Thursday, May 23, 2013

Statement by Africa Caucus at UNPFII

Baba Festus
The Twelfth Session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) is currently underway in New York.   Issues of health, education, culture and human rights are the central themes that the Forum will be focusing on in this session. 

During the discussions on education on Tuesday, 21 May 2013, the African Caucus, in a statement to the Forum, advocated for culturally sensitive education for Indigenous Peoples, and recommended: 
  • The introduction of mother tongue education from a young age.
  • A curriculum that respects cultural diversity and does not subordinate indigenous knowledge systems
  • That traditional knowledge be equitably integrated into the mainstream curriculum
 The Africa Caucus called on states to enact legislative frameworks that enables the implementation of their recommendations, and asked that UNESCO and UNICEF provide guidance on how to  implement them.  The statement was delivered by Baba Festus, a Khomani San from South Africa.

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