International Advocacy

For Indigenous peoples dealing with occupying colonial governments the power disparity can be difficult to overcome. Repressive governments and corporate aligned media can ignore even large protests. The UN provides a means to pressure governments and raise issues above the control of federal governments and hold them against emerging conventions in international law, with the recognition of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Though not legally enforceable the weight of international pressure can encourage outcomes.

2011 Intervention on Women

In 2011 my focus was women and violence. With the massacres of invasion and dispossession experienced directly by my grand-parents parents, this brutality is part of our very recent past.  So it continues to impact on our communities through high levels of intergenerational trauma and violence towards women, which is worse in communities where there is a greater breakdown of our culture. 

UNPFII Indigenous Caucus

The Permanent Forum also offers Opportunity to link up and work together with other Indigenous Peoples.

I’d recommend that you ensure you attend your national and regional caucuses which both usually meet daily in the morning prior to the sessions, they can advise on how to submit your interventions and enable you to contribute to national and regional Interventions.