On Nov. 11 and 12, 2016, Dean S. James Anaya, serving as an appointed advisor to the President of the United Nations General Assembly Peter Thomson of Fiji, along with Professor Claire Charters of the University of Auckland, discussed a new U.N. initiative with representatives of indigenous peoples from around the world at a meeting in Bangkok, Thailand.
The meeting, hosted by the Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact, the Sami Parliament of Norway, and the International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs, took place in the context of an initiative to enhance indigenous peoples’ participation at the United Nations through the possible establishment of a new U.N. observer status. Anaya and Charters informed the meeting participants about the progress of the initiative and received comments that will contribute to the consultations at the U.N. with government delegates and others on the matter. Those consultations, for which Anaya is assisting the U.N. General Assembly president, are expected to lead to a new General Assembly resolution that will provide for a new status and means of participation for indigenous peoples at the U.N.
PICTURED: Anaya with participants of the Dialogue Meeting on Enhanced Indigenous Peoples' Participation at the United Nations.