UNPFII Twenty-second Session: 17-28 April 2023

International Expert Group Meeting: “Truth, transitional justice and reconciliation processes”.  15-17 November 2022, Santiago, Chile

EGM Report (E/C.19/2023/3)

The Indigenous Peoples Development Branch within the Division of Inclusive Social Development of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs organised an International Expert Group Meeting on the theme, “Truth, Transitional Justice and Reconciliation Processes”, recommended by the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and endorsed by the Economic and Social Council.

Pre-sessional Meeting

The Pre-sessional meeting of the Members of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues was held from 6 to 10 March 2023 in Bogotá, Colombia. The pre-sessional meeting was hosted by the Government of Colombia. These internal discussions and deliberations of the Permanent Forum Members to prepare for the annual session are closed.

3.3.23 Press Release (Spanish only)

6.3.23 Press Release (Spanish only)

Questionnaires:

• Questionnaire to UN Funds, Agencies, Programmes and Intergovernmental Organisations

Provisional Agenda for the twenty-second session (E/C.19/2023/1)

1. Election of officers.
2. Adoption of the agenda and organization of work.
3. Discussion on the theme “Indigenous Peoples, human health, planetary and territorial health and climate change: a rights-based
   approach”.
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 and the 2030 Agenda for 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. Dialogue on Indigenous platforms established within United Nations entities;
   7. Thematic dialogues.
6. Future work of the Permanent Forum, including issues considered by the Economic and Social Council, the outcome document of the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples and emerging issues.
7. Provisional agenda of the twenty-third session of the Permanent Forum.
8. Adoption of the report of the Permanent Forum on its twenty-second session.

Registration is now open. 

For NGOs with ECOSOC Status, IPOs and Academics that have participated at previous sessions of the Permanent Forum

To participate in the 2023 session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues:

a. Review and update your contact details in our integrated Civil Society Organizations (iCSO) System: http://bit.ly/unpfii-updatecontact

b. Register by 4 April 2023: https://indico.un.org/e/unpfii22

c. Please make sure that the focal point identified by your organization approves your registration in INDICO.

• Quick Guide for Indico Conference Focal Points (EN): http://bit.ly/indico-cfps 
• Guía rápida para los coordinadores de conferencias
• Guide rapide pour les coordinateurs de conférence

Please contact us at: indigenous_un@un.org for questions related to your participation.

Programme of Work (E/C.19/2023/L.1)

Documents Submitted by the Secretariat of the UNPFII:

• E/C.19/2023/1 Provisional Agenda AR | EN | ES | FR | RU | ZH
• E/C.19/2023/L.1 Proposed organization of work AR | EN | ES | FR | RU | ZH
• E/C.19/2023/2 System-wide Action Plan for Ensuring a Coherent Approach to Achieving the ends of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, including in the 2030 Agenda: Implementation by the United Nations System: Note by the Secretariat AR | EN | ES | FR | RU | ZH 
• E/C.19/2023/3 International Expert Group Meeting on the Theme "Truth, transitional justice and reconciliation processes" : Note by the Secretariat  AR | EN | ES | FR | RU | ZH 
•  

Documents Submitted by Members of the UNPFII:

• E/C.19/2023/5 Indigenous Determinants of Health in the 2030 Agenda by Simón Freddy Condo Riveros, Hannah McGlade and Geoffrey Roth AR | EN | ES | FR | RU | ZH  
• E/C.19/2023/6 Implementing Free, Prior and Informed Consent in the Context of Indigenous Peoples by Alexey Tsykarev AR | EN | ES | FR | RU | ZH  

Responses to the questionnaire submitted by the UN system and other Inter-governmental organizations:

• DGC:  AR | EN | ES | FR | RU |ZH
• DPPA-DPO-PBSO: AR | EN | ES | FR | RU |ZH
• ECLAC: AR | EN | ES | FR | RU | ZH
• FAO:  AR | EN | ES | FR | RU | ZH
• FILAC: AR | EN | ES | FR | RU | ZH 
• IFAD: AR | EN | ES | FR | RU | ZH 
• ILO: AR | EN | ES | FR | RU |ZH
• ITU: AR | EN | ES | FR | RU |ZH
• OHCHR: AR | EN | ES | FR | RU |ZH
• OSRSG VAC: AR | EN | ES | FR | RU |ZH
• PAHO: AR | EN | ES | FR | RU |ZH
• SCBD: AR | EN | ES | FR | RU |ZH
• UNDP: AR | EN | ES | FR | RU |ZH
• UNESCO: AR | EN | ES | FR | RU |ZH
• UNESCO ADG letter AR | EN | ES | FR | RU |ZH
• UN Habitat: AR | EN | ES | FR | RU |ZH
• UNHCR: AR | EN | ES | FR | RU |ZH
• UNICEF: AR | EN | ES | FR | RU |ZH
• UNU: AR | EN | ES | FR | RU |ZH
• WFP: AR | EN | ES | FR | RU |ZH
• WHO: AR | EN | ES | FR | RU |ZH
• WIPO: AR | EN | ES | FR | RU |ZH

As in previous years, the Indigenous Peoples and Development Branch/Secretariat of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (IPDB/SPFII) in the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) will coordinate requests for side events during the 22^nd session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) to be held at the United Nations Headquarters from 17 to 28 April 2023.

Side events (workshops, panel presentations or roundtable discussion) can be organized by Member States, UN entities and other intergovernmental organizations and Indigenous Peoples Organizations and NGOs that have been accredited to attend the 22^nd session of the UNPFII.

Participants accredited to UNPFII can attend side events in UN premises.

The special theme of the 22^nd session is “Indigenous Peoples, human health, planetary and territorial health and climate change: a rights-based approach”. The agenda of the session also includes a human rights dialogue with the UN Indigenous Mechanisms, future work of the Forum, and discussion on the six mandated areas, among others. Please refer to the Programme of Work for more details.

Due to the limited numbers of Conference Rooms available at the UN headquarters, we will not be able provide a room for all requests. Multi-stakeholder events hosted by Indigenous Peoples Organizations, UN Member States and UN entities and those relating to the special theme and agenda of the session will be given preference. 

The Side Event Request Form can be found here. 

The deadline for submitting requests for side events is 2 April 2023. We will respond to the requests by 7 April 2023.

Please note that:

• Most side events will be provided time slots from 1:15pm to 2:30pm and 6.30pm to 7.45pm. Some can also take place during the closed sessions of the Members of the Permanent Forum.
• There is a current standard rate for usage of services in the UN Conference Rooms that the organizer(s) of side events will have to bear. Additional charges will be incurred for side events held from 6.30pm to 7.45pm, including for security.
• The UN does not provide laptops or interpreters for side events and some of the Conference Rooms do not have interpretation booths. Please indicate clearly if you are requesting a room with booths. Where interpretation booths are available, the organizer(s) of the side events will be charged for the use of the booths, and they must make their own arrangements for interpretation.
• The scheduled date and time of any side event is liable to last minute changes. Every effort will be made to alert the organizer(s) at the earliest possible time of such change.
• Due to limited availability of Conference Rooms at the UN Headquarters, we encourage side event organizer(s) to explore external venues. A non-exhaustive list of such venues around the UN Headquarters can be found here.
• The organizers should contact those venues directly as the IPDB/SPFII is not responsible for coordinating requests for the external venues. If you wish to list such external side events on the side event schedule that will be published on ourwebpage, please send the following information to Mr. Prabindra Shakya via email to shakya@un.org by 12 April 2023:
  • Title of the event:
  • Date and time of the event:
  • Venue:
  • Organizer(s):
  • Languages of side event:
  • Contact person and details:

Note: For IPOs that need interpretation for their events, please contact DOCIP's focal point, Hanane Ajjour: Hanane.ajjour@docip.org

Enhanced Participation of Indigenous Peoples

Third Informal Interactive Hearing with Indigenous Peoples convened by the President of the 77th session of the General Assembly H.E. Csaba Kőrösi is scheduled for Thursday 20 April at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

Venue: Conference room 1

Time: 3 – 6 pm

Interpretation available in UN languages

Indigenous participants accredited to attend the 2023 session of the Permanent Forum are welcome to attend the hearing.

Invitation Letter from the PGA to Representatives of Indigenous Peoples.pdf

More information >>>

Media Accreditation

Journalists without UN credentials who wish to attend the UNPFII session  with professional equipment should submit an online application on the Web site of the Media Accreditation and Liaison Unit: http://www.un.org/en/media/accreditation/request.shtml. They will need to upload a letter of assignment on official letterhead from a bone fide media organization, signed by publisher, assignment editor or bureau chief, saying that the journalist is assigned to cover the UNPFII session. Approved applicants will receive an email confirmation with instructions for picking up the credentials.

Individuals with NGO accreditation will not be issued press credentials. Letters of assignment from NGOs will not be accepted for press credentials.

Visit the UN Media accreditation page for more information

Without media accreditation, Indigenous community media will not be able to bring professional cameras and equipment in to the United Nations.

Social Media Hashtags: #WeAreIndigenous

• Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/unpfii/
• Twitter:       https://twitter.com/UN4Indigenous
• Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/UN4Indigenous

Indigenous Media Zone

The Secretariat of the Permanent Forum (SPFII) and the Department of Global Communications (DGC), in partnership with Cultural Survival, is organising an Indigenous Media Zone during the 22^nd session of the Permanent Forum in 2023.  This will allow Indigenous media, journalists and platforms an opportunity to report on the session through Indigenous worldviews, perspectives and languages and organize media events around the theme of the session - “Indigenous Peoples, human health, planetary and territorial health and climate change: a rights-based approach”. Non-indigenous media are also welcome to join the Indigenous Media Zone.

Further, in line with the International Decade on Indigenous Languages, the Indigenous Media Zone will aim to encourage the participation of Indigenous media practitioners in a wide variety of Indigenous languages from different regions.

Programme and Events

The Indigenous Media Zone will provide Indigenous media, journalists and platforms a working space equipped with WiFi and a live stream of events happening inside the United Nations during the 22^nd Session of the Permanent Forum. The space will also allow for interaction with non-indigenous media. The Media Zone will include:

• Main stage: Live webcast interviews, panel debates and discussions with Indigenous experts, human rights defenders, delegates and business leaders
• Media workspace: Real-time coverage, interaction with speakers and blogging about events
• UNPFII Live streaming: Follow live content from the UNPFII meetings
• Social media: Facebook Live and Twitter conversations

Detailed events of the programme will be designed in collaboration with Indigenous media groups and will be announced at a later date. Events will be organized around the theme of the Permanent Forum session and issues related to the agenda of the session. In the context of increasing global discourse on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, events around the 2030 Agenda will also be included.

Main target group and audience

The primary users of the Indigenous Media Zone will be Indigenous media, journalists, bloggers, advocates and spokespersons, from both national media and community media. Non-indigenous media, including UN correspondents, are also be invited to join the media zone, particularly for main

panels and interviews, and to encourage meaningful networking with Indigenous media and channel the voices of Indigenous Peoples into mainstream media.

Organizers

The Indigenous Media Zone is organized by SPFII, DGC, and Cultural Survival, in cooperation with Indigenous media groups and networks and other UN entities.

Indigenous media groups and networks are invited to submit ideas for various media events with topic and format of the event and identification of potential speakers.

PLEASE NOTE: SPFII or DGC do not have financial resources to support travel or other costs for participation in the Indigenous Media Zone.

Dates and Location

The Indigenous Media Zone will be located in the UN Correspondents Association Room (3^rd floor, Secretariat building, S-310) from Monday to Thursday, 17-20 April 2023.  The space will be open from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm.

Registration

To register your interest in the IMZ, and to request a time slot for an interview, please sign up here by 10^th April: https://bit.ly/40hLs1g

 IMZ 

Participants registered to attend the UNPFII session will sign-up in-person to the List of Speakers. Schedule and details to be launched in the forthcoming days.

• 14 April, 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM: Global Indigenous Women's Gathering. Second Floor of the Church Center of the United Nations (CCUN) at 777 United Nations Plaza, New York, NY 10017.

• 15-16 April, 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM: Global Indigenous Peoples Caucus. Second Floor of the Church Center of the United Nations (CCUN) located at 777 United Nations Plaza, New York, NY 10017.

• 19 April 2023, 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM: The Indigenous Peoples Craft Fair. Eighth Floor of the Church Center of the United Nations (CCUN) located at 777 United Nations Plaza, New York, NY 10017. The craft fair is free and open to everyone. Combined Flyers - Caucus meetings and Craft Fair (EN/SP/FR/RU)

• 'Climate Actions, Future Changes' - Panel Discussion & Reception. Friday 21 April, 6-8pm, Scandinavia House
• 'Climate Actions, Future Changes' - Film screenings. Saturday 22 April, 2-4pm, Scandinavia House

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. 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.

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 enjoys 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

We do not encourage attendance of sessions of the Permanent Forum without pre-registration. All participants, including those from organizations enjoying consultative status with ECOSOC and holding annual ground-passes, are strongly encouraged to pre-register and register at the site of sessions of the Permanent Forum. The United Nations Secretariat will not be in a position to register participants who did not pre-register before the opening of the session.

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. In other words, all participants registered to attend the session may make oral presentations, depending on availability of time.

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 IPOs, NGOs and other interested organizations. 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. Please note that applications close in October of the year preceding the Permanent Forum’s Session.