Indigenous Peoples' Center for Documentation, Research and Information

Information about other important conferences dealing with issues regarding indigenous peoples in the UN system:

• WIPO: Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property
• The Convention on Biological Diversity
• OHCHR: Indigenous Fellowship Programme

Since 2001, the Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore (the IGC) of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) has been one of the arenas where indigenous peoples have sought to obtain protection of their traditional knowledge, genetic resources and traditional cultural expressions, as well as compliance with free prior and informed consent for access and the fair sharing of benefits arising from these resources.

The IGC has made significant efforts to enhance the participation of indigenous peoples in its process, in particular through the establishment of a Voluntary Fund for Accredited Indigenous and Local Communities (see our Funds section) and through a specific accreditation process. However, this specific accreditation process is quite long, as requests must be submitted at least two months before each session of the IGC and accreditation is only effective for the subsequent session (further details on the accreditation process on WIPO's website).

The WIPO website provides further information and documentation on this organisation's work related to indigenous peoples' traditional knowledge (TK), genetic resources (GR) and traditional cultural expressions (TCEs), as well as contact information.

The content of all statements read during Sessions of the Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore are inside Reports made after each Session. You’ll find them following this link. The last Draft Report is WIPO/GRTKF/IC/11/15 PROV. 2.

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Over the past several years, there have been very important developments within the framework of the Convention on Biological Diversity regarding issues of interest to indigenous peoples. Among these processes, the Working Group on Article 8(j) and Related Provisions is mandated to advise the Conference of Parties on the application of adequate forms of protection for traditional knowledge, in accordance with Article 8(j) of the Convention. An international regime on access to genetic resources and benefit sharing is being negotiated within the Working Group on Access and Benefit Sharing, where issues of indigenous peoples' rights and free prior and informed consent are at stake. The issue concerning indigenous peoples in the Working Group on Protected Areas are the recognition of territorial rights, customary land tenure, sacred sites, land restitution and the prevention of poverty.

Indigenous peoples' participation is increasingly important and encouraged within the CBD. In particular, the Conference of Parties has established a Voluntary Funding Mechanism for Indigenous and Local Communities (see information in our Funds section).

For further information, please see the CBD's website . Among other information on the CBD, this website has sections on the Article 8(j) and Related Provisions, on the issues of Access to and Benefit Sharing of resources, and of Protected Areas. It also contains a Traditional Knowledge Information Portal aimed at facilitating indigenous peoples' access to information on traditional knowledge relevant to the conservation of biodiversity.

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The Indigenous Fellowship Programme of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights exists in English, Spanish, French and Russian. The aim of the programme is to provide young indigenous men and women (preferably, but not exclusively, between the ages of 25 - 35 years) the opportunity to gain knowledge on the UN system and mechanisms dealing with human rights in general and indigenous issues in particular, so that they may assist their organizations and communities in protecting and promoting the rights of their people. Furthermore, by the end of the Programme each fellow should be capable of providing training within his or her community or organization in the fields of international human rights in general, on IPs' rights in particular and be able to disseminate the information and knowledge gained during the Fellowship Programme.

Each year, five fellows are selected to participate in each of the four components of the programme: the four-month English programme, based at the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva, Switzerland; the four-month Spanish programme, in collaboration with the Human Rights Institute of Deusto University in Bilbao, Spain; the two and a half-month French programme, in collaboration with the Dijon University, France; and the two-month Russian programme, in collaboration with the Russian Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North (RAIPON) and the Center for Support of Indigenous Peoples of the North/Russian Indigenous Training Centre (CSIPN/RITC).

Fellows are provided with a stipend to cover the costs of living, insurance and travel to and from Geneva. For more information on the programme, the conditions for application, the selection process and the application form, please visit the Indigenous Fellowship Programme website.

Contact information:
Indigenous Fellowship Programme
Indigenous and Minorities Unit
Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
UNOG-OHCHR
CH-1211 Geneva 10 / Switzerland
Telefax: + 41 22 917 9008
E-mail: fellowship(at)ohchr(dot)org

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