Another Cordilleran was elected, July 15, into one of the indigenous peoples’ positions in the United Nations (UN) system.
BY KATHLEEN T. OKUBO
Northern Dispatch
INDIGENOUS PEOPLE’S WATCH
Posted by Bulatlat
Volume VIII, No. 24, July 20-26, 2008
BAGUIO CITY – Another Cordilleran was elected, July 15, into one of the indigenous peoples’ positions in the United Nations (UN) system.
Eugenio A. Insigne, chairman of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), was elected as one of the two Asian region government representatives to the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII).
Insigne, a Tinggian from Baay-Licuan, represented the Philippines to a number of UN fora on indigenous peoples’ concerns. He witnessed the adoption of the UN Declaration for Indigenous Peoples last year and was also part of the government contingent for the UN Periodic Review of the UN Human Rights Council hearing on the Philippines last June.
The term for Asian representatives is three years.
The UNPFII is within the mandate of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). It is a 16- member council composed of government representatives, accredited NGOs, people’s organizations and UN experts.
The UNPFII takes up issues and concerns of indigenous peoples all over the world on the economic and social development, environment, education, health and human rights. It provides expert recommendations and advice to the council, programs and the different agencies of the UN.
Other Filipinos in the UNPFII are Victoria Tauli-Corpus, the present chair and of Kankana-ey ethno-linguistic group of Besao, Mt. Province; and, Atty. Jose Mencio Molintas, an Ibaloi of Benguet province, who was recently chosen as an expert in the IP body. Northern Dispatch/Posted by (Bulatlat.com)
