UN Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples 18th Session Item 3. Discussion on the theme ” Study and advice on the rights of Indigenous Peoples to data, including data collection and disaggregation” Statement by Indigenous Peoples Rights International (IPRI) Indigenous Peoples Rights International is pleased that the EMRIP has decided to develop a study report on data, data collection and disaggregation. As outlined in the report, data plays a significant role in achieving the right to self-determination. It also stresses the importance of free prior and informed consent (FPIC) when it comes to data collection regarding Indigenous Peoples. Data sovereignty is key to the control and access of our own data and therefore should be at the forefront of data collection, verification, and analysis. For far too long, data and research has been collected on Indigenous Peoples by non-Indigenous entities in harmful ways that have been used to make assumptions and determine decisions about us without us including access and control over our own lands, territories and resources. Indigenous Peoples Rights International is an Indigenous led organization that collects, verifies and analyzes data relating to human rights violations and criminalization against Indigenous Peoples globally. As suggested in your report, the need for Indigenous led data is significant to the outcomes of data including building trust and reciprocal relationships with Indigenous Peoples and communities. We at IPRI also express the same as we recognize the stories, experiences and perspectives of information we receive is given to us in the act of trust when it comes to data on criminalization and other human right violations. On June 18th Indigenous Peoples Rights International held an online conversation with three Indigenous led organizations who also shared their experiences of both challenges and opportunities regarding data collection, verification and data sharing. A challenge that reflects both in the report being presented today and the conversation we had is the role of data producers including state driven when it comes to disaggregation that plays a significant role in the outcomes. As suggested in our online conversation, we also want to highlight the shrinking of online civic space and state surveillance that affects Indigenous peoples, organizations and human rights organizations in the security of data collection specifically in states where exploitation of land and resource extraction is significantly high. Our 2024 data shows an increase in non-lethal attacks including land grabbing, forced displacement, criminalization, arbitrary detention and state sponsored vilification of indigenous leaders and communities coming from those areas of exploitation. We invite you all to see our data trendings on our social media and at our side event happening between lunch hour today. These findings are critical to evidence-based advocacy and IPRI is grateful for the trust that is given in our data collection directly from communities. It is important to recognize the capacity that is required to collect data and stewarding data, and therefore we would like to recommend: The Expert Mechanism to develop a study on violence and criminalization affecting Indigenous peoples in the exercise of their rights, including the consideration of data collection and verification on these issues by Indigenous Peoples themselves. The Expert Mechanism to advise States and other relevant actors to support Indigenous Peoples own initiatives in data collection, verification and custody, particularly regarding the violations of their individual and collective human rights that can ensure the adoption of necessary laws and policies to effectively address this situation.
