Ministry Statements & Speeches:
Item 11 – Enhancing the participation of Indigenous Peoples in the United Nations
Tēnā koutou katoa – Greetings to everyone.
Aotearoa New Zealand is committed to upholding the rights affirmed in the Declaration. The right to self-determination – a cornerstone of UNDRIP – can only be achieved if Indigenous Peoples can effectively participate in decision making processes that affect them, including at the United Nations. The voice of Indigenous Peoples is essential for effective and meaningful discussions on advancing Indigenous rights. Indigenous Peoples also bring important perspectives and models on a wide range of issues that can contribute to the well-being and human rights of all people.
In Aotearoa New Zealand our founding constitutional document, the Treaty of Waitangi, sets out the values that we must apply in advancing Indigenous rights in our country. The values of kaitiakitanga (guardianship), manaakitanga (generosity and care) and whanaungatanga (connectedness) tell us that Māori must be front and centre of decision making on issues that are important to them. Aotearoa New Zealand is working to uphold these commitments while acknowledging we have some way to go.
We must explore new ways to enhance the participation of Indigenous Peoples at the United Nations, including the Human Rights Council.
Aotearoa New Zealand supports Indigenous Peoples in their call to establish a unique category for their participation in the UN system. We were pleased to participate in the four day expert workshop convened by OHCHR in November 2022 on possible ways to enhance the participation of Indigenous Peoples in the work of the Human Rights Council, and we thank OHCHR for its subsequent report. We look forward to working with Indigenous Peoples, States, EMRIP and OHCHR on the next steps towards enhancing participation.
Finally, Aotearoa New Zealand is pleased to have recently contributed to the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Peoples. We strongly support the objectives of the Fund to enable Indigenous Peoples’ representatives to participate in sessions of the United Nations, and we are pleased to see representatives supported by the Fund participating today.
Ngā mihi nui ki a koutou – Many thanks to you all.