A professor at UBC and world expert on global Indigenous politics has been appointed as a United Nations chair.
Dr. Sheryl Lightfoot has been appointed as chair of the United Nations Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous People.
That makes Lightfoot the first Canadian Indigenous woman to hold the position, hailing from the Lake Superior Ojibwe Band as an Anishinaabe woman.
Whereas the last Canadian to hold the position was Grand Chief Wilton Littlechild in 2012.
Lightfoot says the appointment is especially important for Canada as it’s a recognition of the country’s leadership in the implementation of the declaration.
Composed of seven experts, the mechanism is tasked with providing expertise to the Human Rights Council.
As well, the mechanism advises states on the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Previous to being chair, Lightfoot served as a representative to the Expert Mechanism for three years.
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