Indigenous leaders give the UN a roadmap for protecting their peoples

Indigenous leaders have presented the United Nations with a twelve-point roadmap for protecting their peoples against mounting crises—climate change, violence, artificial intelligence, and threats to their rights and lands. According to Grist, the proposal, finalized by the U.N. Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples this week, calls for sweeping action: stronger protections for Indigenous cultures, preservation of languages and data sovereignty, greater legal recognition, and expanded participation of Indigenous voices in global forums. The recommendations also stress the urgency of protecting Indigenous women and girls, whose autonomy and inclusion in decision-making remain critical. But even as these leaders push for action, the U.N. bodies dedicated to Indigenous affairs face a deepening financial crisis. The Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Peoples operates on a budget of less than two million dollars and receives contributions from only eight countries—the United States is not among them. Without greater funding, fewer Indigenous delegates will be able to attend international forums, potentially sidelining their voices precisely when they're needed most.

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