Speech by President Näkkäläjärvi at the high-level event to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples

Esteemed guests, honored delegates, and advocates for Indigenous Peoples’ rights,

I am deeply honored to address this distinguished gathering today on behalf of the Inuit and the Sámi and  the Arctic Region, as we commemorate the tenth anniversary of the adaptation of the outcome document of the 2014 high-level plenary meeting of the UN General Assembly known as the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples. It is a momentous occasion to reflect on the progress made and the challenges ahead in advancing the rights and recognition of Indigenous Peoples and our distinct rights worldwide.

The Arctic region played a vital role in Indigenous diplomacy and international law making, including in the lead-up to the World Conference, through the hosting of the global Indigenous preparatory meeting in Alta. This gathering served as a cornerstone for dialogue, knowledge exchange, and as a historic consensus-building among Indigenous Peoples’ representatives. It underscored the Arctic Region’s unwavering commitment to ensuring that Indigenous voices and perspectives are at the forefront of the global discourse on Indigenous Peoples’ rights.

As we reflect on the content of the Outcome Document, we must underscore the importance of the paragraphs aimed at advancing the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). These provisions serve as a guiding light, a roadmap for action that directs states and stakeholders in fulfilling their obligations to Indigenous Peoples and upholding our inherent rights, including self-determination, land rights, and cultural integrity.

Moreover, the Enhanced Participation process, established after the World Conference, stands as a fundamental endeavor for ensuring the meaningful participation of Indigenous Peoples in decision-making processes throughout the United Nations. This goal must be achieved to ensure that Indigenous Peoples are represented through their own representative institutions, and we call on the UN and its member states to recognize and join the efforts of establishing a new and distinct status for Indigenous Peoples at the UN. We are peoples and we are nations and our positive contributions are for the benefit of all.

As we gather here today, let us reaffirm the distinctiveness of Indigenous Peoples’ rights. The rights of Indigenous Peoples are inherent and distinct and must not be diminished or devaluated by conflations with non-legal terms such as ‘local communities’ or ‘groups’ .The term ‘ Indigenous Peoples’ encapsulates unique histories, cultures, and rights that must not be homogenized or conflated with other groups. It is imperative that we respect and recognize a distinction-based approach to the implementation of Indigenous Peoples’ rights to ensure that they are protected, preserved, and promoted without compromise.

We must also confront the harsh reality of decreasing UN funding and its potential impact on Indigenous Peoples’ rights. Any reduction in resources allocated to Indigenous-specific programs and mechanisms will have devastating consequences, undermining the progress we have made in advancing Indigenous rights, aggravating existing inequalities, and perpetuating systemic injustices. We must advocate tirelessly for sustained and adequate funding to uphold Indigenous Peoples’ rights and support Indigenous-led initiatives. We call on the UN and its members states to ensure necessary funding and funding mechanisms to support and implement the full and effective participation of Indigenous Peoples at the UN, and especially to fund and support the three UN mechanisms, the Permanent Forum, EMRIP and the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.  

Last summer, Inuit and Sámi hosted a 50th commemoration of Arctic Peoples’ Conference where we celebrated our original foresight, unity, and above all, our inherent right to self-determination as distinct Peoples, as well as reaffirmed our interdependent, interrelated, interconnected, and indivisible rights as affirmed by the UN n the UNDRIP,  including our right to self-determination, which is the prerequisite for the exercise and enjoyment of all of our human rights as Arctic Indigenous Peoples. 

In closing, let us recommit ourselves to the principles of justice, equality, and respect for Indigenous Peoples’ rights. Together, we can build a future where Indigenous Peoples’ voices are heard, valued, and empowered to shape a more just and inclusive world for all.