Indigenous Women and WCIP

The World Conference on Indigenous Peoples took place at the United Nations headquarters on 22 and 23 September 2014 with a strong participation of Indigenous women. The conference resulted in a concise, action-oriented outcome document, adopted by consensus at the opening of the conference, A/RES/69/2 which refers to Indigenous women in paragraphs 10, 17, 18, and 19. This outcome document was prepared on the basis of inclusive and open informal consultations with Member States and Indigenous peoples, in which Indigenous women were involved through their own representatives.

Provisions Specifically Pertaining to Indigenous Women in the Outcome Document of the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples

10. We (the Heads of State and Government, ministers and representatives of Member States) commit ourselves to working with indigenous peoples to disaggregated data, as appropriate, or conduct surveys and to utilizing holistic indicators of indigenous peoples’ well-being to address the situation and needs of indigenous peoples and individuals, in particular older persons, women, youth, children and persons with disabilities.

17. We commit ourselves to supporting the empowerment of indigenous women and to formulating and implementing, in collaboration with indigenous peoples, in particular indigenous women and their organizations, policies and programmes designed to promote capacity-building and strengthen their leadership. We support measures that will ensure the full and effective participation of indigenous women in decision-making processes at all levels and in all areas and eliminate barriers to their participation in political, economic, social and cultural life.

18. We commit ourselves to intensifying our efforts, in cooperation with indigenous peoples, to prevent and eliminate all forms of violence and discrimination against indigenous peoples and individuals, in particular women, children, youth, older persons and persons with disabilities, by strengthening legal, policy and institutional frameworks.

19. We invite the Human Rights Council to consider examining the causes and consequences of violence against indigenous women and girls, in consultation with the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences, the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples and other special procedures mandate holders within their respective mandates. We also invite the Commission on the Status of Women to consider the issue of the empowerment of indigenous women at a future session.