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A renewed call for action has come from the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, as he pushes for stronger protection of indigenous communities worldwide.
He made the call at the opening of the 25th session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues at UN headquarters in New York, where more than 1,000 participants are in attendance.
Guterres described indigenous peoples as vital to the planet’s future, saying, “From the Amazon to Australia, and Africa to the Arctic, you are the great guardians of nature”.
He stressed the need for their full participation in decision-making, adding that governments must ensure it is “full, meaningful and direct to … supported by adequate and sustained financing”.
The UN chief urged countries to take concrete steps to protect indigenous communities and their leaders, warning that they continue to face violence, discrimination and exclusion.
He also highlighted the importance of empowering indigenous women and girls, noting that “their knowledge, leadership and perspectives must shape the way forward”.
Guterres emphasised that indigenous rights are inseparable from their lands and cultures, cautioning that “when one is harmed, all are affected”, especially in situations of conflict and displacement.
He acknowledged indigenous peoples as custodians of knowledge and traditions that have sustained humanity for generations.
At the session, Canadian Inuit leader Aluki Kotierk was re-elected chair of the forum.
Despite accounting for about six per cent of the global population, indigenous peoples make up nearly 19 per cent of those living in extreme poverty and continue to face poor health outcomes and environmental risks.
