Author Description

December 2004 marked the end of the International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples. The Decade, and the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations, has brought enormous international attention to the situation of Indigenous People. Developing Rights of Indigenous Children is being published now to give interested readers and human rights advocates a valuable insider's view of the recent dramatic accomplishments in this rapidly-evolving field. The book is a collection of essays that are divided into four sections: Background (covering treaties, - such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child, national legislation and tribal law); Important Indigenous Child Issues, (including cultural identity, land rights and health); Regional Indigenous Child Issues (which includes chapters about the issues concerning indigenous children in specific geographic areas, such as Alaska and Venezuela); and Voices of Youth (with essays by indigenous young people who give their views about their present circumstances and hopes for the future), The book's authors are all recognized authorities on indigenous issues and children's rights and include such luminaries as Jaap Doek (Chairperson of the Committee on the Rights of the Child - which monitors the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child) and Wilton Littlechild (Rapporteur for the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues). The editors, Cynthia Price Cohen and Philip Cook have been at the forefront of the indigenous child rights movement and are recognized authorities on Indigenous children's rights.