Proud Igorota named to UN post

by Voltaire Tupaz Posted on 03/12/2014 11:36 PM |Updated 03/13/2014 11:22 PM

INDIGENOUS LEADER. Vicky Tauli-Copruz (front row, 5th from right) was the former chair of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. Photo from Corpuz's Facebook page

MANILA, Philippines The field of contenders for the position of United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous People was extremely strong, according to Human Rights Council (HRC) president Baudelaire Ndong Ella, but in the end the nominee from the Philippines prevailed.

Vicky Tauli-Corpuz, a proud Igorot from the Kankana-ey tribe in Besao, Mountain Province, will be the first woman and indigenous person from the Philippines to assume the position previously held by men.

Vicky is a very experienced advocate at the United Nations level and establishes a welcome commitment to gender equity in this important post for indigenous peoples of the world, Ella said when he announced Corpuzs selection on March 3.

Corpuz helped push for the adoption of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in 2007 while she was the chairperson of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII), also the first Filipina to assume the post.

As a special rapporteur, Corpuz will report on the human rights situations of various indigenous peoples (IP) around the world, address violations of their rights through communications with governments, and promote good practices on indigenous rights protection.

Created by the UN Commission on Human Rights in 1991, the position was renewed by the HRC in 2007.

Indigenous activist

Corpuz said she did not expect to be chosen among the 14 nominees, most of whom obtained Masters and PhD degrees. Corpuz graduated from the Philippine Science High School in Quezon City in 1969 and finished her nursing degree at the University of the Philippines Manila in 1976.

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Proud Igorota named to UN post