The International Covenant on the Rights of Indigenous Nations (ICRIN)

What we do
Accomplishments

For over 40 years, CWIS has been the leading indigenous peoples’ think tank ensuring that communities can safeguard their rights and resources.
Education

Activate your potential with online courses on Indigenous Studies and Traditional Medicine.
Research & Public Policy

The leading think-tank defining and implementing indigenous-centric policy and strategic implementation in climate change, governance, conflict resolution and health care.
Preserving Indigenous People’s Knowledge

Transforming access: leading digital innovation to protect and amplify 50+ years ofIndigenous knowledge on self-determination for a lasting global impact.
Chief George Manuel Library

The library was founded as a documents repository in 1979 in response to a resolution of the Conference of Tribal Governments.
Nations International Criminal Tribunal

The Nations International Criminal Tribunal (NICT) is a groundbreaking effort to address the unique challenges faced by indigenous nations around the world seeking justice.
Who we are
- Our Story
- Consult with us
Our Story

Consult with us

Providing technical support to indigenous nations including international legal advice, policy analysis and conflict resolution and self governance.
Publications
Volume 24, Number 2
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January 2, 2025
Women Who Heal
Environment
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View our blogs
Bookstore

Discover titles by CWIS authors.
Traditional Medicine
About CTM

Traditional medicine is the “mother” of all medicine. More than 80% of the world’s population uses a form of traditional medicine to treat primary health.
Treating Diabetes

Engage in ancient and modern indigenous medicinal methods to prevent and treat diabetes.
Massage Project

This project strengthens the outreach and trains additional therapists to deliver more massage therapy for diabetes to underserved people in urban and rural indigenous areas.
Act
Donate

For over 40 years, CWIS has been the leading indigenous peoples’ activist think tank, ensuring that communities can safeguard their rights and resources.
Your donation may be earmarked for any of our ongoing projects or can be identified to support general operating costs.
Volunteer

Discover ways to share your skills and expertise to further our mission.
Internships

Join a select group of activist scholars who participate in 3-12 month internships for academic credit.
Video
Searching for Capomo

Discover this extraordinary tree, known as Capomo, or the Breadnut, and all of its gifts. The seed is traditionally eaten as a food and roasted into cafe de capomo. Endemic...
Cradling the Heart

This project strengthens the outreach and trains additional therapists to deliver more massage therapy for diabetes to underserved people in urban and rural indigenous areas.
Salal, Cedar and Spruce: A Journey with Salish Plant and Medicine Traditions

Salal berries for digestive relief, Cedar tea to reduce fevers, and Spruce tips for nourishment and congestive relief… Traditional Salish foods and medicines are experiencing a revival in the Pacific...
Pathfinder: The Untold Story of “The Indian Business”

Pathfinder: The Untold Story of the “Indian Business” is a feature-length documentary currently in production about the “Fourth World’s” struggle for self-determination and overcoming bigotry and internalized traumas, told through...

In Memoriam: Dr. Rudolph C. Rÿser, Founding Chair, CWIS

Latest news

Biafra, the Oil Crisis and a Rebuke of the UK

July 14, 2008

Britain’s Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Monday 14 July that his government will extend security assistance to the Nigerian government in Biafra’s disputed region of the Niger Delta. The Ijaw…

Biafra Government In Exile (BGIE) Press Release - July 14, 2008

Global Exchange

Biafra Government In Exile (BGIE) Press Release – July 14, 2008

July 14, 2008

The Provisional Government of Biafra and the Biafra Government in Exile issued this press release concerning the issue of the recent public statement by Mr. Gordon Brown, the Prime Minister…

Daily

Promoting Bigotry

July 12, 2008

With the recent Canadian government apology to First Nations in the news, the fact the US government has yet to even consider such a conciliatory gesture is striking. Three summers…

Daily

Christian Racism Injustice

July 11, 2008

Illegal candidate screening in US Department of Justice linked to Anti-Indian firings. 2006 purge of US Attorneys reveals Christian racism in Justice. Christian-conservative political ideology led DOJ employees to eliminate…

Christian Racism Injustice

Global Exchange

Christian Racism Injustice

July 11, 2008

Illegal candidate screening in US Department of Justice linked to Anti-Indian firings. 2006 purge of US Attorneys reveals Christian racism in Justice.

Daily

Relationships of Governance

July 9, 2008

The root term of dominion defines the relationships of governance that the Continental Congress surmounted by threat of force. Voluntary confederation of equals went out the window. Nostalgia for dominion…

Daily

An Inconvenience to be Managed

July 8, 2008

Le Monde Diplomatique looks at the drift toward corporatism and the bureaucratisation of politics in the EU. As an institutional aggregation of states, observes Christopher Bickerton, the EU provides “little…

Daily

Points of View

July 7, 2008

In a 2001 interview, Chip Berlet observed, “Racism is an ideology that is woven throughout the fabric of society.” A concept crucial to understanding systems of institutions of power in…

Waging War on Pashtun, Nations as Cannon Fodder

July 6, 2008

The North Atlantic Treaty Alliance (NATO) is carrying on a war in Afghanistan that looks suspiciously similar to a war the Russians waged for ten years in the same country….

Strong Spirits

July 6, 2008

Sports events turn into big advertisement campaigns and entertainment shows. Asics, PowerBar, Red Bull, and other products the sports commentator talked about at length at today’s Ironman triathlon in Frankfurt,…

Chief George Manuel Memorial Indigenous Library

The library is dedicated to the memory of Secwepemc Chief George Manuel (1921-1989), to the nations of the Fourth World and to the elders and generations to come.