On 6 April 2020, the Chair of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII), Anne Nuorgam, issued a statement calling on Member States to ensure that indigenous peoples are informed, protected and prioritized during the global COVID-19 pandemic.

In the statement, she stresses the need to make information available in indigenous languages, protect indigenous elders (as keepers of history, tradition, and cultures), and respect the right to self-determination of indigenous peoples living in voluntary isolation and initial contact.