Call for assurance of the meaningful participation of Indigenous Peoples at INC Process, and Recognition and Protection of the Rights of Indigenous People - Letter

This document is a formal letter addressed to the Bureau of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee under the United Nations Environment Programme, written on 14 February 2025 by representatives of Indigenous Peoples and Their Communities Major Group. It raises concerns about the deliberate exclusion of Indigenous Peoples from meaningful participation during the fifth session of the negotiating committee in Busan, Republic of Korea. The letter alleges that conduct by the committee chair during plenary sessions violated fundamental human rights and participation principles recognized by the United Nations. It further states that the importance of traditional knowledge and Indigenous knowledge systems, as referenced in an existing United Nations Environment Assembly resolution, has not been adequately respected within the negotiation process.