Indigenous peoples and forest dependent communities' rights according to international law and their implications for international climate policies.
Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, Chair, UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, and Executive Director, Tebtebba, the Philippines
Victoria spoke of climate change, justice, equity and human rights and the mismanagement of the past and future. She underscored the injustice of allowing the poor and indigenous peoples to bear the brunt of climate change problems they did not create.
Victoria spoke of climate change and the direct threats it poses to a wide range of universally recognized fundamental rights--including the right to life, food, water, health, education.
Her presentation included a survey of instruments of international human rights law and indigenous peoples rights declarations and treaties related to the climate issue and the implications for international climate change policies
She called for a stop to the criminalizing of indigenous peoples and forest peoples' protests, and advocated the setting up of conflict resolution and mediation processes and the strengthening of redress mechanisms.
Victoria concluded by saying that REDD has to be an integral part of a holistic carbon, green development pathway that is underpinned by human rights and the rights of Mother Earth.
Click here for more information about Victoria and her work.
