From 17 to 28 April 2023, the twenty-second session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues will take place at the United Nations Headquarters. This annual event aims to discuss issues relevant to indigenous communities and to analyze the implementation of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the main binding instrument to guarantee their rights.
Pawanka Fund shares the goal of implementing this declaration effectively and has selected the theme of this year’s forum, “Indigenous Peoples, Human, Planetary and Territorial Health and Climate Change: A Rights-Based Approach”, as part of its communication campaign for the month of April, with the objective of boosting efforts and giving continuity to advocacy on issues of Climate Change, Women and Water Governance.
Among the topics promoted are the celebration of the dynamic and innovative forms of youth and the intergenerational transmission of indigenous knowledge, as well as the promotion of conservation practices of natural heritage and the safeguarding of sacred places and guardianship of Indigenous Peoples over water and vital ecosystems.
It also seeks to promote indigenous art and native languages, conflict prevention and peacebuilding through traditional institutions, and the strengthening of economic empowerment and traditional livelihoods of indigenous communities.
Indigenous Peoples’ stewardship of water and vital ecosystems, especially in coastal and marine areas, indigenous health, wellness, food systems, economic recovery, and healing are themes that the Pawanka Fund also addresses in its communication campaign.
Finally, it seeks to foster intercultural and intergenerational dialogue on traditional knowledge and practices, as well as the leadership and governance of indigenous communities in the implementation of policies and programs that affect their rights and well-being. With the holding of this forum, it is hoped that concrete measures for the protection and respect of the rights of Indigenous Peoples around the world can be promoted.
