United Nations Indigenous Peoples’ Partnership
The United Nations launched a new initiative to promote and protect the rights of indigenous peoples, aiming to strengthen their institutions and ability to fully participate in governance and policy processes at the local and national levels. The initiative named the UN Indigenous Peoples’ Partnership (UNIPP) was launched on 20 May 2011 at the side-lines of the 10th Session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. It will function through a Multi-Donor Trust Fund with the primary aim of supporting joint UN programmes at the country level, in partnership with indigenous peoples.
UNIPP Policy Board held its inaugural session on 20 July 2011 in Geneva, where the Policy Board adopted governance and operational documents, along with strategic priorities. The Policy Board identified focus countries and key thematic priorities: legislative review and reform; access to justice and strengthening of indigenous customary law and justice systems; access to land and ancestral territories; the impact of extractive industries on indigenous peoples; the right to education and health, and the rights of indigenous women, children and youth.
The United Nations‐Indigenous Peoples’ Partnership is a collaborative framework established by the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). UNFPA signed on to the Partnership after its launch in NY.
All information related to the Partnership are available at http://mptf.undp.org/factsheet/fund/IPP00