FAO at the 23rd Session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

23 April, New York - The 23rd Session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) started at the UN General Assembly Hall on 15 April and lasted for ten days. Hundreds of Indigenous leaders and representatives from across the globe convened to discuss, exchange ideas, and address current challenges to ensure the full realization of the rights of Indigenous Peoples worldwide.  

The theme of this UNPFII is “Enhancing Indigenous Peoples’ right to self-determination in the context of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples: emphasizing the voices of Indigenous youth." Upwards of 150 Indigenous Youth attended the UNPFII this year, showing the high relevance of this year’s Forum priority theme. Watch the recording of the opening session here and read more here. 

The opening was followed by the election of the new Chair and the Bureau of the UNPFII. Expert member, Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim from Chad, was elected new Chair and received a baton of the UNPFII leadership and the violet shawl from the salient Chair, Dario Mejia Montalvo.  

On 16 April, Yon Fernández de Larrinoa, the Head of the FAO Indigenous Peoples Unit, delivered a statement on behalf of FAO under UNPFII Agenda Item 3: Discussion on the theme “Enhancing Indigenous Peoples’ right to self-determination in the context of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples: emphasizing the voices of Indigenous youth”. 

FAO reported on the outcomes of the II Session of the biennial UN Global Indigenous Youth Forum co-organized by FAO, the Global Indigenous Youth Caucus and the World Reindeer Herders Association in October 2023, and highlighted key messages from the 2023 Rome Declaration on Safeguarding Seven Generations in times of Food, Social, and Ecological Crisis . The establishment of the UN Global Indigenous Youth Forum resulted from the implementation of UNDESA/UNPFII recommendation 90, issued in 2019. The next UN Global Indigenous Youth Forum will take place in 2025.  

In a statement delivered during the event, FAO’s Yon Fernández de Larrinoa, reminded all present that “We cannot end hunger and malnutrition without Indigenous Youth. We cannot preserve Indigenous Peoples food and knowledge systems without Indigenous Youth. FAO is committed to supporting Indigenous Youth voices in policy processes.”  

On 17 April, FAO submitted a written statement for the “High-level event to commemorate the 10th anniversary commemoration of the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples”, that detailed FAO’s work with Indigenous Peoples since 2015. It emphasized FAO’s commitment to “advance the work with Indigenous Peoples on their food and knowledge systems, ensuring respect of their rights, and safeguarding of their land, territories, and natural resources.” In accordance with General Assembly resolution 78/189 of 19 December 2023, the President of the General Assembly, H.E. Dennis Francis, convened the high-level event to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the outcome document of the high-level plenary meeting of the General Assembly, known as the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples.   

Additionally, in coordination with the ECOSOC Youth Forum 2024 that was happening in parallel to the UNPFII, the FAO Indigenous Peoples Unit supported the FAO session on SDG 2, “Feeding the Future: Youth and Sustainable Food Systems for All”. One of the Indigenous Youth panelists, Yazmeen Wardman, attended the 2023 UN Global Indigenous Youth Forum (UNGIYF) and focused her remarks on the Indigenous Youth policy recommendations in the Indigenous Youth 2023 Rome Declaration, emphasizing the importance of Indigenous Peoples’ food and knowledge systems in health and their contributions towards sustainable food system transformation. Wardman is a member of the Key First Nation and is a Master's student of Public Health at Yale University.  See recording of the FAO Session on SDG 2.  

On 19 April, Yon Fernández de Larrinoa provided insights on the recent development of the work of the Unit with Indigenous Peoples under Agenda Item 5(f) on Dialogue on Indigenous platforms established within United Nations entities. He reiterated the outcomes of the II Session of the UN Global Indigenous Youth Forum, and presented the three Secretariats hosted by FAO, namely the Rome Group of Friends of Indigenous Peoples, the Global-Hub on Indigenous Peoples’ Food Systems, and the Coalition on Indigenous Peoples’ Food Systems.    

The side-event “Indigenous Youth as game-changer in biodiversity conservation, nutrition and food systems transformation: Insights from the Coalition on Indigenous Peoples' Food Systems” took place on 22 April where key advancements of the work of the Coalition against its various working lines were presented. H.E Miguel Garcia-Winder, Ambassador and Permanent Representative from Mexico to FAO stressed that Indigenous Youth are key allies for the future of Indigenous Peoples’ food and knowledge systems. Seconding this statement, Mai Thin Yu Mon, former co-chair of the Global Indigenous Youth Caucus underlined the engagement of Indigenous Youth in the work of the Coalition. Hindou, UNPFII Chair, invited additional countries to join the collective work. Watch the recording.   

On 23 April, the side-event, “Calls to Action for Safeguarding Seven Generations in Times of Food, Social, and Ecological Crises – Reporting on the Outcomes of the 2023 UN Global Indigenous Youth Forum” centred Indigenous Youth leaders of the Global Indigenous Youth Caucus (GIYC), Indigenous Youth delegates who attended the II session of the UN Global Indigenous Youth Forum in Rome on October 2023, and key supporting partners including the Association of World Reindeer Herders, the Global-Hub on Indigenous Peoples’ Food Systems, as well as the Mountain Partnership and Mountain Youth Hub. H.E. Morten von Hanno Aasland, Ambassador of Norway, and Permanent Representative of Norway to FAO emphasized the essential role that Indigenous Youth play in the transformation towards more sustainable and resilient food and knowledge systems with the critical incorporation of both tradition and innovation. The outgoing co-chairs of the GIYC, Makanalani Gomes and Mai Thin Yu Mon, stressed the importance of the messages and recommendations articulated in the Indigenous Youth “2023 Rome Declaration" and built on the momentum that Indigenous Youth are leading for the future of their food and knowledge systems. Indigenous Youth leaders on the panel shared key messages and takeaways from their experiences at the Forum, as they continue their transformative work in their communities. See recording.  

In closing, during FAO’s attendance at the 23rd session of the UNPFII, FAO briefed Expert Members of the UNPFII in a closed-door meeting for Item 5(c), “Dialogue with the United Nations agencies, funds, and programmes”. FAO briefed the Expert Members on the numbers, outcomes, challenges, and opportunities resulting from the II session of the 2023 UN Global Indigenous Youth Forum held in Rome, in October 2023, including the 2023 Rome Declaration. FAO invited the Expert Members of the UNPFII and the UN Agencies to join the coordination and preparations towards the next UNGIYF in 2025. It is important to note the UN Global Indigenous Youth Forum is the result of FAO following through on Recommendation 90 which was issued to the FAO by ECOSOC and UNPFII/UNDESA in 2019. Furthermore, FAO contributed to the discussion agenda items pertaining to the recommendation issued from the three UN mechanisms to separate the terminology of Indigenous Peoples and local communities, as well as how UN Agencies are evaluating and assessing how financing mechanisms in the UN can be more accessible to Indigenous Peoples.