Indigenous peoples are making sure that the upcoming decisions relating to UN Reform include the Indigenous voice. One representative that attended the meeting in New York in June believed it was an obligation to share the most recent update to what was discussed in the dialogues so the collective voice of indigenous peoples can be active in the UN reform.

At the side event, In Larger Freedom – UN Reform and Indigenous Peoples, indigenous peoples and NGO representatives shared information and began to take initiative to be active in the meetings leading up to the September 14 – 16 meeting and the General Assembly meeting concluding in December.

Les Malezer, FAIRA, started the conversation and also prepared a useful two page document summarizing the important UN documents so indigenous peoples were accurately prepared for upcoming discussions (See appendix).

“I felt an obligation to pass on my experiences there,” he said.

The panelists imparted information to the participants and then began to be able to build strategy and action. The panel began to reverse the sense of shock to overcome the quick reaction without understanding of background that has dominated discussion in civil society.

“These reforms were something we were very much interested in and were quite pleased that people in sessions spoke well on indigenous issues,” Malezer said.

The main concern from panelists was that Indigenous Peoples being lumped in with vulnerable groups without due recognition of the case of Indigenous peoples. With any reform, the panelists maintained that the UN must understand that indigenous peoples aren’t well represented in that dialogue with states and any reform must include that perspective to change the historical and current conditions of discrimination in support for models of the right to self-determination.

Penny Parker, a NGO representative, shared some possible scenarios for the meeting in September to allow indigenous peoples to better plan for strategies.

“One scenario is that nothing will come, “ she said. “There might be no change. There might be focus on the Security Council. If the Security Council derails, then nothing could happen.”

Another scenario would be a shelving of the Security Council reforms and then the proposed Human Rights Council will be the core focus of the reform discussion.

Some of the main concerns of the UN reform is in relation to the impact of the reform on the existing indigenous peoples institutions such as the UN Working Group on Indigenous Peoples. If the Commission on Human Rights is replaced what happens to the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights.

“If it is abolished, will WGIP also be abolished? Parker asked.

The reason of the meeting was to replace the rumors circulating and rhetoric to understand the proposals and possible future of indigenous peoples involvement in the UN international institutions.