Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP). 19th Session
Agenda item 10: Preparing for 20 Years of UNDRIP
Statement by Indigenous Peoples Rights International (IPRI)
Thank you, Chair.
Indigenous Peoples Rights International (IPRI) welcomes EMRIP’s decision to prepare a report on the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) over the past 20 years.
As a contribution to EMRIP’s report, IPRI is preparing a compilation of laws, policies, jurisprudence, decisions, and recommendations relating to UNDRIP at national, regional, and international levels. This compilation will demonstrate the significant progress achieved by the global Indigenous Peoples’ movement while also identifying remaining gaps that require further action.
IPRI is also preparing for the International Conference on the Criminalization of Indigenous Peoples and the Shrinking Democratic Space, in partnership with the Indigenous Peoples Alliance of the Archipelago (AMAN), which will host this critical gathering in Indonesia in March 2027, prior to the AMAN General Assembly.
As part of the 20th commemoration of the UNDRIP, this international gathering will address one of the most urgent challenges facing Indigenous Peoples today: the growing criminalization of Indigenous leaders and defenders, which continues to undermine the recognition and effective implementation of our rights in law and in practice.
Finally, we encourage Indigenous Peoples around the world to embrace the proposed global theme for the 20th year of UNDRIP as: “Protect Our Progress, Accelerate Implementation, and Prepare the Next Generation.” This theme, proposed during the recent Global Indigenous Peoples’ Meeting on UN80 Reform and related global processes, provides a strong and unifying call to action as we mark this important milestone in advancing the UNDRIP.
Thank you.
