Key Areas of Focus
The priority of work for the sub group is to support the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child to develop a General Comment respecting the rights of Indigenous children and young people. Other areas of focus include developing plans for the inclusion of young people in the work of the sub group, completion of a literature review on Indigenous child rights and traditional law respecting Indigenous child rights and the establishment of operational procedures for this newly formed sub group. For further information please contact Roy Laifungbam, Convenor: Roy.Laifungbam@gmail or Cindy Blackstock, Co-Convenor info@fncfcs.com.
The Indigenous Sub Group work towards the recognition of, respect for, and implementation of the human rights of Indigenous children and young people around the world, taking into account the specific role of their families and communities.
The overall objectives of the ISG are:
- To seek and promote the active participation of Indigenous children, young people, families, and communities in issues affecting them.
- To assist with the implementation and dissemination of the General Comment No. 11 of the Committee of the Rights of the Child on the Rights of Indigenous Children under the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
- To cooperate proactively on an international level with Indigenous peoples, knowledge holders, professionals, academics and their associated institutions; Indigenous young people and their institutions; UN bodies; non-governmental organisations, and State Parties on the inclusion, interpretation, observance, and monitoring of the evolving human rights and Indigenous rights instruments and discourse affecting Indigenous children, young people and their families.
The Indigenous Sub-Group worked persistently with the Committee and other key stakeholders on the development and adoption of General Comment 11 on Indigenous Children and their Rights under the Convention. Its adoption on 12 February 2009 was a major feat for Indigenous children and the ISG is now focused on support for sharing effective strategies for domestic implementation of the General Comment. How can we use the General Comment to see change on the ground for our children?
Copies of the General Comment 11 are available below for download in the 6 United Nations languages.
General Comment 11 - English PDF
General Comment 11 - French PDF
General Comment 11 - Russian PDF
General Comment 11 - Spanish PDF
General Comment 11 - Chinese PDF
General Comment 11 - Arabic PDF
The Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care - SNAICC - is the current Convenor of the Indigenous Sub-Group. SNAICC is currently chatting various groups about organising the next meeting of the Indigenous Sub-Group and will confirm a date and time soon.
If you are interested in being involved in the Indigenous Sub-Group, please contact Emma Sydenham at SNAICC emmas@snaicc.asn.au +61 3 9489 8099.