Honouring Indigenous Women’s Wisdom KAIROS/ Horizons of Friendship Delegation to the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, May 18-22, 2014

The delegates outside the UN church centre We are all from different backgrounds, but the land has connected us

together, just as our ancestors would want it

Alma Brooks, Maliseet grandmother, Wabanaki Confederacy, New Brunswick

I want the world to know who we are as Maliseet people, the people of the beautiful river, and the struggle for our water and our land. We have to bring these issues to the UN.

And we did bring these issues to the UN

Ann Marie Sam, Nak’azdli First Nation, North Central BC

We should be making decisions about our land and land use, not a government in debt. We are going to collect our own data and look at impacts. We are researching the social and health impacts. This way we will be able to outline why we are saying no.

Joanne Jefferson, member of the Stó:lô Nation in British Columbia

We are the creators of life. This table (the delegation) should have the courage to challenge these developments. We are learning here how we can approach what’s happening at home.

Ana Guadalupe Matzir Miculax , Maya Kaqchikel Chimaltenango, Guatemala

In Guatemala there has been an increase in criminalization against community leaders, women and entire organizations. There has also been an increase in repression and assassinations and the use of militarization and even imposition of state of siege to intimidate and repress.

Mila Lingbawan Singson , Igorot Mankayan, Benguet in the Cordillera region of Northern Philippines.

We want to strengthen the voices of Indigenous peoples, especially Indigenous women. We are holding the real information, because we are experiencing these issues. We need to put our voices together as Indigenous women . We have common problems and perspectives.

Doris Imayda Borst Chow, Miskitu, Waspam, Rio Coco, North Atlantic Autonomous Region (RAAN) of Nicaragua.

Thanks to our ancestors we still have our customs, traditions, territory and language and we have laws that protect Indigenous peoples . These laws came out of a long struggle and demonstrate the contradictions in our current government

Flora Fermina Jimenez Ramirez , Maya Mam, Comitancillo, San Marcos, Guatemala.

The participation and organization of women revolves around defense of territory because their livelihoods are dependent on land, natural resource and water

Ebinia Santos Rodríguez , Ngäbe Indigenous from the Chiriqui Province of Panama

We need to amplify our reality by bringing it to the UN. In Panama despite laws and norms, the reality is that mega projects are going ahead without respect for Indigenous rights

Delegates and the outgoing UN Special Rapporteur on Indigenous Issues, James Anaya

Delegates and incoming UN Special Rapporteur on Indigenous Issues Vicky Tauli- Corpuz

Strategic roundtable on mining and impacts on womenDelegates share testimonies of the impacts of mining on women and women’s role in defending collective rights and the environment

Meeting with Kenneth Deere from the Indigenous world association

Central American delegates outside the UN Building

Meeting with Ambassador Rishchynski from Canada’s Permanent Mission to the UN

Thank you!

Thank you!