MADRE Statements

MADRE Congratulates Partner Mirna Cunningham on Appointment to UNPFII

Posted on: Monday, May 3, 2010

Keywords: UN, UNFPII, Indigenous Rights, Human Rights Advocacy, Nicaragua, Activist

We congratulate Mirna Cunningham on her recent appointment to the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. Mirna is a longtime friend and partner of MADRE, an expert from our Network of Experts and Vice President of our partner organization CADPI in Nicaragua.

As Mirna said in an interview with MADRE partner Tarcila Rivera Zea of CHIRAPAQ earlier this year:

The role that best suits the Permanent Forum members is, first, to mobilize the Indigenous rights activists in each region of the world in order to learn the point of view of Indigenous Peoples with regard to specific demands and the critical issues that need to be discussed within the Permanent Forum. Once those issues have been defined, we must ensure that Forum members reach countries and communities, listen to people and can, on that basis, articulate proposals and recommendations to take to the Permanent Forum. …The world's global crisis directly affects Indigenous Peoples and it won't be resolved by just one region or another; it must be faced collaboratively. Read more »

Mirna has dedicated her life to Indigenous and women’s rights, and we know that she will continue this important work as a member of the UNPFII. We look forward to working with her in her new capacity.

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