Exchange Workshop on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples held in Banjul, The Gambia

Courtesy of the African Commission.

With a view to sharing experiences, synchronizing efforts, and further enhancing collaboration between the various regional and international mechanisms working on the rights of indigenous peoples, the African Commission’s Working Group on Indigenous Populations/ Communities, in collaboration with the International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs, organized an Exchange Workshop on Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Between the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, the ASEAN Inter-Governmental Commission on Human Rights, and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights from 5 to 6 April 2013 in Banjul, The Gambia.

The workshop brought together experts from the three regions and regional organizations and the United Nations. The UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Prof. James Anaya, was present during the workshop and made the keynote address. The UN Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights and the UN Independent Expert on Minority Issues, Ms. Rita Izsák, also attended. 

The workshop provided a platform for the exchange of experiences between the three regional organizations and that of the UN; it also provided the opportunity for these organs to lay down the grounds for future collaboration and cooperation, and synchronization of their efforts in the promotion and protection of indigenous peoples' rights. The final communique is available here.

Manual on Indigenous Rights in the African Human Rights System

The African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR) and International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA) recently released a manual on the promotion and protection of the rights of Indigenous populations/communities through the African Human Rights System.

According to IWGIA, over the past 10 years, ACHPR "has taken bold steps to understand, expound and address the human rights situation of indigenous communities in Africa. The African Commission’s Working Group on Indigenous Populations/Communities has been the institutional anchor for these efforts... The manual is designed as a training tool for indigenous rights activists in Africa. It is also intended to be a practical instrument for use in the training of judicial officers, lawyers, media activists and government officials on indigenous rights in Africa. The full use of this manual will only be realized if it is used to enhance the capacity of indigenous groups to constructively and sustainably engage with the African human rights system."

The manual is available for download or purchase (including in French) here.

Article on Unique Rights of Indigenous Peoples - Think Africa Press

Via thinkafricapress.com

The body of law and policy around the rights of Indigenous peoples and local communities is changing and expanding rapidly. To offer a brief overview of notable international instruments and cases relevant to the African context, Dinah Shelton of the Inter-American Human Rights Commission has prepared an article on relevant law entitled "The Unique Rights of Indigenous Peoples" for a Think Africa Press online course on ‘International Law and Africa.’ 

The article briefly explains and considers the implications of developments in three areas: the international sphere; African cases; and Inter-American cases. At the international level, ILO Convention No. 107, ILO Convention No. 169, and the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples are considered. For African cases, the Endorois case at the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights is covered. On Inter-American cases, the growing jurisprudence around land rights and the right to property, as well as the Awas Tingni judgment of the Inter-American Court, are detailed. 

The article can be accessed here. More information on the Think Africa Press course, which is offered free of charge, can be found here.

OPDP Seeking Interns in Kenya

Via www.ogiekpeoples.org

Natural Justice partner the Ogiek Peoples' Development Program (OPDP) is seeking two interns to support their work in their Nakuru, Kenya office. OPDP seeks to "provide a springboard from which Ogiek community," a marginalised indigenous community in western Kenya, "can take a lead role in articulating and advancing their developments, aspirations, priorities and social needs." The positions, one focused on human rights and the other on website design and development, will be for a minimum of eight weeks. The positions are currently unfunded but OPDP can work with prospective interns to source funding support. Accommodation will be provided by OPDP. 

Read more about the positions below.