Nhulundu Health Service CEO Matt Cooke, in his role of Deputy Chairperson of the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO), will join with fellow NACCHO representatives Chairperson Justin Mohammed and Director Sheryl Lawton to head to New York to attend the United Nations Caucus of Indigenous Peoples Rights in May.
Check out the UN website for details
http://social.un.org/index/IndigenousPeoples.aspx
The opportunity for the NACCHO Executive to attend the United Nations – Rights of Indigenous Peoples Caucus will be a significant and unique opportunity to see firsthand how Indigenous people and organisations from around the world are working with Governments and Corporate Citizens to address the social disadvantage faced by Indigenous nations. Both Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Australians have a lot to learn from the international arena. As a first world nation our Indigenous people have a health and social status worse than those people living in third world countries, with some 17-25 years difference in life expectancy between Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Australians.
“It has been acknowledged by both sides and all levels of Government that the time has come to close the gap and move forward together as a prosperous and healthy Australian community, Matt said, “I look forward to seizing this opportunity to discuss these issues and to work hard to seek answers and bring back the knowledge that will improve health outcomes for our people.”
Justin Mohamed will keep us informed via TWITTER follow @NACCHOAustralia
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The Doctrine of Discovery
Eleventh session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues
Discussion on Monday, 7 May 2012, 3pm – 6pm
The special theme of the eleventh session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous
Issues – the Doctrine of Discovery – refers to the way in which courts historically justified the annexing of indigenous lands.
With the discussion of “The Doctrine of Discovery: its enduring impact on indigenous peoples and the right to redress for past conquests,” the Permanent Forum intends to build on past debates, but in a “forward-thinking” dialogue, not solely focused on historical wrongs.
The Doctrine of Discovery provided that, by law and divine intention, European Christian countries gained power and legal rights over indigenous non-Christian peoples immediately upon their “discovery” by Europeans.
To benefit their own countries, various European monarchs and their legal systems developed this principle, which has become institutionalized in law and policy, at national and international levels.
Today, the Doctrine of Discovery is still being applied to indigenous peoples notwithstanding its Eurocentric, religious and racial underpinnings, and is often marked by the violations of cultural practices and spiritual expressions, expropriation of lands, territories and resources and ongoing violations of indigenous peoples’ human rights.
The discussion between Member States, indigenous peoples, United Nations agencies, funds and programmes, non-governmental organizations and other key players will focus on issues related to justice, reconciliation and peace, and offer concrete examples for governments and indigenous peoples to work together to build a future based on mutual respect, equity and justice.