Background:

Historically, Indigenous Peoples (IPs) and CDWDs (Communities Discriminated on Work and Descent) including Dalit Communities have faced systemic discrimination in accessing their rights in all spheres. With the advent of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights progressively human rights have been secured and cemented in covenants, conventions and declarations. Increasingly, communities across the world have advocated for their rights through the body of international human rights law. UN Declaration on the rights of the Indigenous Peoples (DRIP) is another historical step securing the rights of Indigenous Peoples and establishes a universal framework of minimum standards for the survival, dignity and well-being of the Indigenous Peoples. UNDRIP has been achievement for Indigenous Communities rights in mobilizing support from States for framing more effective advocacy strategies at the United Nations.

CDWDs including the Dalit Communities have consistently advocated for their rights before the UN Human rights Council, UN CERD (Convention to Eliminate Racial Discrimination), UN CEDAW (Convention to Eliminate Discrimination Against Women), UPR (Universal Periodic Review) and various bodies of the UN General Assembly towards the goal of a Declaration for the Rights of Communities Discriminated on Work and Descent. There are many lessons that can be learned from the experiences of Indigenous Communities with respect to UNDRIP and share the experiences of Dalit Communities and their advocacy strategies over the last three decades. It is proposed that this self-organised workshop will bring together representatives from Indigenous Communities and Dalit Communities in the Asia Pacific region as well as representatives from UN human rights mechanisms.

Objectives:

Through this dialogue among representatives from Indigenous Communities and Dalit Communities, seek to:

• Reflect on the Strategies that have been effective in strengthening UN policy frameworks towards the rights of Indigenous Peoples movements and as well as the rights of the CDWDs including Dalit Communities
• Build greater solidarity between the IPs and CDWs

Proposed Speakers:

• Mr. Devashish Roy - Chakma chief, Bangladesh (tbc)
• Dr. Vicky Corpuz – Former United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples (tbc)
• Ms. Durga Sob, Co-Convenor, Asia Dalit Rights Forum
• Dr. Sono Khangrani, Convenor, Pakistan Dalit Solidarity Network.
• Prof. Chin Sung Chung, (tbc) , Member UN CERD

Moderator: Mr. Paul Divakar Namala, Convenor, GFoD, (Global Forum of Communities Discriminated on Work and Descent)