The United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII 2026) opened its 25th session on 20 April 2026 at UN Headquarters in New York, marking the forum’s twenty-fifth anniversary. More than 1,000 participants—including Indigenous peoples, member State representatives, UN entities, and academics—gathered to discuss the theme: “Ensuring Indigenous Peoples’ health, including in the context of conflict.”
The Forum addressed a range of key issues, including human rights and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It also featured a human rights dialogue on the rights of Indigenous Peoples with emphasis on the rights of Indigenous women and girls.
During the forum, UN agencies met directly with Indigenous leaders, reinforcing a shared goal: turning promises into real action. The forum discussed the question of funding indigenous futures, leading to the theme of financing of Indigenous people’s futures. The main financial concern was that the Indigenous communities are often left out of global funding systems despite being key protectors of biodiversity and culture.
Click here to read the newsletter: Echoes from Indigenous People’s Forum
