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I commend you for your decision to review the U.S. position on the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and strongly urge you to endorse the UNDRIP.  Such a change would send a strong message to Americans and the international community that the United States seeks to lead by example, by recognizing and upholding the human rights of Indigenous Peoples worldwide, including here at home.  In the United States almost 24% of Indigenous peoples live in poverty.

Native American and Alaska Native women, in particular, face egregious violations of their rights – Native women are more than 2.5 times more likely to be raped or sexually assaulted than other women in the U.S. in general. One in three Native women will be raped or sexually assaulted in her lifetime and according to Department of Justice statistics, at least 86 percent of perpetrators are non-Native men.

As a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council, the United States is required to “uphold the highest standards” regarding human rights. I welcome your administration’s decision to rejoin the Human Rights Council, and in so doing, your commitment not only to shaping, but also to championing human rights standards. Endorsing the UNDRIP is a concrete action that would signal that the U.S. intends to lead by example and live by the human rights standards set by the international community.
Your recent signing of the Tribal Law and Order Act of 2010 was a commendable step to help fulfill these commitments.  The Act will help decrease rates of sexual violence in Indian Country and I am deeply grateful for the attention that you have given to this important issue.  I also applaud your recent effort to ensure that federal agencies consult with Indigenous communities and urge you to continue ensuring that tribes are fully engaged at all levels in determining federal policy issues which have implications for tribes. I urge you to expand on these important domestic efforts by embracing the international standards set forth in the UNDRIP “for the survival, dignity, and well-being of the Indigenous peoples of the world.”
Mr. President, thank you for your continued leadership and commitment to addressing the historic and long-overdue issues that Indigenous communities face in the U.S. I urge you to put the weight of your Presidency behind these efforts and embrace the UNDRIP without qualifications as a step toward respecting the human rights of Indigenous Peoples worldwide, including here in the United States.
Thank you for your time and consideration of this request and I look forward to seeing the U.S. endorsement of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Thank you,

Saidimu Ole Ngais.

Saidimu signed the petition above through the Amnesty international.

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