1.Background

Indigenous Peoples Rights International (IPRI) is an Indigenous-led international organization that works to prevent and address violence and criminalization against Indigenous Peoples that exercise or defend their human rights.  IPRI works with partners in all regions of the world to document human rights violations as a basis for advocacy at the domestic, regional and global levels and supports Indigenous human rights defenders under threat.

In the report and advice EMRIP developed in 2025 on Indigenous data, it was stated that Indigenous Peoples continue to face limited control over the collection, management, ownership, and use of data concerning their territories and realities. Existing data governance frameworks frequently place decision-making power in the hands of external actors, including States, corporations, researchers, and other institutions, often without adequate safeguards, accountability, or respect for Indigenous governance systems.

In many contexts, Indigenous Peoples have also experienced “research fatigue,” where communities are repeatedly asked to contribute information and knowledge without seeing meaningful improvements, tangible benefits, or protection outcomes. At the same time, current practices around big data and open data, whether under the auspices of Governments or corporations, will likely move Indigenous Peoples’ data interests even further away from where decisions affecting Indigenous Peoples’ data are made[1].

Addressing these challenges requires a concerted effort to develop frameworks that respect Indigenous rights, promote equity and ensure that data governance aligns with Indigenous values and interests.

Therefore, IPRI would like to share with partners and experts the experiences on the ground and debate how the collection, storage and use of these data by Indigenous Peoples themselves can contribute to a stronger advocacy and protection of defenders, while sustaining a new narrative that values Indigenous Peoples’ rights and views.

2. Organizers

• Indigenous Peoples Rights International (IPRI)
• Indigenous Rights Advocacy Centre, India

3. Objectives of the side event

• Present the work of IPRI and its Indigenous partners in the documentation of violence and criminalization of Indigenous Peoples: database
• Discuss the main challenges in the collection, verification, storage and use of Indigenous data on violence and discrimination
• Showcase how data collection and documentation can serve as a tool for the defense of Indigenous Peoples’ rights by strengthening advocacy actions, community protection mechanisms, and rapid response provided through the Legal Defense and Sanctuary Fund.

4. Panelists

• Joan Carling, IPRI executive director (importance of Indigenous-generated documentation on UN protection mechanisms in holding perpetrators accountable.)
• IPRI database and documentation team (how we work; presentation of database, documenting cases linked to LDSF etc)
• Dilip Kanti Chakma, partner on documenting cases on the ground (obstacles, risk management, etc.
• Maria Michurova, Sami Women’s Forum
• Albert K. Barume, Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (reflections and practical advice on how the UN system can better support and respect Indigenous methodologies for data collection)

5. Proposed agenda