For children and youth

Working with indigenous children on their rights

Indigenous children have now an agenda for their rights

Native delegates speak up in world forum
Three Ecuadorian indigenous children presented their national Agenda last week during the UN General Assembly. They spoke before dozens of Government delegates in the Plenary Session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. The Agenda was handed to Ms. Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, Chairperson of the Forum.

Who are Jessica, Nadino and Lourdes? Meet the three children delegates.

Construction of the agenda
Since 2003 and up to 2005, 4,200 children and adolescents and more than 2,900 indigenous leaders have participated in workshops for the promotion of children’s rights within the diverse ethnic groups. Promoted by ECUARUNARI, the Indigenous Parliament of America, the National Direction of Bilingual Education, and FENOCIN, with UNICEF’s technical assistance and funding, the objective was to collectively construct an agenda oriented towards the respect of children’s rights. In the provinces where the majority of the population is indigenous, the respect for children’s rights is most precarious. In 2005 the Indigenous Children Agenda was handed to the authorities, and now efforts are conducted to fulfill many of its points.

I want to represent the indigenous peoples: Lourdes Yamberla

Nadino Calapucha lives in the Amazon rainforest

Jessica Peñafiel: I want to be a pediatrician and a lawyer

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Ecuadorian children's recommendation to the UN Forum

1. The voice of indigenous children and adolescents must be incorporated into the meetings of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.

2. We urge government representatives to pledge the drafting of National Agendas in the world’s countries to make it possible to make progress in enforcing the rights of indigenous children and adolescents in their countries.

3. We urge national governments to organize efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals and comply with the declaration for the Second International Decade on the World’s Indigenous Peoples.

New York, May 24, 2007

Jessica Peñafiel
Lourdes Yamberla
Nadino Calapucha

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