EMRIP19: Agenda Item 9 – Enhancing the participation of Indigenous Peoples in the United Nations

19th Session of the UN Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP)

13 to 17 July 2026, Geneva, Switzerland

Joint Statement on

Agenda Item 9: Enhancing the participation of Indigenous Peoples in the United Nations

Presented by: Shinako Oyakawa, on behalf of Asia Indigenous Peoples Caucus

Thank you, Chair.

With the support of the UN Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Peoples, we participated in both intersessional meetings on enhancing the participation of Indigenous Peoples in the work of the Human Rights Council. Having been part of this process, we welcome the progress made so far. However, from the perspective of Indigenous Peoples in Asia, we stress that the time has come to move from repeated discussions to concrete implementation.

The Human Rights Council must establish a clear roadmap, timeline, and responsibility for implementation. Participation must recognize Indigenous Peoples not merely as NGOs or civil society, but as Peoples with the right to self-determination, reflecting our distinct status and representative institutions.

In Asia, many Indigenous Peoples are still not recognized as Indigenous by the States in which they live. The absence of State recognition does not mean that we do not exist as Peoples.

Accreditation must therefore be independent, transparent, and Indigenous-led. States must not have veto power over who represents us. Protection against reprisals must also be an integral part of enhanced participation. Across Asia, Indigenous Peoples, their representatives, and human rights defenders face surveillance, intimidation, criminalization, and retaliation for defending their lands, territories, resources, and rights. Some are even targeted as terrorists or treated as threats to national security.

If we can speak at the United Nations but face threats or criminalization when we return home, this is not safe or meaningful participation. Meaningful participation is also more than a short statement in a meeting. Indigenous Peoples’ political institutions and representative organizations must have meaningful input into consultations, negotiations, resolutions, reports, and other Council outcomes.

Adequate funding, interpretation, visa support, accessibility, and timely access to information must also be ensured.

Enhanced participation must enable Indigenous Peoples to determine our own representatives, speak for ourselves, influence decisions that affect us, and participate safely and without State interference.

Thank you.

Click here to download the full statement on EMRIP19 Item 9