UNPFII Nineteenth Session: 13–24 April 2020

Expert Group Meeting “Peace, justice and strong institutions: the role of indigenous peoples in implementing SDG 16” 19 – 21 November 2019 University of Chiang Mai, Thailand Concept Note >>>

Questionnaire: UN agencies, funds and programmes and other intergovernmental organizations are invited to complete the following questionnaire on any action taken or planned in response to the Permanent Forum’s recommendations and other relevant issues, including the system-wide action plan on rights of indigenous peoples and the 2030 Development Agenda Questionnaire to the UN system >>>

1. Election of officers.
2. Adoption of the agenda and organization of work.
3. Discussion on the theme: “Peace, justice and strong institutions: the role of indigenous peoples in implementing Sustainable Development Goal 16”
4. Discussion on the six mandated areas of the Permanent Forum (economic and social development, culture, environment, education, health and human rights) with reference to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the outcome document of the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples, and the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development.
5. Dialogues:
   1. Dialogue with indigenous peoples;
   2. Dialogue with Member States;
   3. Dialogue with the United Nations agencies, funds and programmes;
   4. Human rights dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples and the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples;
   5. Regional dialogues;
   6. Thematic dialogues.
6. Future work of the Permanent Forum, including issues considered by the Economic and Social Council and emerging issues.
7. Provisional agenda for the twentieth session of the Permanent Forum.
8. Adoption of the report of the Permanent Forum on its nineteenth session.

Download the Calendar of meetings for the two weeks of the Permanent Forum.

Submitted by the Secretariat of the UNPFII:

• Provisional Agenda:  | AR | EN | ES | FR | RU | ZH |
• Proposed Organization of Work: | AR | EN | ES | FR | RU | ZH |
• E/C.19/2020/2 Update on the Indigenous Peoples and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development : Note by the Secretariat: | AR | EN | ES | FR | RU | ZH |
• E/C.19/2020/3 System-wide action plan for ensuring a coherent approach to achieving the ends of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples: implementation by the United  Nations system: Note by the Secretariat  | AR | EN | ES | FR | RU | ZH |
• E/C.19/2020/5 Study on indigenous peoples’ autonomies: experiences and perspectives by Jens Dahl | AR | EN | ES | FR | RU | ZH |
• E/C.19/2020/6 Update on the promotion and application of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples:  Note by the Secretariat: | AR | EN | ES | FR | RU | ZH |
• E/C.19/2020/7 International expert group meeting on the theme “Peace, justice and strong institutions: the role of indigenous peoples in implementing Sustainable Development Goal 16″: Note by the Secretariat: | AR | EN | ES | FR | RU | ZH |
• E/C.19/2020/8 Indigenous women and their role in the 25-year review of the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action:  Note by the Secretariat  | AR | EN | ES | FR | RU | ZH |
• E/C.19/2020/9 Summary report on the International Year of Indigenous Languages, 2019: Note by the Secretariat  | AR | EN | ES | FR | RU | ZH |

Responses to the questionnaire submitted by the UN System:

• United Nations International Children’s Fund (UNICEF): | AR | EN | ES | FR | RU | ZH |
• United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO): | AR | EN | ES | FR | RU | ZH |
• United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC):  | AR | EN | ES | FR | RU | ZH |
•  Department of Global Communications (DGC): | AR | EN | ES | FR | RU | ZH |
• Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA): | AR | EN | ES | FR | RU | ZH |
• OHCHR Indigenous Peoples and Minorities Section (OHCHR-IPMS): | AR | EN | ES | FR | RU | ZH |
• Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO): | AR | EN | ES | FR | RU | ZH |
• United Nations Development Program (UNDP): | AR | EN | ES | FR | RU | ZH |
• World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO): | AR | EN | ES | FR | RU | ZH |
• UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR): | AR | EN | ES | FR | RU | ZH |
• United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO): | AR | EN | ES | FR | RU | ZH |
• Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD): | AR | EN | ES | FR | RU | ZH |
• World Tourism Organization (UNWTO): | AR | EN | ES | FR | RU | ZH |
• Organization of American States (OAS):  | AR | EN | ES | FR | RU | ZH |
• Asian Development Bank (ADB):  | AR | EN| ES | FR | RU | ZH |
• International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD):  | AR | EN| ES | FR | RU | ZH |
• Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC):  | AR | EN| ES | FR | RU | ZH |
• Pan American Health Organization (PAHO):  | AR | EN| ES | FR | RU | ZH |
• United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA):  | AR | EN| ES | FR | RU | ZH |
• Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (SCBD):  | AR | EN| ES | FR | RU | ZH |

Registration is closed.

Side events registration is closed.

Friday, April 10, 2020 – Global Indigenous Women’s Caucus Consultation Meeting – 2nd Floor – 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. – Church Center for the UN (777 UN Plaza).

Saturday, April 11, 2020/Sunday, April 12, 2020 –  Global Indigenous Caucus Meeting – 2nd Floor – 9:00 a.m. 3:00 p.m. – Church Center for the UN.

Wednesday, April 15, 2020 – Exhibit and Sale of Indigenous Peoples’ Craft – 2nd Floor – 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. – Church Center for the UN (Note: Due to limited space each country will be allowed (1) table for the sale of the craft.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

My organization is interested in attending the next session of the Permanent Forum. Can we participate?

Participation in Permanent Forum sessions is open to indigenous peoples’ organizations, NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC and academic institutions. Organizations that have not participated in previous sessions need to create a profile in the integrated Civil Society Organizations (iCSO) Systetm to seek accreditation. Accreditation for new organizations is open prior to general pre-registration for individual participants. All participants need to pre-register for the sessions of the Permanent Forum. The sessions of the Permanent Forum tend to take place in April or May each year. Online pre-registration begins in January or February on the website of the Permanent Forum. Pre-registration closes about 2-4 weeks before the session starts. All relevant information about registration is posted on this website for each annual session.

My organization attended previous sessions of the Forum. Do we still need to pre-register?

Yes. All accredited organizations interested in attending the next session of the Forum are invited to pre-register. In addition, all representatives of accredited organizations are requested to register at their arrival at the United Nations before attending the session.

My organization has consultative status with ECOSOC, but we have not received an invitation to attend sessions of the Permanent Forum. How can we pre-register?

All interested NGOs in consultative status should use the online pre-registration system to apply to attend the session.

Can representatives of  IPOs and NGOs attend sessions of the Permanent Forum without pre-registration?

All participants, including those from organizations enjoying consultative status with ECOSOC and holding annual ground-passes should pre-register online. The United Nations Secretariat will not be in a position to register participants who did not pre-register during the pre-registration period.

Can my organization make a statement at the Permanent Forum session?

During previous sessions, the Permanent Forum, representatives of NGOs and indigenous peoples organizations have made presentations. Most of the organizations that have addressed the Forum do not enjoy consultative status. Attendees that wish to make statements under a specific agenda item, on behalf of their organizations need to sign up for speakers lists. Information about speakers lists is posted on each session page.

Will the United Nations help me with my visa to New York?

Arrangements for travel, including visa procedures, accommodation and transportation are the responsibility of each participant. Representatives of participating organizations need to deal directly with United States embassies/consulates in their countries of residence regarding visa issues. The United Nations will send a confirmation letter to IPO or NGO representatives once they have been pre-registered. This confirmation letter may be used by IPO or NGO representatives to request a visa from United States authorities. If necessary, the Division for Social Policy and Development will assist in providing information regarding the status of NGOs and IPOs at the request of American authorities. However, the United Nations does not send unsolicited correspondence to United States embassies/consulates to validate a request made by an NGO or IPO representative to obtain a visa.

Does the United Nations provide funding for IPOs and NGOs to attend the Forum?

The only UN source of funding for travel to participate in the sessions of the Permanent Forum is the Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Populations. Applications close in October of the year preceding the Permanent Forum’s Session.

Can I submit a written statement or report to the Permanent report?

Indigenous organizations and NGOs have occasionally submitted reports to the Permanent Forum in the past. If your organization is interested in doing so, then you are advised to contact the Secretariat of the Permanent Forum and discuss the possibility of submitting such a report. The deadline for these reports/statements is 31 January of each year.

For further information about submitting reports, see the below excerpt from ECOSOC resolution 1996/31.

Logistical Information Please click here for information regarding accommodation and transportation in New York City.

Travel and Visa Information Arrangements for travel, including visa procedures, accommodation and transportation are the responsibility of NGOs and IPOs and other interested organizations. Representatives of participating organizations must deal directly with United States consulates in their countries of residence regarding visa issues. The United Nations will send a confirmation letter to NGO and IPO representatives once they have been pre-registered. This confirmation letter may be used by NGO and IPO representatives to request a visa from American authorities.

Funding The only UN source of funding for travel to participate in the sessions of the Permanent Forum is the Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Populations, which is managed by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Please note that applications close in October of the year preceding the Permanent Forum’s Session. Please click here for more details.