HRC57 - NB8 statement - EMRIP

Human Rights Council – 57th session
Item 3&5: Interactive Dialogue with Expert Mechanism on the rights of Indigenous Peoples
Statement by Finland on behalf of the Nordic Baltic states: Denmark together with Greenland, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden
26 September 2024

Mr. President,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the Nordic Baltic states, Denmark together with Greenland, Estonia, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden, and my own country, Finland.

At the outset, I wish to recognize the Indigenous Peoples’ representatives present in the room and joining our discussions today. We look forward to hearing your insights and good practices on how to best promote and protect the rights of Indigenous Peoples.

We thank the Expert Mechanism on the Rights for Indigenous Peoples for all their work and have read with interest the annual report. As the Expert Mechanism does, we attach great importance to efforts to enhance the participation of Indigenous Peoples’ representatives and institutions in the work of the Human Rights Council. Indigenous Peoples have knowledge and expertise that will add legitimacy and sustainability to the decisions of the Human Rights Council. Progress has been made and must continue, and we look forward to discussions during the next intersessional meeting in October.  We also appreciate the continued focus on the International Decade of Indigenous Languages.

Distinguished Experts, in your view, how can we best work together to enhance Indigenous Peoples’ participation at the Human Rights Council?

I thank you.