July 18 and 19, 2024, the UN Human Rights Council held an intersessional meeting on the enhanced participation of Indigenous Peoples in the UN. The meeting was the first time, that member states of the UN Human Rights Council engaged in direct and formal dialogue with Indigenous Peoples, demonstrating a significant milestone. The meeting, furthermore, marked a shift from participation of Indigenous Peoples to leadership, as the meeting was co-facilitated by Dr. Binota Moy Dhamai together with the Australian State co-facilitator.
Chair of Inuit Circumpolar Council participated in the meeting, delivering numerous interventions as well as speaking as a panellist on the issue of a future accreditation mechanism for Indigenous Peoples’ participation in the UN.
𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀’ 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗨𝗡
“The goal is to ensure Indigenous Peoples’ own governing body’s accreditation to the UN, so Indigenous Peoples can participate in all matters that may affect them. Until now, Indigenous Peoples have participated as or through NGOs or as state delegates. This process is aimed at ensuring that Indigenous Peoples can participate through their own governing bodies such as Indigenous parliaments, governments or traditional councils and authorities. This meeting was historic and important, and served as a milestone in the years of advocacy for the recognition of Indigenous Peoples’ right to participate in the UN,” says ICC Chair Sara Olsvig.
During the meeting, Olsvig highlighted the invaluable contributions of Indigenous Peoples to the work of the UN and other intergovernmental institutions.
“Although the UN has not equitably ensured the participation of Indigenous Peoples’ own governing bodies yet, Indigenous Peoples have contributed substantively to the development of UN instruments within human rights, climate action, biodiversity, environmental protection and much, much more. Indigenous Peoples have not only paved their way into negotiations, accredited as or through NGOs, and some through member states, but been the drivers of important developments in international relations, for example in the Arctic Council, and in UN entities such as the Facilitative Working Group under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. This has happened for the benefit of all humanity,” Olsvig stated and continued:
“Indigenous Peoples’ contributions demonstrate why it is important, not only for Indigenous Peoples, but for the UN and humanity in general, that Indigenous Peoples are assured equitable participation—not as NGOs but through their own governing bodies.”
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲
The process of enhancing the participation of Indigenous Peoples in the UN is mandated through the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which affirms the rights of Indigenous Peoples to participate in decision-making on matters affecting the, as well as in several resolutions passed in the UN General Assembly and the UN Human Rights Council. The process was initiated by Indigenous Peoples in 2013 when adopting the Alta Outcome Document at the Indigenous Peoples’ preparatory meeting prior to the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples held as a high-level plenary meeting of the UN General Assembly in 2014.
Inuit Circumpolar Council has actively participated in the advancement of this agenda. Olsvig represented the Arctic region in the negotiations on the Alta Outcome Document in 2013, while former ICC Chair Dr. Dalee Sambo Dorough as well as other Inuit leaders have contributed to the advancement of the process in the UN.
ICC Chair Sara Olsvig is a member of the Indigenous Coordinating Body, which was established in 2020 to ensure global coordination among Indigenous Peoples in pursuing the recognition of Indigenous Peoples’ enhanced participation in the UN.
The 1st UN Human Rights Council’s Intersessional Meeting on the Participation of Indigenous Peoples can be viewed on UN Web TV. The 2nd Intersessional Meeting will take place October 18 and 19, 2024.