Mr. Wu Hongbo Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs

Remarks
Commemoration of
the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples

10 August 2015, New York

Mr. Secretary-General,
Ms. Megan Davis, Chairperson of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues,
Distinguished Elders,
Distinguished Guests,
Distinguished Representatives of Indigenous Peoples,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is my honor and pleasure to welcome you to the commemoration of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. This is the day that we celebrate indigenous peoples and their many contributions to the world, and raise awareness of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the issues of concern to them.

This year’s International Day is dedicated to the “Post 2015 Agenda: Ensuring indigenous peoples health and well-being”.

Indigenous individuals have an equal right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, as affirmed in The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. However, indigenous peoples continue to lack adequate access to appropriate health care services. There is an urgent need to address disparity and deficits in indigenous peoples’ health, and to do so in a socio-culturally appropriate manner that respects the practices and beliefs of indigenous peoples.

Last week, Member States agreed on a bold, ambitious and transformative sustainable development agenda for the next 15 years, a roadmap to ending global poverty, building a life of dignity for all and leaving no one behind. It is encouraging that the new development agenda recognizes the need to secure the participation of indigenous peoples in the realization of the goals and targets. This should include review of progress at the national level. It is also critical that firm commitments are made to respond to indigenous peoples’ concerns and priorities in the new development agenda, across all goals and targets and indicators. Only then can we have sustainable development that can truly transform our world.

The World Conference on Indigenous Peoples held in September 2014 provided the opportunity to help advance greater and more concerted efforts by Member States as well as within the United Nations system to promote the rights and development of indigenous peoples. As a result of the World Conference, we now have before us a set of renewed commitments to galvanize efforts for the world’s indigenous peoples.

The outcome document calls for the development of a UN system wide action plan “to ensure a coherent approach to achieving the ends of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples”.

Since my appointment as the Secretary General’s designated senior official to coordinate follow up to the World Conference, I and my department have carried out consultations on the action plan with Member States, indigenous peoples and the UN system. I would like to thank the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples for including a discussion on the follow up to the World Conference during their May and July 2015 sessions. I look forward to our continuing cooperation in following up on the World Conference.

During these consultations, Member States, indigenous peoples and officials within the UN system have repeatedly identified the need for greater awareness-raising on the Declaration as well as capacity-building among relevant actors to ensure its effective implementation. These elements will be at the core of the action plan.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Today, let us celebrate and recognize the achievements of the world’s indigenous peoples. Now the challenge is to make sure that indigenous peoples’ visions and perspectives are fully integrated into the UN’s agenda.

You can count on my commitment as Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs to support the realization of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Thank you.

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