The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) has approved the report and recommendations of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, which emphasizes that Russian aggression is directly harming the realization of the rights of indigenous peoples. This is an important event because, de facto, in addition to the UN General Assembly, another body in the UN system declares the negative impact of Russian aggression on the ability of indigenous peoples to exercise their rights freely.  This was noted by Suleiman Mamutov, a member of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, who was elected as a speaker at the forum this year.

This year’s report is the first to explicitly mention Ukraine’s three Indigenous peoples—Crimean Tatars, Karaites, and Krymchaks. The report recognizes the severe challenges faced by these people due to Russian aggression, highlighting the difficulties in realizing their rights, including the right to self-determination. It also emphasizes the threat of the disappearance of their languages.

The report contains key recommendations, including decolonization, indigenous peoples’ right to self-determination and autonomy, and the need for direct funding and the participation of indigenous youth in political processes. We also emphasized supporting indigenous peoples’ participation in the UN, including the General Assembly and the Human Rights Council.

We remind you that the Permanent Forum is a crucial body of the UN system that focuses on protecting the rights of indigenous peoples and highlighting their situation worldwide. It informs the policies of states and the activities of the UN system.