Indigenous Peoples

Dario Jose Mejia Montalvo, Chair of UNPFIIMany indigenous peoples profess a deep respect for the planet and all forms of life, and an understanding that the health of the Earth goes hand in hand with the wellbeing of humankind. This knowledge will…

Every year, the world loses enough forest trees to fill Portugal. Much of that deforestation happens on Indigenous lands and often without their prior and informed consent. But these communities are demanding change and fighting to protect their…

In his address marking the opening of the 2023 session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) on Monday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres drew attention to the ways that indigenous peoples are denied their human rights, and…

Olinda Silvano Olinda Silvano is an artist and leader in a Shipibo-Conibo indigenous community in Peru’s capital city, Lima. Sometimes people look at us and think that because we are indigenous we know nothing, and that we are going to do what they…

The World Water Day 2023 campaign, called Be the change, encourages people to take action in their own lives to change the way they use, consume and manage water.   The promises made by individuals on the campaign website will contribute to the…

Mother Nature, or “Pachamama”, as they say in Latin America, took centre stage as the pivotal UN climate conference reached the halfway point. Nature is critical to our survival: it provides the oxygen we need to breathe, regulates weather patterns…

For almost 30 years, Brazilian activist Joenia Wapixana, has been fighting for indigenous land rights and against “institutionalized discrimination” in Brazil. In a special interview with UN News, to mark the 20th anniversary of the Durban…

WeThe15, which aspires to be the biggest ever human rights movement to represent the world’s 1.2 billion persons with disabilities, aims to end discrimination towards persons with disabilities and act as a global movement publicly campaigning for…

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the workplace dangers faced by key workers who need far greater protection to do their jobs safely, the International Labour Organization (ILO) said. A new report by the ILO, released to mark World Day for…

Although they represent the greater part of the world’s cultural diversity and speak the major share of its languages, indigenous people are three times more likely to live in extreme poverty, the UN chief told the opening session of the UN…

The rights of indigenous people to make decisions about their cultural heritage and traditional way of life is being recognized in a United Nations photo exhibition. The UN estimates there are some 476 million indigenous people in more than 90…

“I am receiving more reports every day from all corners of the globe about how indigenous communities are affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and it deeply worries me to see it is not always about health issues”, said José Francisco Cali Tzay. In a …