More than 1,000 indigenous men and women are meeting at the United Nations to call attention to the struggles they face around the world.

Women are the special focus of the UN's Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, now in its third year. Over the next 11 days, delegates will address the unique role women play in the preservation and protection of indigenous cultures.

The session began on Monday with a women's honoring song from Barbara James Snyder, a Washoe/Paiute poet from Nevada. The indigenous forum, she said, is "a place where they can come and speak their truth for freedom, peace and equality."

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan spoke in the morning and said progress has been made in the last 10 years to improve the health, social, economic and education status of indigenous people. But they still face systemic discrimination and prejudice in their own homelands, he said.

"In many cases, they are trapped in the middle of conflicts, conscripted into armed forces, faced with summary executions and relocated from their lands," he told the forum. "They are subject to extreme poverty, disease, environmental destruction and sometimes permanent displacement."

Moving forward, Annan said nations need to ensure that women are included in the decision-making process. "Too often the voices of indigenous women are not heard," he said

The theme was echoed at an panel in the afternoon as speakers urged a closer look at issues facing the 370 million indigenous people worldwide. Indigenous women face violence, gender bias and other unique problems, attendees said.

"An alarming number of indigenous women, especially in Asia, are being trafficked and sold into prostitution, leading to the rapid spread of HIV/AIDS" and other diseases, said Stella Tamang, the chair of the International Indigenous Women's Caucus. Tamang is an indigenous woman from Nepal.

Ole Henrik Magga, a Sami leader from Norway, said men of all ages need to address their behaviors, particularly domestic violence against women and children. "This is a question of human rights for women," he said. Magga is serving as chair of the permanent forum.

At a discussion following the panel, Shirley McPherson, an Australian Aboriginal woman representing the government of Australia, said disparities affecting Aboriginals are narrowing. "That is not to say that all is good news," she added. Aboriginals finish high school and attend college at rates far lower than the rest of the nation, she said.

"Levels of violence against indigenous women are unacceptably high and the number of indigenous women in contact with the criminal justice system is increasing," she said.

Discussions on health care, education, culture, human rights, the environment and other areas will be discussed over the next two weeks. The forum will conclude on May 21 with the adoption of a report that will provide recommendations to the United Nations on indigenous issues.

The forum consists of 16 members who represent indigenous groups throughout the world. Mililani Trask, a Native Hawaiian activist, is the designate from the U.S. Wilton Littlechild, a member of the Ermineskin Cree Nation, is the designate from Canada.

Permanent Forum Video:
Morning Session | Afternoon Session

Relevant Links:
Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues - http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/pfii