indigenous issues related to economic and social development, culture, the environment, education, health and human rights.
With annual two-week sessions, the Permanent Forum provides expert advice on indigenous issues to the Council, as well as to programmes, funds, and agencies of the UN; it raises awareness and promotes the integration and coordination of activities related to indigenous issues within the UN system; and it prepares and disseminates information on indigenous issues.