United Nations Special Rapporteur James Anaya opened the UN Permanent Forum’s International Expert Group Meeting...in New York with the message that more focused attention needs to be given to sexual health and reproductive rights among indigenous peoples...Anaya discussed the barriers indigenous peoples face in realizing their right to health, including inadequate access to health care, a lack of culturally appropriate health services and contamination of indigenous lands and natural resources...[H]e discussed how indigenous women living near oil, gas and mining operations are "vulnerable to sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS, which are often introduced with a rapid increase of extractive workers in indigenous areas...indigenous women have reported that the influx of workers into indigenous communities as a result of extractive projects also led to increased incidents of sexual harassment and violence, including rape and assault..."