UN, 21 September 2014 – The week of high-level events that marks the opening of the United Nations General Assembly's annual general debate kicks off this year with the first World Conference on Indigenous Peoples (WCIP), which opens Monday.
Convened as a high-level plenary meeting of the Assembly, the two-day World Conference is expected to draw over a thousand indigenous and non-indigenous delegates who will have the opportunity to share perspectives and best practices on the realization of their rights, including pursuing the objectives of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, adopted by the General Assembly in 2007.
UN, 9 August 2014 – Marking the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples today, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said indigenous peoples have a central interest in development and can act as “powerful agents of progress.”
“In order for them to contribute to our common future, we must secure their rights,” said Mr. Ban in his message on the Day, in which he added: “Let us recognize and celebrate the valuable and distinctive identities of indigenous peoples around the world. Let us work even harder to empower them and support their aspirations.”
Organisers of the “Right2Water” campaign urged the EU
Commission to guarantee access to water and sanitation as a human right,
and give a legal undertaking that water services will not be
liberalised in the EU, in the first European Parliament debate on a
European Citizens’ Initiative in Parliament on Monday. MEPs shared the
view that access to water is a basic human right, but some pointed out
that rules on providing drinkable water remain the remit of EU member
states.
The hearing, organised by the Environment Committee, in
association with Development, Internal Market and Petitions committees,
brought together representatives of the “Right2Water” Citizens
Committee, MEPs and the European Commission, which will draft a response
to the initiative by 20 of March.
