![](/sites/default/files/styles/large_news_1100_x_631/public/news/2022-07/Anne-Nuorgam-UN-846x476.jpg?itok=lZ2jERVe)
On 6 April 2020, the Chair of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII), Anne Nuorgam, issued a statement calling on Member States to ensure that Indigenous Peoples are informed, protected and prioritized during the global COVID-19 pandemic.
In the statement, she stresses the need to make information available in Indigenous languages, protect Indigenous elders (as keepers of history, tradition, and cultures), and respect the right to self-determination of Indigenous Peoples living in voluntary isolation and initial contact.