Description
Book SynopsisAdopted by the UN General Assembly on 13 September 2007, the
United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples affirms the “minimum standards for the survival, dignity and well-being of the indigenous peoples of the world.” The
Declaration responds to past and ongoing injustices suffered by Indigenous peoples worldwide, and provides a strong foundation for the full recognition of the inherent rights of Indigenous peoples. Despite this, Canada was one of the few countries to oppose the
Declaration. With essays from Indigenous leaders, legal scholars and practitioners, state representatives, and representatives from NGOs, contributors discuss the creation of the
Declaration and how it can be used to advance human rights internationally.
Table of ContentsForeword: A Living Instrument / Phil Fontaine
Introduction: From Development to Implementation: An Ongoing Journey / Jackie Hartley, Paul Joffe, and Jennifer Preston
I: Development, Adoption, and Implementation
1. Reflections on the Development, Adoption, and Implementation of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples / Kenneth Deer
2. Dreamtime Discovery: New Reality and Hope / Les Malezer
3. Survival, Dignity, and Well-Being: Implementing the Declaration in British Columbia / Grand Chief Edward John
II: States and Civil Society
4. Implementing the Declaration: A State Representative Perspective / Connie Taracena
5. Canada’s Opposition to the UN Declaration: Legitimate Concerns or Ideological Bias? / Paul Joffe
6. Realizing the Human Rights of Indigenous Peoples: Partnerships with Non-Indigenous NGOs / Jennifer Preston
III: Treaty Rights and Free, Prior, and Informed Consent: Essential Aspects of Self-Determination
7. Consistent Advocacy: Treaty Rights and the UN Declaration / Wilton Littlechild
8. The Right to Free, Prior, and Informed Consent: A Framework for Harmonious Relations and New Processes for Redress / Andrea Carmen
9. The Significance of the UN Declaration to a Treaty Nation: A James Bay Cree Perspective / Romeo Saganash and Paul Joffe
IV: Dimensions of Collective and Individual Society
10. A Vision for Fulfilling the Indivisible Rights of Indigenous Women / M. Celeste McKay and Craig Benjamin
11. More than Words: Promoting and Protecting the Rights of Indigenous Children with International Human Rights Instruments / Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond
Conclusion: Hopes and Challenges on the Road Ahead / Jackie Hartley, Paul Joffe, and Jennifer Preston
Appendices:
Appendix I: United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Appendix II*: Open Letter: Canada Needs to Implement this New Human Rights Instrument
Appendix III: Supportive Statements Worldwide
Notes
Index
Contributors
List of Abbreviations
* Some signatories to the Open Letter are missing in the printed book. A complete list is contained in an update available online.
