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MISSION

The Advocacy Project seeks to help community-based advocates produce, disseminate and use information, and so become more effective advocates for human rights and social justice

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Indigenous Media Network

• Mission
• Advocacy
• Social Change
• Dissemination
  • AdvocacyNet
  • In the Media Highlights
• ICT
  

Mission

Early in 2002, the office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights asked AP to help in the establishment of a network for several indigenous journalists who had received training from the UNHCHR’s office. These journalists came from all over the world – Kenya, Canada, New Zealand, Nepal, and Peru. Working with UN officials, AP helped the journalists to form a new Indigenous Media Network (IMN). The organization's mission is to use journalism as a tool to campaign for the rights of indigenous peoples worldwide and to combat discrimination against indigenous peoples.

Advocacy

• IMN produced the material for a new website that was designed by AP and posted during the first session of the new UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues that met in New York (May 13-24). Three AP associates worked with the journalists during the meeting to help them write and identify news stories. This launch was tremendously successful, and attracted several new members to the network during the Forum. They were able to post articles on the Forum and are now making more ambitious plans for covering future UN meetings. Several indigenous journalists attended the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesberg (August 2002) and posted their articles on the website.

• The Kanaks of New Caledonia have used a website created by AP for the Indigenous Media Network (IMN) to warn that the inclusion of New Caledonia’s coral reefs on the World Heritage List could threaten their rights and culture.

• The Indigenous Media Network (IMN) has drawn up a document to be presented at the World Summit in Geneva and also proposed its consideration by the indigenous delegates at the preparatory meeting in Brazil, held Oct. 8 - 10.

• "The IMN document demands special attention to the situation of indigenous peoples, taking into account that their full and equal participation in the evolution of the information society should be based on their own visions and concepts. The respect for their foci, their own protocols, procedures and obligations that are culturally different and defined. The document considers that the information and communication technologies should be at the service of indigenous peoples in order to strengthen their cultures and identities. Some of these proposals were accepted." (Native Currents: World Summit on the Information Society)

Social Change

• Dissemination of Information: This was acknowledged by Bertrand Ramcharam, the Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, who wrote to thank AP for “your wonderful support you have given our office in launching the indigenous media network project and their new website. The Indigenous Media Network is one of many goals that we have been working towards establishing as part of the UN International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People, and now with your support, we are happy to say it has begun. The indigenous journalists who participated in covering the first session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues held in New York from May 13-24 2002, will now be able to express their particular issues in their own voice through the website. We thank you very much for your support and commitment to the indigenous media network project.”

Dissemination

• AdvocacyNet

May-June 2003
UN Spurns Offer of Indigenous Help for its Cash-Starved Indigenous Forum, Says Indigenous Media Network

February 2003
The Kanaks of New Caledonia Use Indigenous Website to Oppose the Protection of Coral Reefs

• In the Media Highlights

December 1, 2003
Native Currents: World Summit on the Information Society
Indian Country Today

May 27, 2002
Weaving a Global, Native Web
Wired

ICT

Website

• Without a website, this network would have no common identity or focus. With it, they can post their articles for the public and develop common strategies (in the members-only section) for advocating on indigenous rights at the United Nations.  (The website has since been taken down but you can read more about the website and view a screenshot here).

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