2021 United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) Report
Executive Summary
The United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) is an advisory body to the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the UN, and is one of three mandated bodies assigned to deal with Indigenous peoples’ issues worldwide. Traditionally, it is a two-week long event held in April at the United Nations in New York; this year it was entirely virtual.
The UNPFII provides a yearly opportunity for state representatives and Indigenous representatives from around the globe to provide expert advice and recommendations on the challenges they face, advising programmes, funding, and agency support. It comprises a variety of UN events, and dozens of side events organized by Indigenous peoples and organizations to disaggregate information and share space. The UNPFII provides a platform for awareness and coordination of Indigenous activities within the UN, and is the highest-level event to prepare and share information on Indigenous peoples. The UNPFII also seeks to promote the application of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), and uses the UNPFII to collect advice and data to ensure its effectiveness.
Three Indigenous youth acted as representatives from Canada at this year’s UNPFII: Nipâwi Kakinoosit, Paloma Griffin, and Sarah Hanson. Together, they balanced responsibilities between public representation, communications, and engagement with Indigenous groups and mentors in the weeks leading up to the UNPFII. During the two week period, they attended each of the UNPFII main meetings, and attended a variety of side meetings based on their priority areas of focus:
Nipâwi: Treaty, & Indigenous Rights, Missing & Murdered Indigenous peoples
Paloma: Indigenous Women & Gender Issues, and Language Preservation
Sarah: Climate Action and Indigenous Youth Leadership
Additionally, this delegation sought to act past the preconceived goals established before its inception. It sought to use this opportunity to represent Indigenous youth on a global scale, amplifying their voices by engaging in a long-term and ambitious plan to prepare and deliver a statement at the UNPFII, conduct research, and establish a new framework for youth advocacy. This document summarizes the milestones and achievements of their participation. The delegation would like to thank Young Diplomats of Canada for the opportunity, as well as the staff members that assisted in this work.
Multilateralism and COVID-19:
It should be noted that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the UNPFII were significant; many [stakeholders] commented to the delegates that the virtual platform did not live up to the best effect or purpose of the UNPFII when carried out in person. In particular, the lack of access to the internet for many Indigenous peoples worldwide precluded a significant amount of attendance, and prevented the engagement experience UNPFII seeks to provide each year. The delegates were advised that they should return next year to obtain the full experience and continue their work, and with the support of YDC they intend to do so.