UN Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Peoples - Last session

2013 session

The 26th session of the Board of Trustees took place at Palais des Nations in Geneva from 11 to 15 February 2013.

Having examined the applications in light of the selection criteria, the Board recommended for approval to the Secretary-General:

• 27 grants for representatives of indigenous communities and organizations to attend the 12th session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (PFII);
• 20 grants for representatives of indigenous communities and organizations to attend the 6th session of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples;
• Four grants for representatives of indigenous communities and organizations to attend the 16th session of the UPR, one grant for a representative of indigenous communities and organizations to attended the 23rd session of the Human Rights Council, and three grants for indigenous representatives to attend the 9th session of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

In addition, the Board held ten private meetings and examined information prepared by the Secretariat concerning the implementation of recommendations adopted at its 25th session, the extension of the mandate of the Fund, the financial status of the Fund, fund-raising efforts, policy issues and capacity building of grantees. 

The members of the Board met with the members of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) to discuss how to improve participation of indigenous peoples in the Committee sessions. The members of the Board extend its admiration and support to the work the Committee has undertaken to empower indigenous peoples worldwide.  

The Board of Trustees held its annual meeting with representatives of donor countries - and other interested governments. Representatives of twenty two member states attended the meeting including Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Cote d’Ivoire, Estonia, Finland, Guatemala, the Holy See, Kazakhstan, Morocco, Mexico, Moldova, Pakistan, Peru, Spain, South Africa, Sweden, Uruguay and Venezuela. The Board members thanked Argentina, Australia, Chile, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, Germany, the Holy See, Mexico, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden and Turkey for their contributions to the Fund in 2012. Several States expressed their strong support to the work of the Fund and commended the excellent work done by the Board.