Indigenous women from Asia and Pacific speak out on violence

7 March 2013

Indigenous women from Asia and Pacific speak out about sexual violence and multiple forms of discrimination against indigenous women and girls

This week, indigenous women from throughout the Asia-Pacific region have gathered to raise their voices and present their concerns to the on-going session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in New York.

This session of the CSW is focusing on the priority theme of violence against women and girls.

In preparation for the discussions taking place this week, indigenous women have submitted to the Commission a range of documents detailing how indigenous women experience violence against themselves and their peoples. These documents also reiterate the fact that indigenous women suffer disproportionately from a multi-fold of discrimination and oppression based on their ethnicity, race, location and economic status together with their sex.

In a International Indigenous Women’s Forum (FIMI) and all the indigenous women participants in the CSW 57 and the Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD).

Relevant resources:

• Statement and recommendations by Indigenous Women from Asia-Pacific and the Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact Foundation (AIPP) to CSW: http://www.forestpeoples.org/sites/fpp/files/publication/2013/03/aipp-statementto57session-cswmarch2013.pdf
• Written Statement by the Asia Indigenous Peoples’ Pact Foundation (AIPP) and the Forest Peoples Programme ‘Violence Against Indigenous Women and Girls: a complex phenomenon’: http://www.aippnet.org/home/statement/1023-written-statement-violence-against-indigenous-women-and-girls-a-complex-phenomenon

About the Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact Foundation (AIPP):
The Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP) is a regional organisation founded in 1988 by indigenous peoples' movements and established its Secretariat in 1992. It is committed to the cause of promoting and defending indigenous peoples' rights and human rights as a whole. It aims to strengthen the movements of indigenous peoples of Asia for recognition of their collective rights, and protection of traditional knowledge, bio-diversity and environment for sustainable and self-determined development. More information: http://www.aippnet.org/home/index.php

ENDS

© Scoop Media