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Zo Indigenous Forum (ZIF) is an Indigenous Peoples' community-based human rights non-profit organization dedicated to empowering and promoting the interests of the Zo People, an indigenous ethnic group. Founded in 2009 it is headquartered in Aizawl, Mizoram's state capital. The organization has a large network of members and supporters in the northeastern region of India, Myanmar, and Bangladesh.

Mission:


 * To promote and protect human rights and the Indigenous Peoples' rights
 * To preserve and promote the rich cultural heritage and traditions of the Zo people.
 * To work towards the socio-economic development of the Zo communities through education, healthcare, livelihood, and environmental conservation programs.
 * To advocate for the rights and dignity of the Zo people, including their right to self-determination and autonomy.
 * To promote and protect human rights and the Indigenous Peoples' rights

Affiliation

ZIF works on different issues that affects the Zo Indigenous Peoples and their rights including the Susitainable Development Goals, the Refugee Rights, Biodiversity, Land Rights, Intellectual Property etc, in order to be effectively working they have affiliated to organisaitons like The Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP), Indigenous Peoples Human Rights Defenders (IPHRD), Together 2030, Kaladan Movement, Land Rights Now, The International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity (IIFB) and Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN)

Activities:

The key activities revolve around promoting Indigenous Peoples self -determined rights and development over their land, territory, and resources for conservation and management of the natural environment with due respect for human rights based approach and advocating for the rights and interests of the Zo people through legal and policy interventions and public awareness campaigns.

They also one of the vocals when Mizoram Assembly adopts reedsolution supporting th UN Declaration on Righthe ts of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) in 2015 ZIF also strongly objects the draft Indian Forest (Amendment) Bill, 2019 as it was anti-indigenous communities and against the fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution, they also submitted memorandum to the United Nations .They also said that the draft is in contradictory with the indigenous peoples’ rights and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). Andwill threaten the rights of the autonomous district councils in the lines of the administration of justice, land and limited legislative power, management of forest, regulation of jhum cultivation and others

They have also done a lot of awareness-raising, advocacy, and research on the KalaMulti-Modal Transit Transport Project. While Prime MInister ianmohan Singh visited Myanmar in 2012 they urged  that th project should not be affected by the project and publish One cannot step into the same river twice; making the Kaladan Project people-centred  assessing the potential Project peoples benefits and negative impacts for people living in the project area; providing view of the current on-the-ground impacts, focusing on the hopes and concerns of the local people; makings of recommendations to the Burma and India governments.

Zo Indigenous Forum also takes up alleged the moleststion of tribal women by the Indian army to the Mizoram State Commisison for Women and National Commisison for Women (NCW) They also accused Assam Rifles indulsing in a series of illegal act including attacking truck drivers and violating Covid-19 protocols putting thousands of peoples live to danger

ZIF also actively enage on Indigenous Peoples issues at United Nations like intellectual property inclduing traditional knowlege, like when India organise meet on biopiracy in Geneva in 2018 and invited to be a part of it  and the 4th cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in the Human Rights Counci l on November 10, 2022 and some of the issues with specific relevance t includes the recommendation of ratification of Indigenous and Tribal People’s Convention 1989 (ILO Convention 169) by Paraguay (A/HRC/WG.6/41/L.8) andi the issues of Look East Policy and Land Rights at the UN Forum on Business and Human Rights that was held in Qatar.

In their submission to the United Nations Committee on the rights of the Child (CRC) in 2014 they focusses on the developments and the challenges faced towards the protection of child rights in India

ZIF has been instrumental in revitalizing and preserving the cultural heritage of the Zo people, including documenation of the threatened language adndculture. ZIF has been successful in raising awareness about the rights and issues faced by the Zo people and advocating for their dignity.