EMRIP18: Item 11 – Proposals to be submitted to the Human Rights Council for its consideration and approval by Shohel Hajong

18^th session of the UN Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP)
14^th to 18^th July, Geneva, Switzerland
Agenda Item 11: Proposals to be submitted to the Human Rights Council for its consideration and approval
Joint Statement
By Shohel Hajong
Asia Indigenous Peoples Caucus and Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP)

Thank you, Madam Chair,

We appreciate the ongoing work of the Human Rights Council in promoting and protecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples, including its efforts to conduct studies on key issues that contribute to the advancement of Indigenous Peoples’ rights.

We wish to congratulate and thank the Chair and all members of the Expert Mechanism for facilitating a productive and meaningful engagement at this session. Moving forward, the Asia Indigenous Peoples’ Caucus wish to recommend the following:

1. To ensure the effective and meaningful participation of Indigenous Peoples, we recommend to organize more coordination meetings, sessions and interactive dialogues between Expert Members, UNPFII, Special Rapporteur, UNVF and Indigenous Peoples on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. This approach would allow for greater regional representation among speakers and enable more in-depth discussions on key issues from diverse regional perspectives.
2. We appreciate the current speaker registration system, which includes both online and on-site options. We recommend that all registered individual speakers be given the opportunity to deliver their statements during the sessions. Additionally, we suggest that side events be scheduled at times that do not overlap with official sessions, to ensure all participants can fully engage in both the main discussions and side events.
3. To expand the Human Rights Council and UN Boddy to document global cases where internal colonialism predates, coincides and survives external colonialism, offering concrete policy guidance for dismantling such structures and restoring Indigenous sovereignties.
4. We recommend organizing a comprehensive dialogue to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). This dialogue should reflect on concrete milestones in the implementation of UNDRIP and the rights of IPs, including progress made toward the enhanced participation of Indigenous Peoples in the United Nations system. It should provide space to discuss and reflect on the regional implementation of UNDRIP, while ensuring the meaningful participation of Indigenous women, youth, persons with disabilities, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and other marginalized groups within Indigenous communities.
5. We support the recommendations and advice presented in EMRIP’s current study on the right of Indigenous Peoples to data, including with regard to data collection and disaggregation. We urge the United Nation Human Rights Council and Member States to implement the study’s recommendations and to ensure the legal recognition of Indigenous Peoples’ rights to data, including full respect for their sovereignty over their knowledge and data.

Thank you.

Click here to download the full statement to EMRIP18 Item 11 by Shohel