Welcome to the United Nations
Dakar High‑Level Preparatory Meeting for the 2026 UN Water Conference, 26 January
High‑Level Opening Segment
Statement of the Chairperson of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues
Excellencies, Distinguished Ministers, Representatives of Member States, Indigenous Peoples, Colleagues,
It is an honour to address you today on behalf of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.
The Permanent Forum is an advisory body of the Economic and Social Council, mandated to provide expert advice on Indigenous Peoples’ issues related to development, human rights, the environment, and natural resources—including water. The Forum is a unique global platform that brings together Indigenous Peoples from the seven socio-cultural regions, Member States, and UN entities to advance collective understanding and action. For Indigenous Peoples, water is not only a resource, but the foundation of life, culture, governance and intergenerational responsibility.
Excellencies,
The global water crisis we are confronting today is not merely a technical or financial challenge. It is, fundamentally, a crisis of governance and of human rights.
Across all regions, Indigenous Peoples are disproportionately affected by water scarcity, pollution, climate impacts and exclusion from decision‑making—despite being among the most effective stewards of freshwater ecosystems worldwide. Far too often, decisions on water allocation, infrastructure, extractive activities and financing are taken without Indigenous Peoples’ free, prior and informed consent, and without recognition of their rights, knowledge systems and governance institutions.
The experience of Indigenous Peoples makes one reality clear: sustainable water solutions are not possible without inclusive and rights‑based governance.
The preparations for the 2026 United Nations Water Conference represent a critical opportunity to shift course.
The Permanent Forum therefore stresses that the meaningful participation of Indigenous Peoples must be treated as a core condition for success, not as an add‑on. Indigenous Peoples must be engaged as rights‑holders and partners, not as stakeholders invited only to comment on decisions already taken.
Good water governance requires:
- Recognition and protection of Indigenous Peoples’ water rights, in line with international law and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples;
- Institutionalized mechanisms for co‑governance at basin, watershed and territorial levels;
- Respect for Indigenous knowledge systems alongside scientific approaches; and
- Accountability and remedies for past and ongoing harms to Indigenous Peoples’ waters.
These elements are not obstacles to development—they are enablers of sustainability, stability and peace.
Excellencies,
As we move forward on the road from Dakar to the UAE, the Permanent Forum stands ready to contribute actively to this process.
I would therefore like to invite Member States, United Nations entities and all partners present today to engage with us at the next session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (20 April-1May 2026). The Forum will provide a dedicated space to brief on the preparations for the 2026 UN Water Conference and to discuss, in concrete terms, how Indigenous Peoples can contribute to this process in their role as rights‑holders, including through governance, monitoring, restoration and climate resilience.
This dialogue will be essential to ensure that commitments made here in Dakar translate into inclusive outcomes and tangible results on the ground.
In closing, the Permanent Forum firmly believes that protecting Indigenous Peoples’ rights to water is not only a matter of justice. It is a strategic imperative for achieving SDG 6, addressing the climate crisis, and ensuring that the 2026 UN Water Conference delivers lasting impact for present and future generations.
Thank you.
