Community information: Navajo Nation Human Rights Commission hosts public meetings

The Navajo Nation Human Rights Commission will be conducting public hearings to assess the mistreatment of Navajo and Native American students attending kindergarten through 12th grade in schools on and off the Navajo Nation.

The mistreatment can be in different forms such as verbal and physical attacks, disparate treatment because of their culture, gender preference and bulling.

Every human being has the right to be happy, to be secure and live without the fear of reprisal. Indigenous peoples have the right to manifesting their cultures, religions, and traditions without the fear of being discriminated.

The Navajo set the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (“UNDRIP”) as its threshold in examining Navajo human right issues.

UNDRIP was adopted in 2007 and has been supported by the United States government since 2010.

UNDRIP is an international human rights instrument that enshrines the rights of indigenous peoples. These human rights must be respected, protected and, where necessary appropriate, remedied.

The Commission welcomes all parents, guardians and students to provide information on the treatment they received from school personnel at the schools they attend.

The Commission will accept written testimony that are signed and dated by the complaining parties.

Upcoming meetings:

Holbrook, Arizona: March 19 from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Navajo County Public Works in the Chevelon Canyon Room, 100 West Public Works Dr.

Flagstaff, Arizona: March 20 from 3:30-7:30 p.m. at East Flagstaff Community Library Community Room, 3000 N. Fourth St., Flagstaff.

Page, Arizona: March 21 from 3:30-7:30 p.m. at the Community Town House, 601 South Navajo Dr., Page.

Blanding, Utah: March 26 from 3:30-7:30 p.m. at the USUE Blanding Arts and Events Center, 715 West 200 South, Blanding

Cortez, Colorado: March 27 from 3:30-7:30 p.m. at Montezuma County Senior Services, 117 North Chestnut St., Cortez.

Farmington, New Mexico: March 28 from 3:30-7:30 p.m. at the Farmington Civic Center, 200 West Arrington, St., Farmington.

More information is available by contacting the Navajo Nation Human Rights Commission at (928) 871-7436 or nnhrc.navajo-nsn.gov.