Across the world, Indigenous Peoples continue to face critical challenges centered on land rights violations, forced evictions, and severe health disparities compounded by climate change and conflict. Against this backdrop, the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) was held at the United Nations in New York from 20 April to 1 May 2026. The 25th session of the forum centered on the theme “Ensuring Indigenous Peoples’ health, including in the context of conflict.”
The opening statements of the Forum underscored how closely intertwined Indigenous Peoples’ health is to land. This includes impacts as a result of colonization, environmental degradation, and climate change. Addressing Indigenous Peoples gathered at the UNPFII, UN Secretary-General António Guterres acknowledged that “health is inseparable from your lands, waters, languages, cultures, and ecosystems.”
Indeed, throughout our programs and advocacy, Franciscans International has documented the impacts of extractive activities, conflict, and militarization on Indigenous territories and the environment, in particular on the right to health. For example, in the Solomon Islands widespread logging and mining activities have led to air and water pollution and soil contamination. As underscored during the Forum and side events, Indigenous knowledge – including with regard to traditional medicine – and upholding the right to self-determination, are central to Indigenous health.
During the UNPFII, FI welcomed partners from West Papua, and, with them, co-organized the event “Human Rights in Indonesia: Indigenous Papuans and National Strategic Projects.” Across the West Papua region, there are at least 10 such projects, adopted with the stated intent of realizing a prosperous Indonesian society by developing physical and non-physical infrastructure. In practice, these schemes will result in large-scale land grabs of Indigenous customary territories and are already leading to widespread destruction of the environment. Panelists highlighted the Biak community, who are facing systematic land-grabbing campaigns, and the Merauke project, where the single largest deforestation project in the world is being carried out.
As one of its members, FI also participated in events organized by the Mining Working Group (MWG). These events included a panel session titled, “Health, Well-being and the Dignity of Indigenous Peoples in the ‘Lungs of Earth’ Countries,” as well as the MWG’s annual Global Dialogue of Indigenous Peoples.
As the 20th anniversary of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples approaches, FI will continue to advocate with its partners throughout the world for the protection of Indigenous rights and lands by ensuring that Indigenous voices are heard at the UN.