General Assembly proclaims 5 September of each year as the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Women and Girls!

Today, the General Assembly adopted the historic resolution by recorded vote, proclaiming 5 September of each year as the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Women and Girls!

The resolution recognized that 5 September is already commemorated in several countries as the International Day of Indigenous Women, in honour of Indigenous women leaders who have dedicated their lives to the resistance and struggles for the rights of Indigenous Peoples, to promote awareness of the rights of all Indigenous women and girls, to uphold their memory, justice, reparation and dignity.

The resolution, amongst other things:

Recognizes the significant contribution of Indigenous women and girls to sustainable development, the protection of the environment, the preservation of Indigenous languages and cultures, intergenerational transmission of knowledge, maternal health and the promotion of Indigenous and traditional medicine;

Notes the CEDAW General Recommendation 39 on the rights of Indigenous Women and Girls;

Stresses the importance of the empowerment of Indigenous women and girls, their full, equal and meaningful participation in decision-making and with their free, prior and informed consent; and

Requests the Secretary-General to bring the present resolution to the attention of all, in order to raise awareness of the need to recognize and respect the rights and fundamental freedoms of all Indigenous women and girls, as set out in the #UNDRIP 

Access the resolution here: https://docs.un.org/A/80/L.11 

View the webcast here: https://tinyurl.com/yp26x2ut 

#WeAreIndigenous