Indigenous Peoples have used the Convention on Biodiversity (CBD) to advance their struggle for the recognition of their rights, specifically with regard to natural resources. Since the Rio Summit in 1992, Indigenous Peoples have taken active part in various CBD processes, which have opened up new opportunities and challenges for them. It is to their credit that despite massive challenges, they have succeeded in participating in the CBD in a more organized and systematic way.

This has been achieved through the effective coordination done by the International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity (IIFB). An informal grouping, the IIFB organizes preparatory meetings and briefing sessions to help prepare indigenous representatives to participate more effectively in CBD meetings.

The Indigenous Peoples Network for Change (IPNC), a GEF-UNEP funded project of the International Alliance of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples of the Tropical Forests (IAITPTF), aims to enhance the participation of Indigenous Peoples in these various processes. It implements this objective through regional capacity building seminars on CBD, use of alternative media to disseminate information, and development of briefing papers.

This collection of briefing papers aims to contribute to the current debate as well as to share information to new participants. The papers were written by independent authors who have followed the CBD processes; the views they present are theirs and do not necessarily reflect the position of the International Alliance. They tackle four themes relevant to Indigenous Peoples and the CBD -- access and benefit sharing (ABS), protected areas (PAs), traditional knowledge (Article 8j) and climate change (CC).

The debate among Indigenous Peoples on these subjects is indicative of the diversity of contexts that they find themselves in. The positions they take during discussions arise from their concrete experiences in their daily lives. Given the fact that they live in widely diverse national contexts it is therefore not surprising that there is a diversity of opinions. This volume does not intend to undermine indigenous processes that are underway to reach united positions on these themes. Rather it should serve as an introduction to specific issues for new representatives of Indigenous Peoples’ organizations to the CBD and to further the discussions among those who have been attending.

The papers all stress the basic demand of Indigenous Peoples to participate effectively in the CBD. While these outline the importance of CBD processes to Indigenous Peoples at the same time these highlight how their voices are marginalized. The papers thus argue for greater participation of Indigenous Peoples in all levels of decision making.