Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

https://www.ohchr.org/en/hrc-subsidiaries/expert-mechanism-on-indigenous...

https://www.ohchr.org/en/events/sessions/2025/18th-session-expert-mechan...

The Expert Mechanism provides the Human Rights Council with expertise and advice on the rights of Indigenous Peoples. It assists Member States in achieving the goals of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

The Expert Mechanism conducts studies to advance the promotion and protection of Indigenous Peoples’ rights by:

• clarifying the implications of key principles, such as self-determination and free, prior and informed consent
• examining good practices and challenges in a broad array of areas pertaining to Indigenous Peoples’ rights,
• suggesting measures that States and others can adopt at the level of laws, policies and programmes.

Statements and contributions

The following statements and contributions were received by the Secretariat in relation to the discussions that took place during the eighteenth session of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The views and/ or opinions expressed in the contributions are those of the authors or their representative entities and do not necessarily reflect the views of OHCHR. Consequently, OHCHR assumes no responsibility for their content.

High Level Opening Segment

• H.E. Ambassador Jürg Lauber, President Human Rights Council
• H.E. Mr. Volker Turk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

Introductory Statement by Chair of the Expert Mechanism

• Ms. Anexa Alfred Cunningham

Item 5: Interactive dialogue with UNPFII, the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the UN Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Peoples and members of the United Nations Treaty Bodies (15h00-18h00)

Panellists’ Statements:

• Albert Barume, Special Rapporteur on the Right of Indigenous
• Aluki Kotierk, Chair of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues
• Jane Meriwas, Member of the Board of Trustees, UN Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Peoples
• Yvonne Donders, Member of the UN Human Rights Committee

Item 6: Country engagement (16h00-18h00)

Panellists’ Statements:

• Eirik Larsen, Saami Council
• Silje Karine Muotka, President of Sami Parliament in Norway
• Bjorn Olav Megard, Director General, Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, Norway
• Hannah McGlade, Noongar Family Safety Wellbeing Council
• Justin Mohamed, Ambassador for First Nations People, Australia

Item 7: International Decade of Indigenous Languages (12h00-13h00)

Panellists’ Statements:

• Guilherme Canelo de Souza Godoi, Director of UNESCO’s Division for Digital Inclusion, Policies and Digital Transformation
• Katisha Paul, Global Indigenous youth representative
• André Simas Magalhães, representative of the Permanent Mission of Brazil
• Jeannett Stephen, Indigenous representative, Global Task Force for Making a Decade of Action for Indigenous Languages
• Dr. Juan Carlos Reyes Gomez, representative of Mexico

Item 8:   Panel discussion on the role of national and regional human rights institutions in achieving the ends of the Declaration (11h00-13h00)

Panellists’ Statements:

• Anders Einar Broderstad, Representative of the GANHRI Indigenous Peoples Caucus, and Advisor at the Norwegian Human Rights Institution
• Hawe Hamman Bouba, Commissioner at the Cameroon Human Rights Commission
• Grigorii Dyukarev, Commissioner for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples of Krasnoyarsk Territory
• Julia Whaipooti, Commissioner at New Zealand Human Rights Commission
• H.E. Edmund Bon Tai Soon, Chair and Representative of Malaysia to ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights

Item 9: Enhancing the participation of Indigenous Peoples in the United Nations (11h00-13h00)

Panellists’ Statements:

• Statement from the Indigenous co-facilitator: Binota Moy Dhamai
• Statement from the State co-facilitator: Justin Mohamed, Australia’s inaugural Ambassador for First Nations People 
• Mr. José Francisco Calí Tzay, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Guatemala to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva
• Ms Tania Jakicevich, Co-Chair of the Indigenous Coordinating Body

Item 10: Future work of the Expert Mechanism, and follow up to thematic studies and advice (10h00-12h00)

• Statement by Grand Chief Wilton Littlechild on good practices for follow up to EMRIP Study on treaties, agreements and other constructive arrangements, between indigenous peoples and States, including peace accords and reconciliation initiatives, and their constitutional recognition.