Guterres Urges Global Action to Protect Indigenous Rights at Landmark 25th UNPFII Session

António Guterres opens the 25th UNPFII session, urging nations to protect indigenous guardians of nature and address extreme poverty and health inequities.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 21, 2026, 3:53 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Peoples Gazette

The 25th Anniversary of the UN Permanent Forum

The United Nations headquarters in New York hosted the opening of the 25th session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues on Monday, April 20. This milestone session marks a quarter-century of the platform’s role in elevating indigenous concerns to the center of the international agenda. With more than 1,000 delegates in attendance—many representing their nations in traditional attire—the forum serves as the premier global space for indigenous people to engage directly with the UN system. The assembly re-elected Aluki Kotierk, an Inuit leader from Canada, as the chair of the forum by acclamation to lead this year's deliberations.

Guardians of Nature and Biodiversity

In his opening address, Secretary-General António Guterres lauded indigenous peoples as the "great guardians of nature" and a "living library of biodiversity." He noted that from the Amazon to the Arctic, these communities are essential champions of climate action whose traditional knowledge is vital for global survival. Guterres argued that the rights of these peoples are inextricably linked to their lands, waters, and ecosystems. He warned that the degradation of these environments impacts not only the communities themselves but humanity at large, particularly as climate change and industrial pollution continue to threaten ancestral territories.

Economic Disparity and Health Inequities

Despite their vital environmental role, indigenous peoples remain among the most marginalized populations globally. Statistics shared during the forum highlight a stark reality: while indigenous people make up only six percent of the global population, they represent nearly 19 percent of those living in extreme poverty. Chairwoman Aluki Kotierk pointed to severe health inequities, noting that indigenous communities face shorter life expectancies, higher rates of chronic illness, and alarming suicide rates regardless of their geographic location. She attributed these poor outcomes directly to the loss of traditional lands and the contamination of local water sources.