Date : 2014.09.17

IMADR presented its joint oral statement with National Coalition Against Racial Discrimination (NCARD)  on “Indigenous peoples and natural disaster risk reduction in Nepal” at the 27th session of the Human Rights Council. Whole text can be read below or downloaded here. 

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Oral Statement: 27^th session of the Human Rights Council

Half-day discussion on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

17 September 2014

Thank you Mr. President,

This is a joint statement by IMADR and National Coalition Against Racial Discrimination (NCARD) in Nepal.[1] Firstly, we would like to endorse the Expert Mechanism Advice No. 7 (2014) on disaster risk reduction initiatives.[2]

Floods and landslides have killed 260 people in the last three months across Nepal.[3] It is safe to assume that indigenous peoples, along with Dalits, have been most impacted in those disasters though official data does not exist.[4] Nepal has been in a long process of formulating necessary legislation to minimize the impacts of natural disasters. Indigenous peoples are one of the most vulnerable groups to those disasters due to their poverty, place of residence (remote rural and mountainous areas) and social background (historical exclusion from State power). However, they have been greatly ignored in this process, which is clearly evident when one reads through National Strategy for Disaster Risk Management, 2009.[5] Although the Strategy does not even include a specific reference to indigenous peoples, it takes into account indigenous skills and technologies.

At the same time, Nepal’s indigenous peoples – majority of whom live in and depend on forest resources – have already been feeling significant impacts of climate change, including climate-change induced migration, threats to and loss of livelihoods, etc. They have thus been strongly lobbying for respect for their rights, including right to Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), in formulation and implementation of strategies on forest, REDD+, and biodiversity and nature conservation.[7]

As per Interim Constitution 2007, indigenous peoples and other discriminated groups have the right to participate in state structures. Further, Nepal voted in favor of UNDRIP and is the only Asian country to have ratified ILO Convention 169 in the same year 2007. Thus, we urge the Government of Nepal to immediately take necessary legislative and administrative actions, in consultation with indigenous peoples, to enhance their recognition and participation in disaster risk reduction processes.

Thank you Mr President.