9th World Indigenous Women and Wellness Conference

Darwin 23-25 August 2010

More than 500 delegates representing first nation women from around the world attended the 9th World Indigenousw Women and Wellness Conference in Darwin from 23 - 25 August, 2010.

We, the 500 delegates of the 9th World Indigenous Women and Wellness Conference, held in Darwin from 23 - 25 August 2010, have met and shared knowledge and ideas. We release the following Call to Action.

We call upon governments of invaded nations around the world :

1. to recognise Indigenous peoples as the original sovereign peoples of the land and that founding Nations have contributed, and continue to contribute to, the prosperity and well being of all peoples of the world.
2. that State Parties must be fully accountable for government actions that violate the rights of Indigenous peoples; take measures in full consultation and give back ownership to indigenous peoples to redress rights violations, ensuring equal gender representation on all bodies which affect our lives.
3. to recognise that government designed and imposed policies and programs are not working – we demand that you stop repeating the mistakes of the past.
4. recognise that Indigenous peoples are capable of finding our own solutions to the problems we face, consistent with international human rights obligations and domestic human rights protections – State Parties must entrench full consultation, active engagement and guiding control by and with Indigenous peoples on all matters affecting us.
5. ensure Indigenous peoples enjoy full access to meaningful human rights, redress systems and processes. Recognise and ensure full enjoyment of Indigenous peoples rights set out in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the Convention on the Rights of the Child General Comment 11, the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and other relevant human rights instruments. We demand that such international instruments be enshrined in domestic law, across the world.
6. educate the non-indigenous populations, to create understanding, respect and reconciliation.
7. recognise that loss of cultural identity, unsustainable environmental exploitation, intergenerational unemployment, illness, trauma, homelessness, lack of education and poverty are caused by invasion, worsened by Corporate influence and diminishes our collective humanity.
8. recognise the importance of investing in and empowering young Indigenous people to nurture our future leaders, for the sake of all of our futures.
9. have access to proper housing, water, food, employment, education, essential services and resources, and to practice and enjoy our cultures, languages, spirituality, traditions and live in peace and safety in our communities.
10. stop taking our children away and imprisoning our people.