The Sámi Parliament in Finland highlighted the Supreme Administrative Court's decisions and continuous human rights violations at the UN

In her speech on Monday 15 April, President Näkkäläjärvi brought up the human rights violations regarding the Sámi Parliament’s electoral roll. She also referred to the Supreme Administrative Court’s decisions to include 65 people on the electoral roll contrary to decisions of the Sámi Parliament’s governing bodies and to repeat the 2023 Sámi Parliament election.

– The view of the Sámi Parliament in Finland is clear. These decisions constitute – again – a violation of the right to self-determination of the Sámi in Finland and a violation of human rights. We urge the Finnish Parliament to finalise the amendment of the Sámi Parliament Act as soon as possible to prevent similar human rights violations in the future, Näkkäläjärvi said in her speech.

President Näkkäläjärvi states that including people who do not fulfill the criteria for the right to vote in the electoral roll constitutes assimilation of the Sámi in the majority population.

– The Supreme Administrative Court’s decisions were a disappointment as policies to assimilate Indigenous Peoples are not part of the modern times. However, the Sámi Parliament will not give up. This opportunity to report the situation to the UN without delay is important. We owe it to the Sámi people and all the Indigenous Peoples in the world to continue defending our right to self-determination as an Indigenous People, says President Näkkäläjärvi.

The Executive Board of the Sámi Parliament is currently analysing the Supreme Administrative Court’s decisions and will decide on any further action later.

In addition to the President, the Sámi Parliament’s delegation in the UNPFII includes Inka Saara Arttijeff, Secretary for International Affairs. The Youth Council is represented in the mission by Rosa-Máren Juuso, Chair, and Helmi Ljetoff, Vice Chair of the Youth Council.

President Näkkäläjärvi also gave speeches in a number of side events, such as Way forward with the enhanced participation of the Indigenous Peoples’ representatives and institutions in the UN and Sharing Sámi Experiences: Indigenous Voices on Climate Intervention Research, both of which were held on 18 April.

The United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues is an annual event

Established in 2000, the UNPFII is an advisory body governed under the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), and it is composed of 16 independent expert members. Eight of the members are nominated by Governments and eight by the indigenous peoples.

The Forum’s objective is to bring out issues concerning indigenous peoples, particularly within the fields of economic and social development, culture, environment, education, health and human rights. The Permanent Forum provides recommendations and acts as the central forum for dialogue between states, indigenous peoples and UN specialised agencies. It convenes once a year at the UN Headquarters in New York.

UNPFII Twenty-Third Session: 15–26 April 2024
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

Further information: 
Pirita Näkkäläjärvi
President of the Sámi Parliament in Finland
+358 (0)44 753 3766
pirita.nakkalajarvi@samediggi.fi

Inka Saara Arttijeff
Secretary for International Affairs
+358 (0)50 574 7629 / +358 (0)10 839 3198
inka-saara.arttijeff@samediggi.fi