Answer:
The Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat is a vital interface between
global policies in the economic, social and environmental spheres and national action. The Department works
in three main interlinked areas: (i) it compiles, generates and analyses a wide range of economic, social and
environmental data and information on which States Members of the United Nations draw to review common
problems and to take stock of policy options; (ii) it facilitates the negotiations of Member States in many
intergovernmental bodies on joint course of action to address ongoing or emerging global challenges; and (iii) it
advises interested Governments on the ways and means of translating policy frameworks developed in United
Nations conferences and summits into programmes at the country level and, through technical assistance, helps
build national capacities.
Note
The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of the United Nations. The
designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression
of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations concerning the legal
status of any country or territory or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitations of its frontiers.
The term “country” as used in the text of the present report also refers, as appropriate, to territories
or areas.
The designations of country groups in the text and the tables are intended solely for statistical or
analytical convenience and do not necessarily express a judgement about the stage reached by a
particular country or area in the development process.
Mention of the names of firms and commercial products does not imply the endorsement of the
United Nations.
Symbols of United Nations documents are composed of capital letters combined with figures.
ST/ESA/328
United Nations publication
Sales No. 09.VI.13
ISBN 92-1-130283-7
Copyright © United Nations, 2009
All rights reserved
Printed by the United Nations, New York
STATE OF THE WORLD’S INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
iii
Acknowledgements
The State of the World’s Indigenous Peoples has been a collaborative effort in which a number of experts and
organizations have participated.
The thematic chapters were written by Joji Carino, Duane Champagne, Neva Collings, Myrna Cunningham,
Dalee Sambo Dorough, Naomi Kipuri and Mililani Trask. The introduction was written by the Secretariat of the
Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.
The Secretariat of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues oversaw the preparation of the publication. Elsa
Stamatopoulou, Chief of the Secretariat provided overall leadership throughout the entire process of preparing this
publication. Broddi Sigurdarson was managing editor for the production of the publication from its inception.
Important contributions were made by Sonia Smallacombe, Carol Pollack, Juan Fernando Nuñez, Maria Luz
Aragon, Ekaterina Gorbunova and Anna Satarova. Contributions were also made by Oksana Burnabaeva, Olga
Khovenmei, Bonney Hartley, Tobias Langenbach and Elizabeth Martinez.
Special gratitude goes to the Russian Association of the Indigenous Peoples of the North (RAIPON) and the Yamal
Nenets Autonomous Okrug for organizing an expert Group Meeting in Salekhard, Russian Federation which brought
together the authors and other experts for a three day meeting in preparation for this publication. The efforts of
Pavel Sulyandziga were particularly valuable in organizing this meeting. Other individuals also contributed to this
meeting. They include: Rodion Sulyandziga, Yana Dordina, William Langeveldt and Oksana Ilyina.
Special acknowledgements go to the editor, Diana Vinding and also to Ziad Al-Kadri and Marko Srdanovic of the
UN Graphic Design Unit, Department of Public Information.
Jomo Kwame Sundaram, Assistant-Secretary-General for Economic Development, and Anisuzzaman Chowdhury
of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs provided invaluable comments.
Explanation:
