The 24th Session of the UNPFII opens with a strong call for the implementation of the UNDRIP

The 24th Session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) opened on Monday 21 April with strong calls to recognize, promote and respect Indigenous Peoples rights.  

Indigenous Peoples’ representatives from all seven socio-cultural regions of the world gathered in the UN Headquarters’ General Assembly Hall to advance on the work on Indigenous issues. This year UNPFII will focus on Implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples within United Nations Member States and the United Nations system, including identifying good practices and addressing challenges”. 

The UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) establishes a universal framework of minimum standards for the survival, dignity and well-being of the Indigenous Peoples of the world. It also elaborates on existing human rights standards and fundamental freedoms as they apply to the specific situation of Indigenous Peoples. The UNDRIP was adopted in 2007 by the UN General Assembly with a vast majority of Member States voting in favour of it and this year it celebrates its 18th anniversary. 

With the UNDRIP at its centre, the 24th Session of the UNPFII opened with a Ceremonial Welcome by Traditional Chief of the Onondaga Nation, Tadodaho Sid Hill. The Onondaga Nation are the traditional stewards of the land where the UN General Assembly Hall is located, and their Traditional Chief welcomed once again the Forum, inviting the participants to “put our minds together as one and to give thanks to our Mother Earth”, recognising the important work the Forum will do in the following two weeks.

The Ceremonial Welcome was followed by the election of the Chair of the 24th Session of the UNPFII. The Forum elected by acclamation Ms. Aluki Kotierk, belonging to the Inuk Indigenous Peoples and coming from Canada as the new Chair of the UNPFII. 

FAO congratulates Ms Aluki Kotierk for her election and looks forward to work with her on the recognition and promotion of Indigenous Peoples’ rights and Indigenous Peoples’ food and knowledge systems. FAO also recognises the important role played by the former Chair of the UNPFII, Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, and thanks her for the fruitful collaboration between the UNPFII and FAO. 

Ms Aluki Kotierk opening speech stressed the importance of the UNDRIP as one of the most important tools to safeguard and guarantee Indigenous Peoples’ rights. “UNDRIP is not a document to be celebrated once a year. It is a living framework that must guide how we govern, how we invest and how we treat one another on this shared Mother Earth. Its full and effective implementation is not optional. It is a moral, legal and collective obligation”, she said. “The implementation of UNDRIP must go beyond symbolic recognition. It must be fully integrated into national laws, policies and institutions”. 

The intervention of the newly elected Chair of the UNPFII was followed by a speech by the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, whose words highlighted the challenges that Indigenous Peoples face, but also their role in finding the solutions the world need for a better future. “Indigenous Peoples are the preeminent stewards of the world’s biodiversity and environment. Your knowledge leads models of conservation and sustainability, reflecting your commitment to live in harmony with Mother Earth and to the wellbeing and the rights of future generations. The world has much to learn from your wisdom, insights and approaches”, he said. 

The UN Secretary-General also underlined the importance of Indigenous Peoples’ rights: “we say loudly and clearly, the individual and collective rights of Indigenous Peoples are non-negotiable. Now and forever, we stand with you all in making those rights a reality for Indigenous Peoples everywhere”. 

FAO greets the words of the UN Secretary-General and shares his views and commitment to recognize, respect and promote Indigenous Peoples’ rights. 

FAO will be also following closely the works of the 24th Session of the UNPFII over the next two weeks and will be welcoming the Forum’s recommendations while proposing, at the same time, two side-events that will significantly contribute to the discussions that are currently taking place in New York: 

22 April 2025| 4:30 – 5:45 PM EDT | Conference Room 5, UN HQ 

The importance of mobility within Indigenous Peoples’ food strategies for biodiversity and food security 

Co-organized by the Global-Hub on Indigenous Peoples’ Food Systems. 

23 April 2025| 10:00 – 11:15 AM EDT | Conference Room 5, UN HQ 

Indigenous Peoples and Resilience – Towards Intercultural Policy 

Co-organized by the Indigenous Peoples Observatory Network (IPON), Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the World Health Organization (WHO).