New York, May 8, 2025: The United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (PFII) commenced its twenty-fourth annual session today at UN Headquarters, uniting Indigenous leaders, government representatives, UN agencies, and civil society to advocate for the rights and leadership of Indigenous Peoples worldwide. Running through May 2 under the theme “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 session opened with a powerful call to action from UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
Indigenous Rights Are Non-Negotiable
In his opening remarks, Guterres declared, “The individual and collective rights of Indigenous Peoples are non-negotiable.” He described Indigenous Peoples as “the preeminent stewards of the world’s biodiversity and the environment,” while highlighting the severe challenges they face, including marginalization, discrimination, unemployment, economic disadvantage, violence, climate change impacts, and illegal mining on their lands. Guterres emphasized that the 2007 UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples provides a blueprint for securing their survival, dignity, and well-being, noting its use by courts, parliaments, and communities to advance rights and spur political action.
The Secretary-General urged governments and institutions to prioritize Indigenous leadership and needs, calling on international finance providers to direct resources toward Indigenous-led priorities. He also highlighted the importance of Indigenous input in the global energy transition, particularly regarding critical minerals like lithium and cobalt, often extracted from Indigenous lands. “The clean energy era must power progress on Indigenous Peoples’ rights,” Guterres stated, announcing the upcoming launch of a High-Level Expert Advisory Group to accelerate action on benefit-sharing, value addition, and fair trade.
Forum Chair Reflects on Indigenous Struggles and Resilience
Aluki Kotierk of Canada, the Forum Chair, reminded delegates that the PFII was hard-won through decades of Indigenous advocacy. “This body wasn’t simply given,” she said, urging Member States to collaborate with Indigenous Peoples as rights-holders and co-creators of solutions. Kotierk, who grew up on a small island in the Canadian Arctic, shared the personal significance of her work, stating, “Inuit want to continue speaking Inuktitut… We want to thrive as Inuit.” She warned of ongoing challenges, including the criminalization of Indigenous leaders, the desecration of sacred sites, and disproportionate violence against Indigenous women and girls. Kotierk also criticized extractive industries, noting that mining for green transition minerals often disregards Indigenous self-determination, amounting to “another form of colonization.”
Forum Chair Reflects on Indigenous Struggles and Resilience
Aluki Kotierk of Canada, the Forum Chair, reminded delegates that the PFII was hard-won through decades of Indigenous advocacy. “This body wasn’t simply given,” she said, urging Member States to collaborate with Indigenous Peoples as rights-holders and co-creators of solutions. Kotierk, who grew up on a small island in the Canadian Arctic, shared the personal significance of her work, stating, “Inuit want to continue speaking Inuktitut… We want to thrive as Inuit.” She warned of ongoing challenges, including the criminalization of Indigenous leaders, the desecration of sacred sites, and disproportionate violence against Indigenous women and girls. Kotierk also criticized extractive industries, noting that mining for green transition minerals often disregards Indigenous self-determination, amounting to “another form of colonization.”
Global Commitments and Indigenous Leadership
Speakers highlighted recent global commitments to Indigenous rights. Guterres noted the adoption of the Global Digital Compact, which aims to build digital skills among Indigenous Peoples, and the Pact for the Future, which calls for protecting Indigenous lands, ecosystems, and knowledge. At the sixteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP16), countries established a permanent subsidiary body to ensure Indigenous participation in biodiversity decision-making.
Speakers highlighted recent global commitments to Indigenous rights. Guterres noted the adoption of the Global Digital Compact, which aims to build digital skills among Indigenous Peoples, and the Pact for the Future, which calls for protecting Indigenous lands, ecosystems, and knowledge. At the sixteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP16), countries established a permanent subsidiary body to ensure Indigenous participation in biodiversity decision-making.
Robert Rae, President of the Economic and Social Council, emphasized the need for humility and political will to fully implement the Declaration, drawing on Canada’s experience of learning from Indigenous leadership. Viliami Va’inga Tone, Vice-President of the General Assembly, speaking on behalf of its President, underscored the Forum’s role in amplifying Indigenous voices and advancing the Declaration’s universal framework. Li Junhua, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, encouraged Indigenous participation in upcoming global summits, including the 2025 World Summit for Social Development and the 2026 UN Water Conference, to advance the 2030 Agenda’s goal of leaving no one behind.
Focus on Indigenous Women’s Rights
A key session highlight was an interactive dialogue on the rights of Indigenous women, featuring Colombia’s Minister for the Environment and Sustainable Development, Lena Estrada Anokazi, the first Indigenous woman to hold the post. Estrada called for recognizing Indigenous Peoples as rights-holders, not mere stakeholders, and proposed a new UN status to ensure their meaningful participation. She advocated for an “Indigenous COP” at the 2025 UN Climate Change Conference (COP30), with mechanisms like debt relief to support Indigenous-led conservation.
A key session highlight was an interactive dialogue on the rights of Indigenous women, featuring Colombia’s Minister for the Environment and Sustainable Development, Lena Estrada Anokazi, the first Indigenous woman to hold the post. Estrada called for recognizing Indigenous Peoples as rights-holders, not mere stakeholders, and proposed a new UN status to ensure their meaningful participation. She advocated for an “Indigenous COP” at the 2025 UN Climate Change Conference (COP30), with mechanisms like debt relief to support Indigenous-led conservation.
Estrada highlighted Colombia’s efforts to integrate Indigenous women’s knowledge into national climate and development plans, emphasizing their role as “owners of our territories” and peace builders. However, she acknowledged persistent challenges, including structural discrimination and gender-based violence, calling for policies to enhance Indigenous women’s decision-making power and access to services.
Autumn Peltier, a 20-year-old water activist from Canada’s Anishinabek Nation, drew attention to the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women, citing stark statistics: Indigenous women, 4 percent of the U.S. female population, account for 34 percent of female homicides, while in Canada, they are five times more likely to die violently. “These figures are a stark reminder of systemic violence and neglect,” she said.
Tarcila Rivera Zea of the Centre for Indigenous Cultures of Peru reflected on Indigenous women’s journey to global advocacy, from their underrepresentation at early women’s conferences to their impactful proposals at the 1995 Beijing Conference. She called for national education systems to embrace Indigenous cultural diversity to combat racism.
Sima Bahous, Executive Director of UN-Women, described Indigenous women as living “at the sharpest edge of inequality,” facing disproportionate climate impacts, hunger, water scarcity, and sexual violence. She praised their resilience as “defenders of land and life” and highlighted UN-Women’s support for CEDAW’s 2022 recommendation on Indigenous women’s and girls’ rights, a landmark in international law.
Intersecting Challenges and Member State Support
The dialogue revealed intersecting forms of discrimination faced by Indigenous women. The International Labour Organization noted their low employment rates and lack of labor protections in the informal economy. A representative of 41 Indigenous associations from the Russian Federation stressed the need to value nomadic Indigenous women’s roles to preserve traditions like reindeer herding. An activist from Japan’s Okinawa Prefecture highlighted the environmental and interpersonal violence faced by Ryūkyūan women, often linked to U.S. military presence.
Member States, including Bolivia, Guatemala, Denmark (speaking for Nordic countries), and Chile, reaffirmed their commitment to Indigenous women’s leadership. Chile highlighted policies to protect Indigenous languages and women’s cultural roles, while Guyana’s Minister for Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai, noted that Indigenous women now comprise 39 percent of parliamentarians, supported by tuition-free education programs.
Ceremonial Opening and Tributes
The session began with a violin performance by two Kichwa Indigenous youth, honoring their ancestors, followed by a ceremonial welcome from Tadodaho Sid Hill, Chief of the Onondaga Nation. The Forum elected its bureau, including Vice-Chairs Hannah McGlade, Naw Ei Ei Min, Rodrigo Eduardo Paillalef Monnard, Geoffrey Roth, and Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, and Rapporteur Suleiman Mamutov. Participants observed a minute of silence for Pope Francis, who passed away earlier that day.
A Call for Action
The 2025 PFII session underscores the urgency of implementing the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples amid ongoing challenges like climate change, extractivism, and systemic violence. With Indigenous voices at the forefront, the Forum aims to drive actionable commitments to ensure their rights, leadership, and knowledge shape a sustainable and equitable future.
The 2025 PFII session underscores the urgency of implementing the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples amid ongoing challenges like climate change, extractivism, and systemic violence. With Indigenous voices at the forefront, the Forum aims to drive actionable commitments to ensure their rights, leadership, and knowledge shape a sustainable and equitable future.