On Tuesday 25 April, FAO in partnership with the International Indigenous Women’s Forum (IIWF-FIMI) organized the side event entitled: “Indigenous women empowerment: challenges and achievements” during the 16th session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII), the most important body where indigenous peoples’ issues are discussed at the United Nations.  With this event, FAO highlighted the importance of the empowerment of indigenous women worldwide in order to achieve gender equality and overcome gender and ethnic-based discrimination. It also provided a space to discuss the challenges that still remain and share successful experiences. The event was chaired by the...

On the 5 – 8 of April, FAO hosted for the first time a meeting with the Global Indigenous Youth Caucus (GIYC), with fifteen participants across seven world regions visiting its headquarters in Rome to discuss partnerships between FAO and indigenous youth worldwide. The event was aimed at reviewing the FAO-Indigenous Peoples’ Work plan from 2015 to update and incorporate the concerns of indigenous youth. Additionally, the GIYC members prepared a recommendations document for the upcoming Sixteenth session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNFPII) to be held in New York from the April 24 to May...

More than 20 leaders from the 7 indigenous Peoples of Panama presented their advocacy plans devised to influence the formulation of public policies and budgets. Their final aim is to improve agricultural production and guarantee food and nutritional security in their communities.  The preparation of these advocacy plans is the result of the third phase of the Human Rights and Food and Nutrition Security Program promoted by the International Indigenous Women Forum, the National Coordinator of Indigenous Women of Panama and FAO. The first two phases consisted of seven months of virtual trainings plus a two week...

The designs of three young indigenous artists have been selected in the open call for visual art launched by FAO last year. The objective was to gather images that reflect the unique vision of indigenous peoples and their connection to their traditional lands, territories and natural resources. They will be used to illustrate the joint work of FAO with indigenous peoples.  Meet the selected artists and their work!                                                 Zingsho Vashum is a Naga home-grown artist from Guwahati, Assam. She...

For the first time in 40 years, the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) hosted a side event about indigenous peoples and their food systems. This space provided a unique opportunity to share experiences of how indigenous peoples can utilise their resources, knowledge and food production methods to engage into markets in a manner that embraces their traditions and culture. Organized by FAO and the Government of New Zealand, the event featured the first-hand experience of the Maori tribes that have brought their foods to national and international markets. During the discussion, the use certification methods as a way to capture...