Annotation:
This declaration from civil society highlights some of the continuing issues of concern for Indigenous women on the international stage and within the broader women's rights movement. The declaration begins by noting that the Beijing Conference failed to adequately recognize that poverty is a continuing legacy of colonialism. Other issues discussed include the inappropriateness of health and education being idealized within a Western model and the primary importance of the right to self-determination being recognized and respected. The declaration also states that the UN needs to create mechanisms to monitor the protection of Indigenous rights and that the political participation of Indigenous women remains an essential element of protecting these rights.