PM to implement international law for tribal peoples

Nepal’s Prime Minister has promised to include indigenous peoples’ rights in the country’s new constitution, in line with his country’s commitment to uphold the only international law for tribal peoples, ILO Convention 169.

Nepal signed the international law last year, but has not yet made the changes necessary to put it into practice. This month, Prime Minister Prachanda said ‘the rights of the indigenous, tribal and oppressed people would be established’, and committed to implementing the international law for tribal peoples as quickly as possible.

ILO Convention 169 is a vital law that can help to protect tribal peoples all over the world. It recognises their rights to own their land, and to control their own futures. Today only 20 countries have signed up to the law, even though it is the only law of its kind. Survival is campaigning for all countries to sign up to ILO 169, and to recognise that tribal peoples have legal, not just moral, rights.