HRC57 - NB8 statement - Indigenous Peoples - Annual half-day panel

Human Rights Council – 57th session
Items 3 & 5: Annual half-day panel discussion on the rights of Indigenous Peoples
Theme: Laws, policies, judicial decisions and other measures taken by States to achieve the ends of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Statement by Denmark on behalf of the Nordic Baltic states
25 September 2024

Mr. President,

Chairperson, Distinguished Panellists,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the Nordic Baltic states.

We welcome this year’s study by the Expert Mechanism on the rights of Indigenous Peoples and agree on the importance of measures taken by States to achieve the ends of the UNDRIP.

Article 38 of the UNDRIP is fundamental to achieving the ends of the Declaration. Within the Nordic-Baltic-states there are several examples hereof, which we hope can serve as inspiration for others. These include:

• The Act on Greenland Self-Government of 2009, which is based on an agreement between the Governments of Greenland and Denmark as equal partners, and which recognises the people of Greenland as a people pursuant to international law, with the right to self-determination.
• The Act on consultation on matters concerning the Sami people, which entered into force in Sweden in 2022.
• The Sami Act in Norway, which codifies that the Sami Parliament and other representatives of Sami interests have the right to be consulted in cases that may directly affect Sami interests.
• A proposal to renew the Act on the Sámi Parliament, which has been given to the Parliament in Finland and will be dealt with by the Constitutional Law Committee shortly.

Let me conclude by reaffirming the Nordic Baltic states’ full and firm support for the UNDRIP.

Esteemed panellists, how can we as states contribute to raising awareness for the need to take legislative measures to achieve the ends of the Declaration?

I thank you.