25th Meeting - 63rd Session of Human Rights Council

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Excellencies, distinguished delegates, I call to order the 25th meeting of the 63rd session of the Human Rights Council. We must continue now with our interactive dialogue that was suspended yesterday, but before continuing, the sponsors of the following draft resolutions have asked for an extension for the time period until Friday 25 September tomorrow at 1:00 The drafts are the following human rights of migrants Agenda 3 human rights of for potable water and sanitation also agenda 3 item 3 the report on intergovernmental open-ended working group on the optional protocol on the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the right to early childhood education, preschool education, and with the resolution 56/50 of the Human Rights Council. The delegations that have requested this extension have provided explanations that are reasonable. And with your approval, if there is no objection, we will extend the timetable for these draft resolutions to tomorrow, 25 September at 1300 hours. As I see it, there are no objections and that the council approves. So adopted, so agreed. Thank you very much. We'll now continue with the interactive dialogue on the Secretary-General's report on cooperation with the United Nations, its representatives and its mechanisms in the field of human rights. First, I give the floor to the distinguished representation of Ghana.

Mr. Vice-President. Ghana aligns itself with the statement delivered by Kenya on behalf of the African group and Ireland on behalf of the core group on reprisal. Ghana considers cooperation with the United Nations and its human rights mechanisms fundamental to the effective promotion and protection of human rights. Such cooperation must therefore be safeguarded as an essential component of the international human rights system. As a member of the core group on reprisal, Ghana is particularly concerned by reports of intimidation, threats and reprisals against individuals and groups for engaging with the United Nations and its human rights mechanism. we underscore that no individual, civil society organization, national human rights institution, human rights defenders, or other stakeholders should face intimidation, harassment, or other adverse consequences for legitimate cooperation with the United Nations. Mr. Vice President, Ghana supports a policy of zero tolerance for reprisal and calls on all states to prevent investigate and address acts of intimidation or retaliation, including by ensuring effective remedies and accountability where violations occur. Ghana reaffirms its commitment to an environment in which all stakeholders can engage with the United Nations freely, safely, and without fear of reprisal. I thank you, Mr. Vice President.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Vietnam.

Mr. Vice President, Vietnam takes note of the Secretary-General's report and reaffirms its commitment to constructive cooperation with the United Nations human rights mechanisms. We regret the inclusion of unsubstantiated allegations concerning Vietnam and call for rigorous verification and balanced consideration of the information provided by our government. For example, the report retains references to individual whereabouts when being unknown, while at the same time acknowledges the government's information about their current status. We also reject statements by some delegations mischaracterizing these cases as reprisals and calling for the release of individuals serving prison sentences. The individuals concerned were prosecuted for specific violations of the law, not for cooperating with the United Nations or exercising fundamental rights. Vietnam stresses that objectivity, impartiality and non-selectivity must guide the collection and assessment of evidence. Dialogue and cooperation should remain at the core of this Council's work. We reaffirm our readiness to work constructively with all Member States of the Council and relevant United Nations mechanisms on the basis of mutual respect.

I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of South Africa.

In 1967, the Commission on Human Rights established its first ever special procedures mechanism focusing on apartheid in South Africa. This mechanism and sustained action from the UN and its member states contributed to South Africa's transition to democracy. South Africa can therefore be counted on to support civil po- civil society participation in the Council and to defend those subject to intimidation and reprisals. Unfortunately, the very special procedure mechanisms that civil society is meant to cooperate with are themselves subject of intimidation and reprisals. This is particularly the case for those drawing attention to the genocide in Gaza who have been sanctioned for, among others, cooperating with the investigations of the ICC, whose officials too have been sanctioned. Such actions not only run contrary to international law, but also have a chilling effect on victims who depend on these mechanisms to secure accountability and justice they deserve. Special procedures mechanisms are essential to ensuring that the Council can discharge its mandate. These sanctions therefore undermine the integrity of the human rights ecosystem. South Africa joins others in calling for their removal. As member states, we have a duty to ensure that attacks on international institutions and their personnel stop. We need to protect all special procedure mechanisms which work at our behest, ensuring that they can discharge their responsibilities without fear or favor. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished Deputy Ambassador of the United Kingdom.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. And thank you to all those in the UN for their work to counter instances of reprisals against those who cooperate with the UN to defend human rights. As highlighted in the Secretary-General's report, China's reckless attempts at transnational repression have continued, including the targeting of individuals such as Hong Kong democracy activist Carmen Lau. In Burundi, the UN Committee against Torture found that four lawyers, Judone Bashirishize, Armel Nyongere, Vital Nishimirimana and Lombert Nkaruwa, were targeted for cooperating with the Committee. The Belarusian Association of Human Rights Lawyers and six lawyers linked to it have been designated as extremists as a possible act of reprisal. And in Russia, human rights lawyer Violetta Fitzner was designated a foreign agent for cooperating with the UN. The UK unequivocally condemns these acts of intimidation and retaliation. We are proud to support the Lighthouse Fund, providing protection for human rights defenders under threat. Mr. Vice-President, what more can be done to protect these brave individuals from intimidation and transnational repression?

Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished delegation of the United Republic of Tanzania.

Mr. Vice President, the United Republic of Tanzania takes note of the Secretary General's report and reaffirms the importance of constructive cooperation with the United Nations human rights system. Consistent with Tanzania's foreign policy principles, including respect for sovereignty, sovereign equality, noninterference, and international law, we believe that human rights cooperation should be founded on dialogue, mutual respect, and genuine partnership. Tanzania notes the concerns raised regarding intimidation and reprisals, including emerging risks associated with digital technologies. In addressing these concerns, objectivity, accuracy, and due process must remain fundamental. Allegations should be carefully verified through engagement with the states concerned, with due consideration given information and responses provided by the government. This is essential to ensure fairness and maintaining confidence in United Nations mechanisms. Tanzania further emphasizes prevention through dialogue, technical assistance, and capacity building, particularly by strengthening national institutions. Admittedly, cooperation should reinforce nation ownership, national capacities, while advancing our shared objective of promoting and protecting human rights for all. I thank you, Mr. Vice President.

Thank you. We will now hear a video from the distinguished... We will now hear a video from the distinguished delegation of Yemen.

Thank you, Vice President, and welcome the report of the General Secretary on cooperation with the UN, its representatives, and mechanisms. We are committed to constructive cooperation with UN mechanisms. and we are keen to ensure the safety of human right defenders and civil society organizations. In this light, we attract the attention of the Council to the fact that the most serious threat lies in Yemen in areas controlled by the Houthi militias, which violates all laws and legislations by conducting arbitrary detentions of scores of you and employees including OHCHR staff, as well as aid workers and local activists. It also raided headquarters of international organizations. We call upon the international community to take a firm stance to ensure their prompt and unconditional release and to provide protection to human rights defenders and aid workers. And thank you, President.

We will now hear from the distinguished representative of Senegal.

Thank you, Vice President. Senegal takes note of the report from the Secretary-General on cooperation with the United Nations in the realm of human rights. We denounce the ongoing acts of intimidation and reprisals targeting persons and organizations cooperating with UN mechanisms. The report underscores as well the regrettable trend towards a shrinking of civic spaces where the difficulties that the civil society faces in enjoying its rights, Synagogue believes that the strengthening of dialogue and cooperation are an essential means of preventing these difficulties, favoring an environment that is conducive to the promotion of human rights. Our commitment to close cooperation with the UN system is translated, including in other areas, through the erection of a UN building in Diamniadio. It is a showcase for multilateral cooperation, and it is a testimony to our attachment to a strong UN system and at the service of the populations, our people, and of our will to continue to support these reforms. This guides our commitment with civil society and working in the NPMs through cooperation with UN treaty bodies, and this calls upon us to strengthen these efforts, including the Minister of Justice's plan to hold yearly talks with the civil society. To close, we reaffirm our support for these efforts.

I give the floor to the delegation of Maldives.

Mr. Vice President, the Maldives is deeply concerned with all acts of reprisals against special procedures mandate holders and reiterates that a safe environment must be ensured for all UN mandate holders to fully carry out their duties. Protecting these individuals is a precondition to execute the roles of this organization. Where this protection fails, the credibility of the Human Rights Council itself is put at stake. The Moldus condemns the adoption of amendments to the law to cease under operations by Israel, which has contributed to an operational environment of intimidation and reprisals. Such actions constitute a clear violation of international law, undermine the work of the United Nations and humanitarian agencies, and further exacerbate the already dire humanitarian situation faced by the Palestinian people. We also express deep concern over intimidation, threats, sanctions, reprisals, and other coercive measures, including against those cooperating with United Nations mandate holders, and call on Israel to revoke the unsubstantiated designation of Palestinian human rights and humanitarian organizations as unlawful organizations. Before concluding, we reaffirm the Moldovan strong commitment to a safe and enabling environment for civil society to contribute freely to national development and engage with United Nations mechanisms. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished delegation of Switzerland.

Mr. Vice President, Switzerland thanks the Secretary-General for the report. We hail the constant efforts to prevent and to address acts of intimidation or reprisals in link with cooperation with the UN, its representatives and human rights mechanisms. We remain deeply concerned over the high amount of cases of this as well as by the increase of allegations of transnational repression, these practices undermine civic space and install a climate of fear and self-censorship. Switzerland condemns firmly all acts of intimidation, reprisals, and calls upon state actors to-- states and stakeholders to put an end to these, to guarantee free and effective access to the United Nations and its human rights mechanisms and to ensure that justice is served. The participation of the UN remains essential. Switzerland calls upon Secretary General to ensure the guarantees for the procedures and the including consultative status when ECOSOC are fair and transparent. Madam Assistant Secretary General for Human Rights, what are your priorities for the year ahead and what do you think your response to member states might look like that is human rights based given current trends? Thank you.

I will now give the floor to the distinguished delegation of Malawi, but the Secretary tells me that they are not currently in the room. That being the case, I give the floor to the distinguished delegation of Eritrea. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. President. Eritrea reaffirms that genuine cooperation must be built on impartiality, mutual respect, and dialogue. As a sovereign member state, Eritrea continues to demonstrate this through tangible results-based partnerships on the ground. UNDP, UNICEF, WHO, UNFPA, and FAO maintain active programs across health, water, sanitation, education, and climate resilience. from renewable energy powered health facilities now serving over a million people to nationally led reforestation and food security initiatives implemented jointly with communities. The government and the UN country team are presently finalizing the next five-year cooperation framework for 2027 to 2031. Eritrea's engagement extends to multilateral leadership at the highest levels. Eritrea currently chairs the group of African ambassadors in New York, serves on the UNICEF executive board, and was nominated this year as a vice president of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, a clear reflection of the confidence member states place in Eritrea's constructive role within this organization. Eritrea also continues to engage the Universal Periodic Review in good faith. We remain concerned, however, where country-specific mandates are imposed without the state's consent. Eritrea calls for an approach to cooperation that is balanced, technical, and free of geopolitical interest. I thank you, Mr. President.

We will now hear from the distinguished representative of Sudan.

Thank you, Vice President. We took note of the report by the Secretary General on cooperation with the UN, its representatives, and mechanisms. and its findings and conclusions. We applaud the UN role in various fields, including human rights, as well as with regards to peace and development, particularly in view of the challenges facing us, which never stopped increasing. International cooperation is key. The report highlighted reprisals and intimidation conducted by non-state actors against human rights activists. In Sudan, the Rapid Support Force targeted the state and the people and targeted people who are documenting violations and represent their people. This includes doctors, teachers, and human rights activists, and others. Some of them have been killed cold-bloodedly. cold-bloodedly. Some of them have been held and detained arbitrarily and abducted. Others are still detained in Darfur and in Fashir and Degris, in Yala and other places. These are places which have not the basic requirement of dignified life. Some of them died in these centers of detention. These violations are methodic and systematic in order to intimidate influential people and leaders.

Thank you. The President is-- I now give the floor--.

-Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions.

I give the floor to GANRI as we have run out of time for member states.

Mr. Vice President, GANRI thanks the Secretary-General for his comprehensive report and acknowledges his assessment that reprisals and intimidation continue to undermine effective cooperation with the United Nations. We are concerned by the high number of reported cases of intimidation and reprisals and growing pressure on the civic space necessary for engagement with the United Nations. GANRI's 2026 global survey similarly found that human rights defenders civil society organizations face a broad range of pressures, including growing digital threats, smear campaigns, and online reputational attacks. These findings also reflect concerns raised at GANDRI 2026 annual conference about the use of digital tools to intimidate, monitor, or silence critical voices. NHRIs play an important role in addressing such acts through their broad mandate to promote and protect human rights. However, NHRIs themselves face intimidation and reprisals as a result of the cooperation with the United Nations, which can undermine their independence and compliance with the Paris Principles. We call for a more systematic approach to ensuring a safe and enabling environment in which civil society, human rights defenders and NHRIs can operate freely and engage effectively with the UN, both online and offline. I thank you, Mr. Vice-President.

Thank you. I give the floor to the representative of the National Human Rights Committee of Qatar.

In the name of God, most compassionate. Honorable President, ladies and gentlemen, may God's peace and blessings be upon you all. The National Human Rights Committee in the State of Qatar regards cooperation with the UN human rights system as a cornerstone for promoting and protecting human rights and advancing national efforts. We participate in the HRC sessions, and we deliver our statements. We engage with treaty bodies and the UPR through the submission of reports. and written and oral contributions and follow up on recommendations. Our committee provides independent information which may include critical observations on the performance of the government without resulting in any repercussions for its work. We cooperate also with UN agencies, UNHCR, UNDP, UNICEF, UNESCO, ILO, through partnerships, training, capacity building, joint projects and policy development through our memberships and the Asia Pacific Forum of NHR. the Arab Network of National Human Rights Institutions. We are also committed to supporting any NHRI facing setbacks, intimidation, or emergency circumstances affecting its mandate or independence. We recognize that our world is facing growing challenges and that a number of national human rights institutions in our regions and elsewhere are experiencing pressures, attempts of intimidations that affect their ability to discharge their mandate independently and effectively.

Thank you. I give the floor to the representative of the Human Rights House Foundation.

Thank you, Vice President. ...to her post and note that this year's report documents reprisals affecting my own organization and, separately, our partner, Violetta Fitzner of Memorial Human Rights Defense Center and OVD-Info. Vice President, we again raise the case of Azerbaijani human rights defender and election monitor Anar Mahmudli. Anar engaged with this Council at its 55th session, including speaking at a side event on the human rights situation in Azerbaijan. Weeks later, he was arrested in Baku. Special procedures have subsequently warned that some of the alleged violations against him might constitute intimidation or reprisals for cooperation with the UN. On 7 September, after more than two years in detention, Arnau was sentenced to 13 years in prison, following proceedings.

Widely condemned as politically motivated.

In 2018, the European Court of Human Rights found that his earlier imprisonment sought to punish and silence him for his work, yet that judgment remains unimplemented and his previous conviction was never quashed. Vice-President. We ask the Assistant Secretary-General, what further action can the United Nations take when a defender previously subjected to politically motivated imprisonment is again imprisoned after engaging with UN mechanisms, despite years of international scrutiny? I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the representative of the Gulf Center for Human Rights.

Dear Mr. Vice-President, The Gulf Center for Human Rights and Al-Qusd for Human Rights would like to thank the Secretary-General for her report, especially the follow-up of past cases in Bahrain, Yemen and Saudi Arabia, which are essentially ongoing reprisals, as well as a new case from Yemen. We are surprised to see that the long-term cases in the United Arab Emirates were not reported on, despite updated information submitted. We hope that Mr. Mohammed Al-Mansouri and Mr. Ahmed Al-Mansour, detained since 2013 and 2017, respectively, will figure in future reports. We do appreciate your follow-up of Mr. Abdul Hadi Al-Hawaja, Mr. Abdul Jalil Al-Singace, and Mr. Mushaima in Bahrain, who have spent over a decade in prison, as well as your follow-up of Saudi human rights defenders Lujain Al-Hathloul, Mohammed Al-Khatani, Essa Al-Nuqhaifi, and Fazwan Al-Harbi, who continue to be subject to arbitrary travel bans, and finally, in Yemen, the organization Watana that was targeted by new and ongoing reprisals. We would like to highlight the lack of new cases of reprisals in most Gulf states. Civil society has been totally shut down. In many cases, criticism, even as little as a tweet of the rulers or their policies, can result in decades-long prison sentences. Civil society from the region barely engages with the UN. Those in exile are regularly targets of transnational repression. We ask you again to consider also highlighting countries where no member of civil society who resides there has engaged with UN bodies in the reporting period. We would argue that this strongly indicates closed civil society space. Thank you, Mr. Vice President.

Thank you. We will now hear a video message from the International Service for Human Rights.

We look forward to your leadership in strengthening the UN response to intimidation and reprisals against those who engage with the UN. In this global fight to defend human rights, no matter where we are, feeling safe is a privilege. I, a Hong Kong pro-democracy activist, am among many global rights defenders who live every single day knowing we are being watched and threatened. I speak to you today as a target of transnational repression and reprisals for my human rights advocacy, including my engagement with the UN. I speak as my 70-year-old father sits in prison as a hostage 8,000 miles away, the first time a family member of an exiled Hong Kong activist to be imprisoned. I speak as someone with a HK$1 million bounty on my head, and I speak as someone who's standing my ground to combat an urgent threat that goes beyond nations and continents. When states do their utmost to silence activists abroad, including for cooperating with the UN, member states should also do their utmost to respond to it. A group of UN experts recently released a statement that provides clear guidance on what states should do to tackle transnational repression and reprisals. This includes protecting those targeted, investigating allegations, and holding perpetrators accountable. No one should be punished for engaging with the United Nations. Thank you.

I now give the floor to the representative of Advocates for Human Rights.

Mr. Vice President, the Advocates for Human Rights is an NGO based in Minneapolis, United States. We are concerned with our government's lack of participation in the UPR process, which deprives us of an important avenue to try to improve the human rights situation for all people in the United States. The federal government has rolled back the human rights of LGBTI+ people, women, and marginalized communities. These rollbacks jeopardize transgender people's rights to security of their person. A recent report commissioned by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services makes the unfounded claim that individuals who support transgender people are more likely to justify political violence. Further, courts and subnational legislatures have stripped access to sexual and reproductive health in certain areas of the country, leaving a patchwork of protections for people needing access to care. The U.S. government has targeted and attacked non-citizens, including in our own backyard. For three months last winter, thousands of federal immigration agents terrorized Minnesotans, indiscriminately detaining individuals, keeping them in holding facilities that do not meet the Nelson Mandela Rules, and engaging in unforced disappearances. The UPR would have provided a platform for member states to amplify civil society concerns about these and other pressing human rights issues in the U.S. Their non-participation not only deprives us of this opportunity, but also opens the door to other countries evading scrutiny. The Council must close the door and use all available measures to encourage participation. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the Global Action on Aging. It would seem that they are not with us in the room. I give the floor then to the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development.

Thank you, Vice President. We deplore all acts of reprisals against those who cooperate with UN human rights mechanisms. The report sheds light on the great personal costs defenders pay to cooperate with the UN. This is only a part of a much bigger picture, as many cases remain unreported or anonymous for fear of further reprisals. The report documents serious cases of reprisals across Asia by authorities in India, Pakistan, China, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Vietnam and Lao PDR. We are particularly concerned by the continuing abuse of counterterrorism and national security architecture to target defenders, turning supposedly a protective mechanism into tools of repression. Persecution of Montagnard activists in Vietnam is emblematic of this trend. We welcome the report's attention to increasing transnational repression. The deportation of Chinese human rights lawyer Lu Siwei from Lao PDR to China and Vietnamese defender up from Thailand to Vietnam demonstrate its insidious nature and serious consequences. Beyond cases reported in this year's report, the recent arrest and detention of indigenous human rights defender Pranab Doli in India demonstrate the continuing criminalization of those who bring local human rights concerns to international spaces. The report rightly highlights growing self-censorship. Victims, survivors, and defenders turn to the UN when domestic avenues for accountability fail. Reprisals deny them this important pathway to accountability. When states resort to fear, intimidation, punishment, and smear campaigns to silence those who bring these voices to the UN, the UN loses vital information from the ground, undermining--.

I now give the floor to Frontline AIDS.

I will not give my name or my country today, as this would carry consequence for me and others when this session ends. That is exactly what this report documents: individuals and organizations choosing silence or to remain anonymous rather than risk exposure for cooperating with the United Nations. Paragraph 109 describes self-censorship due to fear of reprisal. as a continuing and significant reality, not a marginal one. We thank Secretary General for this report. Every case named or not represents someone who judged that speaking was worth the risk. Choosing to take the flow without name attached is a smaller version of that same calculation. We are asking this Council to reflect on what it means that people continue to come forward at all when silence would be the easier and safer path. The right to cooperate with the United Nations with without fear must be more than a principle or a statement each year. It must be protected in practice. I thank you.

Thank you. I now give the floor to Humanists International.

Thank you, Mr. President, and we thank the Assistant Secretary-General for this important report. We share the report's concern for shrinking space for civil society to safely engage with the United Nations. The documented trend of the repression of civil society, including disinformation campaigns, is escalating in the UN meeting shows that we are living in an era of significant backlash against human rights. And we know that human rights defenders working on gender equality, sexual and reproductive health and rights, and LGBTI rights are some of the most targeted for their advocacy. These defenders often face opposition from organized transnational movements made-up of states and non-state actors using a variety of justifications to repress HRDs. Legal arguments prioritizing the traditional heteropatriarchal family, exclusionary interpretations of culture and tradition, parental or family rights, as well as demographic preservation, foreign agent laws, and the misuse of counterterrorism laws are some examples. We increasingly see the right to freedom of religion or belief instrumentalized and weaponized to undermine the rights of gender and sexual minorities. This is distinct from the careful balancing of competing rights and interests inherent in international human rights law. And we specifically bring the Council's attention to the use of religious freedom and traditional values to undermine gender equality, ICERHR, bodily autonomy, access to comprehensive sexuality education, and freedom of expression amongst other rights. To conclude, Resolution 12/2 recognizes the reprisals come from non-state actors as well as states. Assistant Secretary General, how can the UN's response better address intimidation that is coordinated across borders by both in the specific context of well-funded anti-rights movements? Thank you.

Thank you. I now give the floor to the representative of East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defender Project.

Thank you, Vice President. Under-Secretary-General, we commend the report and agree with the conclusion whereby transnational repression is on the rise. We would like to express our regret about unresolved cases. You must look at the methodological constraints so as to prevent pending cases from falling into oblivion. There is the case of Mr. Ibrahim in Djibouti. Since the UPR in 2018, this person has been the subject of a travel ban. This must end. We also condemn the reprisals by Algeria, Cameroon, the the RRC, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Libya and South Sudan. We commend the decision by the Committee against Torture regarding the Burundian lawyers. We also note that Maxime Dombey was released and some prosecutions have been dropped, but we call on the authorities to end all harassment. We condemn the conviction of Adison Dom. When the representatives of states claim that they suffer from reprisals of civil societies, we are forced to see that certain anti-law associations have taken diplomats as targets, but this should not go down as being criminal acts committed by states. The UN has itself made the participation by civil society harder, with multiple restrictions having a deterring effect on their participation. It is not NGOs that pose a security threat, but rather States that engage in acts of reprisals and intimidation. Thank you.

We will now hear from Aula Abierta. This is a video message.

...And members of the Council.

Together with Civilis Internacional and RIDE, we received this report with great concern.

Engagement with the United Nations is an essential component.

Of the right to take part in the conduct of public affairs, nationally and internationally. Through this engagement, we exercise that right not only in relation to our countries of origin, but also in relation to global public affairs.

Countries across regions are increasingly adopting legislative frameworks that impose disproportionate obstacles.

To human rights defense, or even criminalize cooperation with the UN, restricting civic space worldwide.

Venezuela, Nicaragua.

And Paraguay are among some examples in Latin America and the Caribbean. We have also documented reprisals against civil society members, including university professors and students, for cooperating with the.

UN, both in their countries of origin and within the UN premises themselves, amounting to transnational repression. This repression has often involved surveillance and harassment, including non-consensual recording and photography. We urge the international community to recognize that these restrictive legal frameworks are intertwined with transnational repression. Repealing them is therefore an imperative obligation to guarantee a vibrant civic space in which citizens and civil society organizations in particular can freely participate in public affairs.

Thank you.

Thank you. I call on International Federation for Human Rights Leagues.

Thank you, President. Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Nassera Doudou, and I am the chair of the group of families of disappeared persons in Algeria and the mother of Amine, who disappeared in 1997. A year ago, before this Council, I reported my refoulement when I reached Algiers on 30 July 2025, a few weeks after having taken part in the 59th session of this Council. Since then, reprisals have worsened and authorities say I was banned from entry back in November 2021, but they do not provide any legal justification or a copy of the decision in question. I travelled to Algeria several times between 2021 and 2025. To date, all my appeals have been unheard. On 16 March 2026, 10 days after the transferal to the Algerian Government by the Working Group on Enforced Disappearance, the authorities closed and placed under lock and seal the headquarters of SOS Disparue, and thousands of unnumbered files are now unaccessible and therefore under threat. I have been cooperating with the UN for more than 30 years, even though my case is not in the report that was presented today. The facts remain unchanged. I'd like to ask Secretary General and the High Commission to recognize them as acts of intimidation and reprisals linked to my cooperation with the UN bodies. I also call on states to ask Algeria to lift the re-entry ban against and to open the premises of SOS Disparus and to put an end to intimidations against families and disappeared persons and defenders who cooperate with the UN. Thank you.

This was the last speaker we were able to accommodate during the debate. And this marks the end of our interactive dialogue, as the Assistant Secretary-General is not able to deliver her concluding remarks. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights will collect and forward to her all the comments and questions from the floor. We will now move on to our next interactive dialogue, so we will take a quick 30-second break. Thank you. Excellencies, distinguished delegates, we will now start the interactive dialogue with the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The list of speakers will close in 15 minutes, and I now give the floor to Ms. Valmain Toki, Chair of the Expert Mechanism, for her presentation. You have the floor, Madame Toki.

Vice-President of the Human Rights Council, Excellencies, Indigenous Peoples' representatives and institutions present in this room, it is indeed my pleasure to attend this session of the Human Rights Council as a Chairperson of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, for which I acknowledge the invaluable contributions of my fellow experts, some of whom are present today. Pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 33/25, the expert mechanism is presenting its work from the past year to the session of the Council. In line with paragraph 2 of the resolution, the expert mechanism undertook a study on the rights of indigenous peoples in conflict and post-conflict situations. In December 2025, an expert seminar was held to obtain substantive input which was further enriched by over 80 submissions from Indigenous peoples, member states, national human rights institutions, NGOs, civil society, and academia. The study analyzed relevant international legal frameworks, including the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, international human rights law, international humanitarian law, environmental law, and transitional justice standards. It interpreted the nature of the legal framework and protecting indigenous peoples before, during, and after conflict situations. The study concluded with the expert mechanisms advice number 19, a comprehensive set of measures that member states, indigenous peoples, and other stakeholders can take to prevent and address conflict affecting indigenous peoples. They emphasize the protection of indigenous people's rights to self-determination, lands, territories, and resources, the adoption of constitutional and legislative measures to fully implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the effective participation of indigenous peoples through their own representative institutions, and peace building, peace agreements, and other transitional justice processes. and the protection of their fundamental rights, including the rights to life, integrity, liberty, and security as essential foundations for reconciliation and sustainable peace. The study was adopted during the 19th session held earlier this year in July. The expert mechanism also adopted its annual report, which includes proposals made to the 63rd session of the Human Rights Council. Among the proposals are calls for the protection of indigenous leaders, indigenous human rights defenders and mandate holders, including from reprisals, especially considering the precarious situation they face daily worldwide. A recommendation to safeguard the implementation of the expert mechanisms mandate in the current liquidity and financial crisis. and calls for the increased engagement of member states with the expert mechanism, including through its country engagement mandate and the derived technical advisory function. The annual report also detailed activities undertaken throughout the past year. In October 2025, the expert mechanism participated in the Food and Agricultural Organization's World Food Forum Summit, including the high-level opening ceremony for the third Global Hub meeting. We continue to participate in the meetings of the Global Task Force for Making a Decade of Action for Indigenous Languages, including the most recent meetings in November 2025 and May 2026, as coordinated by UNESCO. The Expert Mechanism took part in the 25th session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues between 21 April and 1 May 2026, including participating in the human rights dialogue on the implementation of General Recommendation No. 39. Ladies and gentlemen, the Expert Mechanisms 19th Annual Session welcomed remarkably growing numbers of participants. During the session, the Expert Mechanism engaged in an interactive dialogue under general agenda item number five with other UN Indigenous rights mechanisms and also a member of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. Under agenda item eight, a panel discussion on the rights of Indigenous peoples and artificial intelligence examined the implications of AI for Indigenous peoples, highlighted Indigenous-led good practices, and identified pathways to ensure emerging technologies are generated consistent with the declaration. Agenda item 9's dialogue on enhancing the participation of Indigenous peoples considered how to continue the ongoing process, develop clear timelines, and identify concrete recommendations to further accelerate efforts made. Agenda item 10 highlighted the commemoration of the significant milestone reaching the 20 years of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The Expert Mechanism appreciates the statements that were made during the annual session in July. We will draw upon these statements as well as those received through an ongoing call for inputs later this year when drafting our next thematic report. In 2026, the Expert Mechanism continued its important country engagement mandate through continued dialogue with requesters and member states. Following a request from an Indigenous individual and members of the Parliament of Canada, the Expert Mechanism published written technical advice on 4 May 2026, with guidance to that member state on the implementation of the Declaration in relation to the proposed amendments to Canada's Indian Act. The technical advice encouraged Canada to align the Indian Act with the declaration, including by addressing the second generation cutoff, remaining sex discrimination, and access to effective remedies and redress. The expert mechanism also conducted a country engagement mission to Brazil in June 2026, following a request from the International Working Group of Indigenous Peoples in Isolation and Initial Contact. The mission included field visits to Indigenous peoples' communities in Rondonia State and the Amazon region, followed by meetings in Brasilia with various government representatives. The mission focused on Indigenous peoples and voluntary isolation and initial contact. We're in the process of developing the technical advisory note, soon to be published on our web page. Both the Brazilian State and the requesting organizations will be invited to share their experiences of collaboration with EMRIT during the 20th session of the expert mechanism to be held in July between 12 to 16 July 2027. As to future work of the expert mechanism, it was decided that the next annual study will be focusing on business and human rights of indigenous peoples. An expert seminar will be held later this year to inform the study in collaboration with the University of Toronto. It was also decided that the expert mechanism will present the next thematic report to the Human Rights Council, as authorized under Council resolution 33/25, paragraph 2, sub b, with a focus on a stock-taking report on the 20th anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. We will issue a call for inputs for both the study and the report in October 2026. I would like to conclude by recognizing and giving thanks to the Human Rights Council for its continued work in advancing the rights of indigenous peoples, in particular the delegations of Guatemala and Mexico, who have demonstrated excellent cooperation and inclusiveness in pursuing the resolution on indigenous peoples. In this regard, the Expert Mechanism notes the Human Rights Council's October 2025 resolution on human rights and indigenous peoples, and celebrates the enhanced participation of indigenous peoples including for the very first time in the Council's annual panel discussion on the rights of indigenous peoples. I also like to thank indigenous peoples, representatives, institutions, member states, NGOs, national human rights institutions, and academic institutions that have contributed to the work of the Expert Mechanism and who attended the 19th session. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Madame Toki. As per practice, we will now hear the statement of the Board of Trustees of the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Peoples. This will be delivered by Ms. Jane Meriwether on behalf of the Board. This is a video message.

Good afternoon, good evening. My name is Jane Meriwether, Chair, Board of Trustees, the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Peoples. Mr. President, Excellency, Member of Expert Mechanism and Representative of Indigenous Peoples, I have the honor to speak on behalf of the Board of Trustees of the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Peoples. Established by the General Assembly in 1985, the Fund gives practical effect to the principle that Indigenous Peoples must be able to participate in United Nations processes concerning their rights and futures. Through successive General Assembly resolutions, its mandate has been repeatedly expanded to support participation in a growing number of United Nations meetings and processes. Since its establishment, The Fund has supported over 4,000 Indigenous representatives from more than 90 countries. In 2025, the Fund supported 109 Indigenous representatives from 45 countries across United Nations. 13 United Nations processes. In 2026, the Fund has already supported over 40 Indigenous grantees United Nations meetings, including the current Human Rights Council sessions. The participant profile reflect stronger diversity and inclusion. 70% were women, 45% were under 35, 13% were person with disabilities, and 33% were self-identified as LGBTQ person. In 2026 calendar, provide for more than 30 capacity building sessions on United Nations procedures, mechanism and advocacy. Attendance has already extended the 4,316 participant training 2025. The fund evaluates participation after each meeting and follow up with organization six months after. Evidence point to stronger knowledge of United Nations mechanism, greater visibility and advocacy capacity, new partnership and follow-up within organizations and communities. Demands continue to outpace resources. The Fund receives approximately 5,000 applications annually, but can only support 3% to 5% of the applicants. Unspent resources carried forward from previous years provided some continuity but cannot replace new income. So far in 2026, contributions received cover only around 40% of this year's prudently scaled-up programme. Additionally, Contributions are therefore important to ensure the fund's medium and long-term sustainability and response to demand in the coming years. New and increased voluntary contributions from Member States are essential to enable Indigenous participation and to support the Secretariat to continue occupying accompanying grantees to ensure their meaningful participation We therefore encourage Member States to provide adequate, predictable and sustainable financial support. I thank you.

We will now hear from interested delegations. They can ask questions and make comments on the reports of the mechanism. The speaking time is one minute and 30 seconds for all speakers. And I would like to give the floor by giving the floor to the distinguished Ambassador of Sweden, who will be speaking on behalf of a group of countries.

Mr. Vice President, I have the honour to speak on behalf of the Nordic-Baltic countries, Denmark, together with Greenland, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and my own country, Sweden. We thank the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples for its study and for its continued engagement on issues of importance to Indigenous peoples.

The study's topic deserves continued attention, not least given the wide-ranging and often long-lasting consequences of conflict.

As the study highlights, Indigenous peoples can play an important role in efforts to prevent conflict and build sustainable peace, while Indigenous women and girls often bear a disproportionate share of the consequences of conflict. We look forward to a constructive exchange on how the rights of

Indigenous Peoples can be effectively promoted and protected, and to learning from the experiences, perspectives and good practices

shared during our discussions.

In this regard, I would like to

extend a special acknowledgement to the Indigenous Peoples representatives participating today, whose contributions are greatly valued. In light of the study's findings,

What concrete steps can states take to uphold indigenous peoples' right to self-determination and ensure their meaningful participation in conflict prevention, peace processes and post-conflict reconstruction?

I thank you.

Thank you. I now call on the distinguished representative of Burkina Faso on behalf of a group of countries.

Vice-President. I am speaking on behalf of the Confederation of Sahel States, comprising Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso. We have read the report by the expert mechanism and would like to provide a certain number of clarifications. From the perspective of methodology, we lament the fact that only one source, that from an individual, has served as a basis for your analysis about the Sahel. This source is not reliable and should not be used as a reference. for levelling allegations against our state. We would like to underscore that there are no indigenous peoples within the confederal space and that measures taken to combat terrorism are solely aimed at ensuring that the Sahel peoples can exercise their rights and freedoms without any discrimination. These measures do not target any specific group. Therefore, we would like to reject allegations against our countries that are made in this study and hope that our comments will be reflected in the minutes and the report of the session. Thank you.

Thank you. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the European Union.

Mr. Vice President, distinguished members of the expert mechanism, distinguished indigenous representatives. The European Union thanks the expert mechanism for its report and welcomes its focus on the rights of Indigenous Peoples in conflict and post-conflict situations. We reiterate the EU's continued strong commitment to promote, fulfill and protect the rights of Indigenous Peoples as set out in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and international human rights law. The study highlights the recognition of Indigenous Peoples as right holders and key actors in conflict prevention and sustainable peace, including through their meaningful participation in peace processes. We're particularly concerned by the disproportionate impacts of conflict and post-conflict situations on Indigenous Peoples, including violence and displacement, environmental degradation, and the erosion of cultural and governance systems. The EU's approach to peace and security emphasizes conflict prevention, peacebuilding, and inclusive and equitable post-conflict recovery. We underline the importance of protecting indigenous human rights defenders, journalists, and community media, who play a key role in documenting violations and supporting conflict prevention and accountability. Our policies are closely aligned with the study's emphasis on the full, effective, equal and meaningful Indigenous participations in all decisions affecting them. Distinguished members of the expert mechanisms, how can states ensure Indigenous peoples' meaningful participation in peace processes?

Thank you. The list of speakers is now closed. And I'd like to give the floor to the distinguished representative of Mali.

Vice-President, Mali would like to thank the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples for the report. My delegation notes that in Mali there is no group that has the status of indigenous people. Our national unity policy recognises that all our peoples make up one people with a single sovereignty, and we ensure tolerance and that the key values of our ancestors are respected, and this strengthens national cohesion. Moreover, the statement delivered by Mr. Basha on January 26 during the session of EMRIP on behalf of an association that is not declared in Mali is deceitful and undermines the dignity of the people of Mali. I would like to reaffirm to this association and to the African Alliance of Indigenous Peoples that the fight by our government is aimed against terrorists and not an ethnic group. The association that alleges anything to the contrary is spreading mistruths. It is particularly important to note that a number of people from this ethnic group hold positions within our Government, and we would like to urge the Office of the High Commissioner to not politicise the debate and to avoid double standards. We would like to underscore that those who made such allegations have struck agreements with terrorist groups.

I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Federated States of Micronesia. They are not in the room. I would like to give the floor to the distinguished representative of Guatemala.

Thank you, Vice-President. Guatemala would like to thank the Expert Mechanism for the presentation of their study on the rights of Indigenous Peoples in conflict and post-conflict situations. We share their call to recognize indigenous peoples as not only victims of conflicts, but also as key stakeholders for prevention, reconciliation, and sustainable peace building. According to reports, During the internal armed conflict in our country, 83% of documented victims belonged to indigenous peoples. 30 years after the signing of the peace agreements, the government of President Bernardo Arrevalo is taking steps to guarantee memory, reparation and non-repetition, including through the plan for reparation and dignity of the victims and the mechanism for the humanitarian search for disappeared persons. We'd like to ask the mechanism what elements ought reparation programs to include in order to have a comprehensive dimension and to appropriately address the intergenerational and collective harm suffered by Indigenous Peoples.

Thank you, Ambassador. I now give the floor to Botswana.

Good to

you, but Botswana is not with us in the room, so I give the floor to distinguished representation of Mexico. Ambassador, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. We thank the MREP for its report and study on the rights of indigenous persons in conflict and post-conflict situations. We recognize the important work undertaken by MRIP to counsel the Council in the promotion and implementation of the rights of Indigenous persons. Mexico reiterates its commitment to the strengthening of the full and effective participation of Indigenous peoples in the United Nations. In the case of Mexico, the National Council for Indigenous Peoples operates as a collegial body representing the indigenous peoples before the Mexican state. We also underscored that reform of the Constitution in 2024 integrates the principles of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and it does so recognizing indigenous peoples as right holders of public rights. The law is currently being subjected to a free, prior, and informed consent process. With the 20th anniversary of the declaration in 2027, Mexico is committed to fully driving forth the full force of the and implementation of the declaration. Thank you.

I give the floor to the distinguished delegation of Azerbaijan.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. At the outset, we thank the expert mechanism for providing a platform for dialogue and cooperation on issues within its mandate. We nevertheless note with concerns that, as there have been cases in the past during the ninth session of the MRIP held in July 2026, this platform has been misused by certain individuals to disseminate politically motivated malign narratives directed against Azerbaijan. Such statements made by individuals presenting themselves as representatives of indigenous peoples, but in fact serving as instruments of certain political interests, serve to distort historical facts, misrepresent realities on the ground, promote divisive narratives, and undermine efforts aimed at peace, reconciliation, and regional stability. Such interventions also detract from the constructive nature of discussions and do not contribute to meaningful dialogue on issues concerning Indigenous Peoples. We further underscore that United Nations platforms should not be used to promote separatism, hatred, or claims against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Member States. We therefore call on the expert mechanism to remain vigilant against attempts by individuals to misuse its proceedings for objectives inconsistent with its mandate and contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter and international law, and to consider appropriate measures against those who repeatedly engage in conduct inconsistent with these standards. I thank you, Mr. Vice President.

Thank you. I give the floor to the FAO.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. Across the world, evictions and displacements damage territorial management and governance systems, affecting Indigenous Peoples' food and knowledge systems capable of generating foods while protecting biodiversity. FAO recognizes Indigenous Peoples as right and knowledge holders. Within its mandate, FAO works with Indigenous Peoples to support the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. FAO's policy on indigenous people, its manual on free, prior and informed consent, the voluntary guidelines on the right to food and the voluntary guidelines on the responsible governance of tenure are a few examples of FAO's technical and normative work with indigenous peoples. But there is work to do. In situations of conflict and post-conflict, we must restore Indigenous Peoples' food and knowledge systems through inclusive recovery and social cohesion. Prior to the 20th anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, FAO remains committed to working with members, Indigenous Peoples and UN to advance rights-based and conflict-sensitive approaches, inclusive of Indigenous Peoples' views, cosmovisions and needs. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of China.

Mr. Vice President, we have taken note of the annual report of the Expert Mechanism and its study on the rights of indigenous peoples in conflict and post-conflict situations. Indigenous people have made unique and invaluable contributions to humanity's cultural diversity. However, affected by racism and colonialism, many groups of Indigenous people have long suffered discrimination and oppression.

Multiple factors.

Including colonization and systemic inequality, have rendered the situation for Indigenous people even more difficult in conflict and post-conflict situations. China firmly supports the promotion and protection of fundamental human rights and freedoms of indigenous people. We call on relevant states to address systematic discrimination that indigenous people there have long suffered, take effective and prompt measures to truly.

Protect and practice the rights and interests of indigenous people.

China is ready to continue playing a constructive role in safeguarding the rights of indigenous people and in promoting the full implementation of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous.

Peoples.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished Ambassador of Brazil.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President.

MRIP's report in a study on the rights of indigenous peoples in conflict and post-conflict situations. We strongly support MRIP's emphasis on enhancing indigenous peoples' participation in the Human Rights Council. Indigenous representatives and institutions must be directly and effectively represented in decisions and process concerning them. We also value the study's broad understanding of conflict, encompassing not only armed violence, but also structural inequalities, territorial pressures, environmental degradation, and competition over natural resources. Brazil's recent engagement with the MRIP offers a concrete perspective on these issues. In June, the mechanism visited the Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau Indigenous land and engage directly with Indigenous peoples, including on the protection of peoples' involuntary isolation and initial contact. The mission reinforced Brazil's appreciation for country engagement as a cooperative instrument. It enabled Brazilian institutions to share information and reflect on progress and ongoing challenges. Brazil looks forward to MREIP's findings and recommendations and encourage greater use of its country engagement mandate, grounded in the direct and effective participation and protagonism of Indigenous Peoples. Gracias, Vice President.

Thank you, Vice President.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished Ambassador of Ukraine.

Mr. President, Ukraine welcomes the report and appreciates comprehensive study on the right of Indigenous Peoples in conflict situation. Today, Russia continues a deliberate policy aimed at suppressing the identity, rights, and very existence of indigenous people in the occupied territories of Ukraine, particularly in Crimea. First, the occupying authorities seek to erase their distinct identity by imposing severe restrictions on their cultural and religious rights and persecuting representatives and institutions of indigenous peoples. Second, Russian authorities forcibly mobilize members of indigenous peoples, including Crimean Tatars, into the occupying forces to fight against Ukraine, their homeland. These actions pose a grave threat to their individual and collective human rights and, in some cases, to their very survival and continuity as distinct people. The report highlights cases of coercive recruitment and forced mobilization of indigenous people by the Russian Federation.

Yet the true scale and impact of these violations remain significantly under-documented.

Ukraine, the report calls upon the expert mechanism to give due attention in its future reports to the crimes committed by the Russian Federation in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, with a view to ensuring accountability for those responsible.

I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished Ambassador of Canada.

Thank you, Vice President. Canada welcomes the MRIP study on the situation of conflict and post-conflict situations. We also appreciate its constructive dialogue with Canada. The study clearly shows that conflicts affect each group differently. For indigenous peoples, including women, girls, and the youth in general, the effects are amplified by historic dispossession, discrimination, environmental degradation, and the erosion of cultures and governance. Lasting peace requires the full, equal, and meaningful participation of indigenous peoples in decision-making in matters of peace and security. In the Arctic region, geopolitical and security tensions and those tied to natural resources are weighing on the Inuit and other indigenous peoples, including on Canada itself. In step with the foreign policy of Canada in the Arctic region, the indigenous peoples must participate actively in decisions that affect their security and development with respect for their rights and their free, prior and informed consent. As a member of the mechanism, or rather, members of the mechanism, How can states respond to the security challenges in the Arctic while respecting the rights of indigenous peoples and also strengthening the participation of people in peace and security? Thank you.

I give the floor to the senior representative of India.

Mr. Vice President, India takes note of the annual report of the expert mechanism and its study on the rights of indigenous peoples in conflict and post-conflict situations. India voted in favor of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples At its adoption, India set out its position that the entire population of India at the time of independence and their successors are indigenous. References in the study to India's tribal communities as indigenous peoples are contrary to India's constitutional framework and that position. We have concerns with the study's definition of conflict, which extends to structural conditions and structural violence. Applying conflict terminology to governance, development, and resource management in democratic states stretches the concept beyond its accepted meaning. The study states that it does not analyze specific ongoing conflicts. It nonetheless makes assertions about particular regions in India, drawing on unverified submissions. India does not accept these characterizations. Security measures operate within India's constitutional framework, and the development and rehabilitation in affected areas continue unabated. We would encourage the expert mechanism to rely on verified information and to engage with the states concerned before drawing conclusions about them. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Japan.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President.

Japan thanks the expert mechanism for its presentation and has carefully reviewed its study. We would like to explain our view on some point mentioned therein.

We note that the study aimed to examine the right of indigenous people in conflict and the post-conflict situation.

The government of Japan, however, is not of the view that the people born in Okinawa are indigenous. people or that they are part of an indigenous ethnic group nor is such a view widely recognized in Japan. In fact, voices of protest have been raised in several municipal assembly in Okinawa stating.

That such a view is incorrect.

Japanese people living in or born in Okinawa prefecture are Japanese nationals and their right are guaranteed fully and without distinction. The study mentioned that the PFAS contamination in Okinawa is linked to military bases.

However, it is.

Difficult at this stage to definitively establish such a cultural relationship. The Government of Japan takes the concern of local residents seriously and is taking the necessary measures based on scientific findings and sharing relevant information with the public. Japan will continue to engage with issues concerning indigenous people in cooperation with the international community. I thank you, Mr. Vice President.

Thank you. I give the floor to the Russian Federation.

Vice President, we have carefully looked at the report by the expert mechanism, and we'd like to note the following. In the context of the preparation of the research, MRIP, during the intercessional period, carries out meetings. We call for this to be done on a non-discriminatory basis so that representatives of indigenous peoples from all sociocultural regions, including Russia, can be represented. This would allow for finding out the views of the groups and ensure balanced research and not basing the report on the basis of information submitted by biased NGOs. We call in the future for EMRIP to also turn to the States for verified information. This will help avoid lopsided conclusions, such as in paragraph 37, research in the report on post-conflict and conflict situations. We call on EMRIP's focus of next year to be on the practical outcomes of the Declaration on the Right of Indigenous People. We hope that this will avoid politicization and the construction of alarmist narratives, in particular as in paragraph 46. In paragraph 58 of the report, we see the Russian Federation's policy is referred to regarding ending terrorist and extremist activities. The organisations mentioned in the document reveal their goals even in their names, separatism and the creation of post-Russia. We believe that these are open calls to social enmity and hatred, and this can lead to strife. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Peru.

Mr. Vice President, Peru thanks the MRIP. Thank you for this report, for the study. During the period of violence between 1980 and 2000, indigenous communities and rural communities were among the most affected. The attacks against their populations and authorities and ways of living underscored gaps, protection, and historic imbalances. Their resistance and organization at the community level contributed to the reestablishment, the restoration of peace. Peru agrees that to prevent conflicts and to build lasting peace, we must have effective and maintained participation of collective rights and recognition of indigenous peoples as fundamental stakeholders. National policy for indigenous peoples through 2040 articulate state action to move forward in the advancement of these rights, closing structural gaps. with cultural belonging, there are gaps and challenges in some rural areas, including because of illicit trafficking drugs. This brings harm and dangers. We must strengthen the state there, regional cooperation, and indigenous participation in the protection of their lands and then protection of the environment. The government of Peru ratifies its commitment to reduce structural gaps and to promote actions that contribute to security, sustainable development, and environmental protection. with effective participation of Indigenous peoples. Thank you, Vice-President.

Thank you, Tuvalu. I now give the floor to the delegation of Burkina Faso.

Mr. Vice-President, my delegation signs on to the statement from the Confederation of States of the Sahel. Nationally, we'd like to offer the following. Burkina Faso has a diversity of ethnicities and religions harmoniously co-habitating. This is essential to its national unity and pillar attached to the principle of equality and non-discrimination and in human rights, Burkina Faso attached particular, or rather, influence of policy of equitable and inclusive development, it is there is no discrimination between ethnic groups and the concept of indigenous people is not recognized. We would like to note that forced displacement populations, as well as the destruction of these people's property, are exclusively the result of terrorist attacks that affect the entirety of our communities. In the context of anti-terrorist operations undertaken by our defense and security forces and our volunteers for defense and the fatherland, are seeking to restore security throughout our territory and to protect the population and their belongings. We reaffirm that these operations are not targeting civilian populations or any specific community. They're only targeting terrorists. Thank you very much.

Thank you very much. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Ecuador.

Mr. Vice President, my delegation thanks the MRIP for its report. We agree with the call in proposal seven to strengthen the national plans of action for the International Decade of Indigenous Languages. Ecuador defines itself as an intercultural and plurinational state, recognizing collective rights for communities, communes, nationalities, indigenous peoples. Ecuador co-presides the International Year of Indigenous Languages for the UN of 2019. we did so during 2019 and we are driving the resolution on the decade 2022-2032 and through executive decree 705, we created an inter-institutional commission for the revitalization of language, knowledge and indigenous cultures for the revitalization of indigenous languages in this decade for Ecuador. Further, between We are seeking to, uh, implement programs and have been doing so since 2021 with the support of organizations such as the World Bank and other international cooperation bodies with our national develop- project for territorial development of, of nationalities and peoples. seeking to support community entrepreneurship, food security, and productive activity, as well as governance. Lastly, Ecuador maintains a notable presence in the permanent forum in the United Nations on Indigenous issues for 2026-2028. with experts in Kichwa, they're providing recommendations to the forum. Thank you.

I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Indonesia.

Mr. Vice President, Indonesia takes note of the mechanism report and study. Indonesia demography, among others, comprises of hundreds of other communities, each with their own way of life and approach to conflict resolution. Chief among them are dialogue and mediation. This culture of dialogue has long enabled harmony within a highly heterogeneous society and continues to shape Indonesia approach to conflict resolution today. That same spirit of dialogue underpinned the resolution of the Aceh conflict. For 21 years now, Aceh continues to enjoy special autonomy status as the peace dividend. Mr. Vice President, on the report reference to displaced persons, Indonesia stands by its firm commitment to resolving their situation. In this regard, our Vice Minister of Human Rights, a member of this delegation, has been in direct consultation with the impacted communities and coordinating responses with relevant ministries. We reject, however, the report's characterization of the cause of this displacement. As confirmed by our NHRI, continuing terror and violence against civilians remain the principal driver of this displacement. We call on the mechanism to uphold rigorous and consistent sourcing practices to ensure clarity in its analysis. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Cuba.

Mr. Vice President, Cuba supports the important mandate of the EMRIP. It is a reflection of our country's commitment to the full implementation of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Persons. 20 years after its adoption, we reiterate that this declaration is one of the biggest landmarks in the development of the UN, as well as the greatest forms of progress in the call for the rights of Indigenous peoples. We support the idea of there being a roundtable in the Council to take stock of the last 20 years of the declaration and to identify the primary challenges and prospects. And as regards the thematic study, we agree that indigenous peoples are disproportionately affected by conflict and post-conflict situations as a result of vulnerabilities that are rooted in historic injustices and political and economic dynamics of our times. The full enjoyment of the rights of these communities, including their rights to control their lands and territories and to effectively participate in decision-making, will contribute to more fair and inclusive societies. I thank you kindly.

Thank you very much. This has been the last state delegation that has wished to take the floor in this dialogue. We will now hear from the NHRI that has asked to take the floor. Gonri first has the floor.

Mr. Vice President, GAHRRI welcomes the annual report of EMRAIP and its study on the rights of indigenous people in conflict and post-conflict situations. We commend EMRAIP for highlighting the disproportionate impact of conflict on indigenous peoples and for recognizing the important role of NHRI's in monitoring compliance with the rights and supporting their meaningful participation in peace and reconciliation processes. In accordance with their mandates and the Paris Principles, NHRI's can monitor implementation, document violations, advise states, and support dialogue and participation of Indigenous Peoples in processes affecting their rights. GANRI, Indigenous Peoples Caucus, bringing together 19 NHRI's from all regions, provide a space to exchange experiences and strengthen engagement on these issues. This engagement was also reflected during MBRIF 19 session, where GANRI participated in the panel on Indigenous people and artificial intelligence. We highlighted the need to ensure that emerging technologies do not reinforce existing inequalities and that Indigenous people are meaningfully involved in their development and oversight. GANRI welcomes MBRIF call upon the Human Rights Council to encourage states to empower NHRIs. And we remain committed to working with MBRIP states and indigenous people to advance inclusive approaches that place indigenous peoples at the center of decisions affecting their rights. I thank you, Mr. Vice President.

Thank you. We will now hear from the speakers list from indigenous peoples groups. We will hear now from Sigud's National Government.

Thank you, Vice-President. The Syilx Kootenai Nation would like to thank the expert

mechanism for issuing technical advice to Canada regarding sex and race-based discrimination in the Indian Act.

This discrimination results in forced assimilation

in violation of the UN Declaration, and it has and will continue to cause irreparable harm to First Nations families. Therefore, we are deeply concerned about the delay in passing legislation amended by the Senate of Canada.

The second generation cutoff rule

under section 62 of the Indian Act undermines our right to self-determination and threatens the very existence of First Nations

peoples.

This assimilationist rule will lead to declining registered populations and legal extinction unless legislative changes are made.

In addition to the advice from the expert mechanism, we underscore the recent recommendations made by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women

and the UN Human Rights Committee, which also clearly call for an immediate end to the second generation cut off. As title and rights holders, we ask the mechanism what more can be done to remind Canada of their human rights obligations and the need to act swiftly and decisively to address the impacts of the Indian Act's provisions that amount to forced assimilation. Thank you.

Thank you. The Council will now hear a video statement from the Union of Indigenous Peoples, SOYUZ.

Thank you, President. I represent the Russian organization of Indigenous Peoples, SOYUZ. Next year, we will mark the 20th anniversary from the adoption of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. We consider the declaration to be an authoritative source for interpreting the rights of Indigenous Peoples and enhancing national legislation. As we prepare for that anniversary, we need to take stock of the challenges facing indigenous peoples. We consider it essential to exclude any politicization from the field of the rights of indigenous peoples. Sustainable development, climate change, the preservation of the linguistic and biological diversity should be resolved on the basis of the collective positions of indigenous peoples and their traditional knowledge and scientific data. We recommend that the Human Rights Council take necessary measures to ensure an impartial participation by representatives of indigenous peoples in the work of international mechanisms in accordance with article 39 of the declaration, including through the elimination of administrative, financial, visa and other obstacles they might face, including due to international sanctions. We consider that the Human Rights Council should ensure full participation by the legitimate representative bodies and decision-making by indigenous peoples in the work of the HRC, the UN special procedures and the UPR. In order to integrate the HRC's decisions, we need to carry out consultations with the legitimate representatives. Thank you.

I now give the floor to the Maya W'oyo' Gambia Organization.

Mr. Vice President, we thank the EMRIP for this opportunity to address the for this opportunity to address the MRAP I represent my people and we represent this opportunity to discuss indigenous peoples in conflict and post-conflict situations these situations will not end until states take on the responsibility their historic responsibility of ensuring the international law is enforced for these peoples for this reason we urge states to implement effectively the recommendations in this report. We call for constitutional reforms and reforms to the legal frameworks that ensure legal certainty over our land, territories, and natural resources, as well as a system for pluralistic justice that respects our own forms of organization. We demand the end of persecution and systemic racism against our communities and our defenders. States should move from repression to building public policies that are inclusive with spaces for peaceful coexistence founded on mutual respect. I thank you kindly.

Thank you. I give the floor to the representative of the State of Haiti and the.

Vice President, I'm speaking on behalf of the Royal State of Haiti, on behalf of the indigenous people, Marou. We commend the presentation of the report by MRIP. In July last year, we presented four requests from our people, and today we are back in Geneva to ensure the continuity of this work and to contribute to consideration of proposal 8 regarding the rights of indigenous peoples and non-autonomous territories. French Polynesia is on the list of non-autonomous territories in 2013. So a question must be raised, how can we ensure the effectiveness of the rights of indigenous peoples when they live in a non-autonomous region? For our people, the answer involves four key points. First of all, effective implementation of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Secondly, recognition of our identity and our institutional legitimacy and our right to self-determination. third, protection of our lands and territory; and fourthly, the right to take part in our own government, our law, our culture and our institutions. President, we are not asking for new rights. We are asking for the rights that have already been recognised to be implemented in practice. Therefore, we call on the relevant mechanisms to look at these matters with us through dialogue, peace and cooperation. Thank you.

I now give the floor to the representative of the Amasya World Congress.

Thank you, Vice President. We thank MRIP for the presentation of the report, which our organization supports unreservedly. Our organization cooperates with the United Nations since its inception more than 35 years ago and it is for this reason that our organization has always been the target of the Algerian government. Algeria is the only government of Northern Africa where our organization can neither meet nor work. Members of our organization in Algeria have always been the subject of intimidation, administrative harassment, police and judicial harassment, and arbitrary detention and arrest. As a consequence, our organization has no members anymore in Algeria. This is a form of prohibition to exercise our work in our own country without any legal substantiation. We therefore call on the UN to not leave us alone in our struggle. We are only asking for one thing, which is to play our role unhindered as an organization for protecting and promoting the rights of our people in keeping with the relevant legal instruments of the United Nations. Thank you.

Thank you. We will now hear a video from Global Naga Forum.

I am James Pochuri. For 80 years, New Delhi has managed the Naga political question, not as a self-determination, but as a security problem under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act. Section 6 of the Act ensures impunity, barring prosecution of state forces without executive consent. This veto turns impunity from a hurdle into state policy, insulating violence against an entire Naga population. Beneath the violence lies an erasure. The ethos of indigenous life, the harmony with land, community, and law that sustained the Nagas as a civilization for millennia, is targeted for dismantling through cultural erosion and forced assimilation. Critics argue electoral participation diminishes our claim, but participation under coercion is not consent, and ballot boxes cannot dismantle 80 years of military control. Decades of stalled frameworks and ceasefires have delivered only militarization and bloodshed. International law grants no state the right to suspend the people's future by decree. We demand an independent investigation with UN human rights access and a political process that engages Naga representatives as equals. Thank you. Thank you.

We will now hear another video from the Indigenous Peoples of Russia Committee.

Historical injustice against Indigenous Peoples in Russia is not only about the past. Its consequences continue today. For generations, Indigenous Peoples of Russia have faced assimilation, loss of languages and cultures, dispossession of traditional lands and territories. Today, the situation has become even more alarming. Indigenous leaders themselves are being silenced. In December 2025, indigenous human rights defenders Daria Yegueva and Natalia Lyangar were arrested and accused of alleged participation in so-called terrorist organization for their peaceful human rights activities. They remain in pretrial detention and face up to 20 years in prison. We therefore call on the AMRIP Human Rights Council to recognize the criminalization and reprisals against Indigenous human rights defenders as a direct threat to Indigenous peoples' collective rights, self-determination, and survival, and to demand the immediate release of Daria Geygereva and Natalia Lyongar.

to estrange them international monitoring and protection of indigenous defenders,

particularly those trying to protect their lands and territories and resources, and those cooperating with the United Nations.

Defending indigenous rights is not terrorism.

Thank you. I now give the floor to the representative of the Win-Win-Win 2 tribe.

Thank you, Vice President and distinguished members. The Winnemem Wintu Tribe is a non-federally recognized tribe still living in its traditional territory in the United States, practicing tribal traditions. Within the borders of the USA and its assumed territories, the recognition of tribes, treaties with tribes, and such were originally formed under the auspices of the USA Department of War. Operating like a chessboard, moving across lands and resources, the colonial settler state fought and sought to acquire and/or dominate. Not all tribes, nations, or indigenous peoples that the US currently considers to have dominion over the territories of made or have treaties with the United States. With over 500 tribes federally recognized and over 400 not, the selective recognition system remains as legacies of an ongoing colonialism and arguably genocide. Quoting from a US government website, quote, "In 1824, the US establishes offices of Indian affairs in War Department. Establishment of the Office of Indian Affairs within the War Department puts in place the bureaucracy that will administer the nation's manifest destiny objectives, the idea that expansion to the Pacific is the young nation's right. The government will make treaties with American Indian tribes as the US military defeats them, after which the tribes will be moved to reservations." Distinguished members, how can non-recognized indigenous peoples living within a state that refuses to engage with or adhere to necessary international law or recognize indigenous peoples bring the recommendations of your report regarding conflict into...

Thank you. I give the floor to the representative of the African Alliance for Indigenous Peoples.

Vice President, we would like to thank the expert mechanism for the annual report and for the report on the situation of indigenous peoples in conflict and post-conflict situations. This is a matter that of particular, significance for pastoral peoples in some countries, including Mali and Burkina Faso, they are facing serious violations. In Burkina Faso, in 2025, there were poor citizens who were the victims of enforced disappearance and forced displacement. A human rights report from the 2nd of April 2026 has documented more than 1,800 civilians killed between January 2023 and August 2025. Also, says that there have been serious crimes committed against the Puel. These have a direct bearing on the rights enshrined by articles 18, 25 and others of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. In light of this situation, We would like to encourage MRIP to include among its priorities a study dedicated to pastoralism and the future of pastoral peoples. We urge measures to be taken against reprisals and human rights violations in Burkina Faso and Mali. Thank you.

Thank you. To conclude this segment dedicated to the rights of indigenous peoples, we will hear from a video from the Crimean Tatars representatives.

Dear Chairman, unfortunately, we live in a world of conflicts and wars.

Today, there are more than 100 wars around the world. One of the most horrific war is Russia's war against Ukraine.

It is crucial to consider indigenous peoples during interstate conflicts. Russia grossly violates the UN Charter and the Declaration. 188 Crimean Tatars are in Russian prisons.

Collective rights are violated.

The image list of the Crimean Tatar people is banned. We have repeatedly reported to MRIP on indigenous peoples in interstate conflicts and submitted reports.

Thank you for discussing this issue today.

However,

Paragraph 37 of the study notes the Russo-Ukrainian war, but completely ignores Ukraine's indigenous peoples whose homeland is occupied by Russia. This is unacceptable during the world's largest war and contradicts numerous UN human rights resolutions on occupied Crimea.

Thank you for your attention.

We will now begin with the list of NGOs, non-government organizations, and I'd like to give the floor to the representative of Yakutia, Our Opinion.

Thank you, Chair. In Kenya, the African courts 2017 and 2022 judgments

recognizing the Mau Forest as Ogiek ancestral land remain unimplemented, while over 700

families were forcibly evicted from Sazimani in 2023. In Guatemala, indigenous defenders are the main target of physical attacks and of stigmatizing discourse, reviving the internal enemy that led to the Xil genocide. Luis Pacheco, Hector Chacalan, and others were jailed for over two years without grounds. On Nicaragua's Caribbean coast, settlers' violent dispossession of indigenous territories is intensifying. Between August and September 2026, the Mayanga community of Wilu was again besieged by armed settlers, and eight Mayanga forest rangers remain detained. In Honduras, the law of strengthening and protection of the agro-industrial sector caused three evictions in under three months. On the 6th of July, the Garifuna community of San Juan was evicted from land recognized by the Inter-American Court. The five defenders face criminal charges. In Colombia, the Resguardo Kichwa de San Marcelino suffers incursion by the Ecuadorian army, controlled by Commandos de Frontera, and all contamination of its water, verified by the OHCHR. We call on the expert mechanism and referred states to guarantee free, prior, and informed consent before granting concessions, halt evictions, and implement the African and Inter-American Court judgments, and adopt collective protection measures for defenders and end the criminalization. Thank you.

Thank you. I now give the floor to Peace Brigades International. There has been a slight mistake by the secretariat and we do apologise. We will now hear a video statement from the North Siberia, from Rapon.

Chairperson, we would like to express our serious concern about attempts to limit the participation of Russian Indigenous Peoples in international processes. At the 40th session of the World Heritage Committee, a representative of Indigenous Peoples in Russia, a young girl, was not allowed to attend as an observer at the request of one country. All of this on political grounds, which have nothing to do with the Convention. Therefore, the Association, along with 33 Indigenous peoples organisations sent a complaint to the Director General of UNESCO. This is not the only example. Currently, there is a question that remains pending about full representation of indigenous peoples from our sociocultural region in the Global Task Force on the Indigenous Languages. decade. We call for equal and non-discriminatory participation for indigenous peoples in international processes and for there to be no political discord allowed at fora which should be dedicated to the preservation of linguistic and traditional heritage. Moreover, there are people who speak on behalf, allegedly on behalf of indigenous peoples, but they don't have any adequate mandate, and this is often done unbeknownst to the indigenous groups themselves on the ground. The decisions and views of indigenous peoples and their legitimate representatives must be taken into account at the international level. Thank you.

Thank you. We will now give the floor to the representative of Yakutia, Aropin.

Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you to the panelists. I speak in partnership with Yakutia, our opinion, on behalf of affected indigenous leaders in Peru who risk reprisal if they speak publicly and who therefore cannot. 5,000 children live within 30 kilometers of an open pit lead, zinc, and silver mine in Cerro de Pasco, Peru. reviewed research shows blood lead at 43 times the safe limit and a mean IQ deficit of 12.3 points against unexposed peers. Peru's Ministry of Health ranks Pasco first in the country for heavy metal exposure, including lead, cadmium, and arsenic. The harm was done under the control of Glencore, headquartered in Switzerland, listed in London, which reported revenues of $247 billion last year. Glencore sold that control in 2024, leaving the liability with the chain of companies ending in Latin America. These companies describe themselves as one of the lowest cost producers in the industry. Those costs were not eliminated. While profits were extracted to Europe, costs were transferred into the bodies of indigenous and campesino children. To Peru, relocate these children from exposure and treat them. To Panama, Switzerland, UK, and Peru, hosting extractive parent companies that cause harm for profit. Legislate corporate due diligence that survives divestment. Costs must align with profit. Urgently, in the Swiss Federal Act on Sustainable Corporate Governance, closing November 29th of this year. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Connectors Derechos Humanos.

Thank you very much, Vice President. I'm speaking on behalf of the association CONIDI to denounce the gross violations of indigenous peoples during the military dictatorship in Brazil. There were measures taken in our territory and the state has recognized this. There are serious violations against our leaders. Despite a judicial decision taken in 2023 that determined the withdrawal of the invaders, the operation was paralysed and the conflict continues. We are deeply concerned by the existence of proposals that seek to subject our original rights to the interests of agribusiness. That ignores the fact that the conflict is a direct legacy of the dictatorship. Moreover, our territory is home to indigenous people who live in voluntary isolation, and it is us who are protecting our territory, at the risk of our own lives. We call for urgent and historic reparation. And we ask this Council to urge Brazil to immediately comply through with the withdrawal of all invaders and for ensuring that our total protection can be guaranteed. Our rights are not negotiable. Thank you.

Yes. Thank you. We will now hear another video from the China Ethnic Minorities Association for External Exchanges.

The experts, because national conditions differ in different countries, China has no indigenous peoples. But I would like to share with you some of China's approaches and experience in promoting human rights through development. China is a unified multi-ethnic country with 55 ethnic minority groups in addition to the Han ethnic group. A happy life for the people is the greatest human right, and development is the key to making that happy life a reality. China has vigorously implemented policy measures, including industrial support, increased funding, and improvements in education. The lives of people of all ethnic groups have improved in tangible ways. For example, with support and assistance from relevant authorities in Hubei Province, Abdurrehimu Yami, a young man from Hotan, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, and Li Yanhua, a young person from Hubei, jointly founded a catering company in 2018. After eight years of hard work, the company now operates 57 directly managed and franchised outlets, employs more than 1,200 people from all ethnic groups. We call on the international community to work together to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and effectively protect their legitimate rights and interests.

Thank you.

I now give the floor for a joint statement to the representative of Pax Christi International.

Mr. Vice President, Pas Christi International and the Cosine Organization stand in solidarity with indigenous people who peacefully defend their territories, communities, and their right to self-determination. Struggle for land, water, and the protection of natural are struggle for peace. When decisions are taken without active, free, and meaningful participation, and when defenders are criminalized, conflict deepen. A just peace must be grounded in respect for their wisdom, knowledge, and way of life. Their ancestral relations with the land and care for creation can help face the ecological crisis and restore peace. The same principles apply to peoples excluded from decisions about their future, including the Palestinian people, whose self-determination remains inseparable from ending occupation and dispossession. When economic interests take precedence over human rights and democratic participation, this weakens peace and accountability. States and businesses must be held accountable under international law. We call for great access to indigenous people to international forum and decision making, with particular attention to the voice of women and young people, helping connect today's community with future generation. Peace cannot be imposed from above. It's built through our dialogue, solidarity, and active nonviolence, including by protecting those who defend their rights and territory peacefully. Thank you.

Thank you. We will now hear a video by Japan Society for History Textbook.

I am Yatsuki, a member of the Atomic City Council in Okinawa, Japan. I address this Council today to speak about two essential values of the United Nations: liberty, dignity and truthfulness. Recently, in Okinawa, an Indigenous Council member submitted a document to EMRIP. This member falsely claimed to act on behalf of the Ginowan City Council. However, this was a forged document. It was never discussed, never approved by the people, and never authorized by the council. In response, the Ginowan City Council passed an official resolution. The council clearly declared that this submission was completely unauthorized. An individual member cannot replace the collective voice of an elected council. Four of the more local councils in Okinawa, including Ginowan, have officially resolved to reject UN recommendations that label Okinawa people as indigenous people. Over 99% of Okinawa citizens do not identify as indigenous. Falsely claiming local "rebellion" damages the trust of this council. Without truth and facts, human rights cannot be protected. We strongly urge the Human Rights Council and UNHPR to strictly check the legal authority of the subcommittees and to respect the official resolution of the Democratic Party. local councils as true democratic entities. Thank you, Mr. President.

We will now give the floor to International Indian Treaty Council.

Thank you, Vice President. We welcome the presentation of the report by the mechanism and its elements on the implementation of the UN Declaration. As we approach the 20th anniversary of the Declaration, it is important to continue strengthening coordination and complementary work between the three specific mechanisms on Indigenous Peoples, alongside the trust fund for voluntary contributions. We continue monitoring the situation of human rights defenders who work for the rights of indigenous peoples. And it is essential to strengthen implementation of the declaration by states. And instead of a backsliding policy, we encourage states to reform their domestic legislation instead of calling for the declaration to be adapted to national contexts. We also call for States to support the vital work done by EMRIP and other mechanisms with sufficient financing. Thank you.

Thank you. I now give the floor to the representative of the Associazione Comunita Papa Giovanni XXIII.

Mr. Vice President, IPG23 thanks the expert mechanism for its study, which highlights the main drivers of several conflicts affecting indigenous communities, including the Mapuche in Chile. Marked by outstanding injustices, dispossession of land, denial of self-determination, and systematic discrimination, the Mapuche conflict still shapes the present and affects the everyday life of Mapuche communities. Too often, Mapuche claims to self-determination have been interpreted as a threat, while efforts to reclaim ancestral lands have increasingly been decriminalized. Restrictive measures have severely impacted Mapuche communities, exacerbating conflicts, normalizing the use of violence, and undermining pathways towards a rights-based resolution. The exploitation of natural resources and ancestral territories by corporations represents another key driver of the ongoing conflict. Addressing this conflict requires a new and fair paradigm based on mutual understanding and cooperation between state and Mapuche people, founded on a cultural shift that overcomes discriminatory narratives rooted in historical injustice and structural violence and contributes to ensuring peace, justice, remedy, and meaningful participation. Moving from denial to recognition and from conflict to cooperation is essential. Lasting peace can only be achieved through inclusion, justice and full recognition of Mapuches' rights, including the right to self-determination. Thank you.

Thank you. We will now hear a video from the Conselho Indigenista Missionario.

During his visit to Brazil, the MRIP was able to verify the enormous challenges facing the protection of indigenous peoples' involuntary isolation in the Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau indigenous territory in Rondonia and in other regions of the country. He would like to draw the Council's attention to two critical situations in parallel. The Tonkati, a Tain indigenous territory recently subject to the jurisdiction, pursuant to a decision by the Federal Supreme Court, has suffered a new large-scale invasion involving more than 500 people and heavy machinery, accompanied by a significant increase in fires. FUNAI officials are also being threatened. Every day, the situation of peoples becomes more critical. In the state of Amazonas, indigenous peoples in voluntary isolation whose presence has not yet been officially recognized by the state are threatened by logging and gas extraction, as well as by the opening of roads and the drilling of wells. in 2024, who may confirm that high probability of their presence yet not effective measures have been taken to protect them. Brazil is failing to comply with its international human rights obligations under UNDRIP. We urge the Council to take urgent preventive action to address the risks of atrocity crimes in both situations and to protect Indigenous peoples in voluntary isolation from further escalation and irreversible harm. Thank you.

This brings us to the end of the speakers we could accommodate for this dialogue. I would now like to give the floor back to Ms. Toki for her concluding remarks. You have nine minutes.

Thank you, Vice President of the Human Rights Council, Excellencies. Indigenous peoples' representatives, and institutions present in this room, I'd like to thank the member states, Indigenous peoples, and all other stakeholders for your participation during this interactive dialogue, and also your continued cooperation with the expert mechanism in carrying out its important mandate. On behalf of my fellow experts, I would like to express our deep gratitude and appreciation for yet another impressive level of participation during the 19th session of the expert mechanism this past July. It is indeed a privilege to see these growing numbers, especially the many first-time attendees, and provide a week-long platform for voices to be heard. We extend this thanks to all who provided submissions to the study, suggestions and recommendations to the expert mechanism, and those who have taken an active interest in the implementation of our mandate. With response to some of the questions raised from the floor regarding how states can ensure the meaningful and effective participation of indigenous peoples in decision-making processes, meaningful engagement requires representation and decision-making authority within peace and post-conflict governance. Indigenous peoples often remain confined to those advisory roles, reinforcing exclusion and disrespecting their status, their rights, and their role. This is compounded by the absence of formal mechanisms and institutional arrangements ensuring representation and transitional justice, peace negotiations, and national dialogue processes. So that really underscores the need to meaningfully recognize those fundamental rights within the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. With response to Canada's excellent question on foreign policy, I would like to state that Indigenous peoples and the creation of foreign policy as right holders, not stakeholders, are as important consideration when thinking about foreign policy. With response to how states are addressing reparation for historical injustices and the intergenerational loss by Indigenous peoples, A state should redesign or design and implement transitional justice processes that are inclusive, victim-centered, and compliant with international standards. Such processes should address collective, territorial, and intergenerational harms, ensuring justice, reparations, and guarantees of non-recurrence, including the restitution of lands, territories, and resources, and contributing to the elimination and discrimination and inequalities, while advancing indigenous people's dignity, self-determination, and cultural continuity. Transitional justice and truth-seeking mechanisms should integrate indigenous laws, governance systems, and concepts of justice and healing, acknowledge links between historical violations and contemporary conflicts, and document the experiences of indigenous peoples. Where appropriate and with their consent, truth commissions should be established in indigenous territories to enhance accessibility, particularly for women, children, elders, and persons with disabilities. States should ensure that peace, security, and transitional justice processes are gender responsive, recognizing the distinct impact of conflict on Indigenous women and girls, acknowledging the leadership of Indigenous women in prevention, mediation, and reconciliation, and supporting Indigenous women-led peace initiatives. States should provide comprehensive, culturally appropriate, and gender responsive reparations, including restitution, compensation, rehabilitation, satisfaction and guarantees of non-recurrence through processes reflecting indigenous governance systems with priority given to indigenous-led legal and psychosocial services, particularly for survivors of gender-based violence. I would like to take a moment to refer to the several cases of reprisals against participants during the 19th session of the expert mechanism that were brought to our attention. We took action and, where necessary, are continuing to monitor closely, liaising with the Office of the President of the Human Rights Council as needed, in case of any further allegations of acts of reprisals and intimidation committed against persons in connection with their contribution to the work of the Expert Mechanism. Ladies and gentlemen, the Expert Mechanism is a valuable tool as states and indigenous peoples work towards the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Today's interactive dialogue provides an important platform for all parties to discuss the ways in which we can continue advocating for the rights of Indigenous Peoples and achieving the ends of the Declaration. I acknowledge again all the Indigenous Peoples' representatives and institutions, Member States, NGOs, national human rights institutions and academic institutions that have contributed meaningfully to the work and mandate of the Expert Mechanism. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Toki, for your participation in this dialogue, and thank you very much for your work at the helm of the mechanism to the benefit of all the members of the Council. With this, we have concluded our interactive dialogue. We will now have a brief technical break before holding the interactive dialogue with the Advisory Committee. I beg of your indulgence for a quick pause.

Mr. Linfias, distinguished delegada.

Excellencies, distinguished delegates, thank you for your patience. We'll now begin the interactive dialogue with the advisory committee. According to our practice, the speakers list will close in 15 minutes. But now it is a pleasure, it is my pleasure, and please let's keep the noise down in the back of the room. It is my pleasure to give the floor to Mr. Bhum Sukbaek, Chair of the Advisory Committee, to present reports. Thank you. The floor is yours, sir.

Thank you, Mr. President of the Human Rights Council. Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, it is an honor to address you today on the presentation of the annual report of the Advisory Committee pursuant to Council Resolution 16/21. Due to the UN liquidity crisis, the Committee's 35th session, originally scheduled for August, was postponed. Consequently, this year's annual report covers only the 34th session. The rescheduled 35th session will take place from 14th to 18th of December 2026, and its report will be submitted to the Council next year. This year, the Advisory Committee has continued to prioritize requests arising from resolutions of the Council. Accordingly, in addition to the report on its 31st session, the Council has before it the Committee's study on technology-facilitated gender-based violence and its impact on women and girls, submitted at the present session pursuant to Council resolution 56/19. The Internet was built to connect the world, yet for many women and girls, these spaces have been weaponized to silence, track, and intimidate them. The study of the Committee found that technology-facilitated gender-based violence against women and girls is pervasive and both gendered and global. According to the report, almost two in three women have experienced such violence directly, while 85% have witnessed it. Technology-facilitated gender-based violence has profound human rights consequences. It causes severe psychological trauma, including anxiety, self-harm, and suicide. It leads to economic losses and drives women and girls out of digital spaces. It also weakens civic participation and democratic governance through targeted attacks on women leaders. 58% of girls and young women aged 15 to 25 have experienced online harassment. Women facing interacting discrimination based on ethnicity, race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or indigenous status are particularly targeted. Women in public life also face severe abuse, including women journalists, women parliamentarians, and women human rights defenders. Leaks are further heightened in context of migration, intimate partner violence, and humanitarian conflict. Unregulated AI tools enable non-consensual sexual defects and child sexual abuse material, violent chatbot interactions, harmful gender stereotypes, and spyware used against women and abuse survivors. Yet technology can be repurposed for protection through virtual safe spaces and AI tools that support survivors and detect abuse early. The study contains recommendations across three key pillars. United Nations and international bodies should establish global definition of technology-facilitated gender-based violence and integrate related metrics into women, peace and security agenda. Member states should adopt survivor-centered legislation that criminalize non-consensual intimate image dissemination, cyber stalking and AI sexual deepfake Provide effective remedies, including an enforceable right to be forgotten to remove digital traces of abuse. Ensure sustainable funding for survivor services. Implement mandatory trauma-informed training for police and judicial officers. And mandate safety by design standard and digital literacy. Technology companies should implement safety, privacy, and rights by design standard, conduct human rights impact assessment, and adhere to responsible AI framework, and also eliminate regional and linguistic disparities in content moderation, and foster workforce diversity in STEM leadership. We must ensure accountability, survivor-centered justice, and a digital ecosystem grounded in human rights and dignity for all. Distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen, this year the Committee has completed its work on two additional mandates. Its report on the impact of disinformation on the enjoyment of realization of human rights was submitted to the Council at its 61st session in March. The study on the impact of artificial intelligence systems on group governance was submitted to the Council at its 62nd session, pursuant to resolution 57/5. It is not about the governance of AI as such. Public authorities already use AI in the conduct of public affairs. The question is whether AI advances or impedes human rights through good governance. The study finds that AI may enhance public service delivery, strengthen transparency and anti-corruption efforts, and promote inclusive participation. AI also raises human rights risks, notably mass surveillance, algorithmic discrimination, opacity in automated decision making, manipulation of information environment, labor displacement, and environmental harm. The concentration of AI development among a few actors risk entrenching digital dependency. All states should have an equal voice in setting norms and standards. The committee recommends that states adopt comprehensive legal framework with the human rights impact assessment, independent oversight, and effective remedies. It called for meaningful public participation, strict regulation of AI-enabled surveillance, and human rights due diligence by business throughout the AI life cycle. AI should serve rather than subvert human rights. Distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen, the Committee is also continuing its work on the six remaining mandates entrusted to it by the Council and scheduled for submission next year, namely, unilateral coercive measures and the right to health, guidelines for applying the existing human rights framework to neurotechnology, social justice through legal enforcement of economic, social and cultural rights, guidelines on implementing States obligation in the context of preventing and combating corruption plastic pollution and human rights and sea level rights and human rights in accordance with the relevant resolution the first four studies will be submit to the council at its 61st session in March 2027 and the studies on plastic pollution and sea level rise at its 66th session in September 2027. Work on all six mandates has progressed steadily, and the respective drafting groups continue their intersectional work. I thank all stakeholders, including States, for their valuable contributions to the call for inputs circulated by the Committee. The Committee will continue its consideration of these six mandates at its session in December, when it will review draft studies prepared by the drafting groups. These drafts will be made available on the Committee's website in advance. I encourage all stakeholders to remain engaged. Mr. Vice-President, distinguished delegates, The Committee has adapted to the ongoing financial constraints and, despite the postponement of its August session, it managed to submit three studies, thanks to the dedication of the drafting group, the Secretariat and contributing stakeholders. While much of our work takes place between sessions, the Committee's advice becomes collective only when members meet formally with the participation of States and civil society. The Committee is therefore grateful that the post-Munich session is now scheduled for December and thanks the Office of the High Commissioner and the Secretariat for their effort to ensure continuity of its work. I hope that any change to meeting arrangement will be considered with the Council's guidance. Preserving two sessions a year is ultimately an investment and the Council's own work. I also wish to highlight that once the Committee finalizes and submits a follow-up study to the Council at its 61st session in March 2027, only two mandates will remain under consideration, namely those on plastic pollution and sea level rise, both due for submission in September 2027. The absence of new mandates has been a recurring challenge for the Committee in the past. In accordance with paragraph 77 of Annex II to the resolution 5/1, the Committee will continue its practice of identifying proposals for further research within the scope of the work set out by the Council for its consideration and approval. I also understand that one of the draft resolutions to be considered by the Council at the present session may entrust the Committee with a new mandate. We stand ready to undertake this new mandate should the Council grant it. Distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen, the Advisory Committee has also maintained its practice of informal exchange with Council's Bureau and regional and political group coordinators. We are grateful for the constructive exchanges held during our February session, which provided the opportunity to discuss the Committee's work and challenges it faces in the spirit of cooperation. Mr. Vice-President, distinguished delegates, to conclude, I wish to underscore the Committee's commitment to collective and expert-driven work. As the Council's think tank, It provides research-based advice to assist the Council in addressing complex, evolving, and emerging human rights challenges. The Committee remains committed to an inclusive and participatory approach and values the contributions of all stakeholders. I thank them for their engagement and also acknowledge the indispensable support provided by the Secretariat. I look forward for a fruitful dialogue with all the representatives here today. Mr. Vice President and distinguished delegates, I thank you.

Thank you very much. I will now invite the delegations to offer their questions and observations on the reports that you referred to in your presentation. First, I'd like to forward the representative, the distinguished representative of the European Union.

Thank you, Vice President. Chair, the European Union would like to thank the Advisory Committee for its work

and for the studies on the impact of artificial intelligence systems on good governance and on technology-facilitated gender-based violence

and its impact on women and girls.

Both provide valuable inputs to resolutions currently under negotiation and thereby help advance our work on crucial issues of our time. The EU champions a human rights-based and human-centric approach in the digital sphere, including on AI and on other new and emerging technologies. The application and development of new technologies, including AI, must take place in accordance and full compliance with international human rights law and standards and IHL. We also reaffirm the necessity to promote women's participation and leadership in all decision-making systems, including in the tech sector. We are grateful for the letter of studies, recognition of EU regulatory efforts that respectively seek to combat violence against women and domestic violence, hold platforms accountable for harmful conduct, and help prevent abuse of generative AI. Chair, the Advisory Committee has recommended enforceable regulation of the technology industry that ensures a digital environment safeguarding human rights and gender equality. and record that under the guiding principles in business and human rights, all business enterprises, including those that design and supply AI systems, bear responsibility to respect human rights. Based on your recent studies, what priority step should states and technology companies take to translate these recommendations into effective regulatory frameworks and human

rights due diligence and practices? Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representation of Kenya on behalf of the African group. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the African Group. The group welcomes the report of the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee on its 64th and 65th session and commends the committee for its substantive work and continued engagement with member states and other stakeholders. We particularly welcome the study on technology-facilitated gender-based violence and its impact on women and girls. This form of violence is a serious human rights concern and an extension of offline violence, undermining dignity, privacy, security, health and equal participation of women and girls in the public life. The group supports a human rights-based, survivor-centered and intersectional response. including stronger legislation, effective remedies, cross-border cooperation, and improved access to legal, social, health, and technical support. Further, research and reliable regional representative data, including from Africa, will be essential to guide effective policies. Looking ahead, we encourage greater investment in digital skills, training and education that promotes gender equality. We also call on technology companies to assess and address human rights risks and to design products that protect users' safety, privacy and rights. We also call to the continued cooperation among the Committee, the HRC and the OHCHR with due attention to national and regional circumstances that needs of developing countries. The Africa group looks forward to continuing its constructive contribution to the important Thank you.

I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Greece.

Thank you, Mr. President. Greece welcomes the study of the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee regarding the technology facilitated gender-based violence and its impact on women and girls. To begin with, Greece commends the study's human rights-based and intersectional nature. At the same time, we want to emphasize that protection must extend to all women and girls, acknowledging that certain groups face heightened risks due to multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination. In this context, protection against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity is particularly valuable. Furthermore, Greece wants to advocate in favor of the safety, privacy, and rights-by-design approach that this study has incorporated. Human rights protection should not be a reactive measure taken after harm has already occurred, but rather integrated into the design of digital products, services, and algorithms from the outset. Combined with a focus on protecting particularly vulnerable groups, the digital environment will safeguard ab initio human rights. Last but not least, all the above should find a way into a regulatory framework that can be enforced towards the technology industry. Having said that, we would avoid silos of regulation, opting for an international framework thereof. Thank you.

Thank you. The speakers list is now closed. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Morocco.

Mr. President, the Morocco

thanks the Advisory Committee of the Council on Human Rights for its complete study. On Morocco, thanks to Human Rights Advisory Committee and its comprehensive study on technology-facilitated gender-based violence and its impact on women and girls. As a member of the core group on technology-facilitated gender-based violence, Morocco condemns all forms of gender-based violence, including those enabled, amplified, and aggravated by digital technologies, online harassment, image-based abuse, surveillance, and disinformation, cause real lasting harm with serious consequences on the dignity and safety and fundamental rights of women and girls. At national level, Morocco has strengthened its legal and institutional framework, notably through Law 103.13 on Combating Violence Against Women, which entered into force in September 2018, in addition to the National Policy to Combat Violence Against Women and Girls by 2030. National awareness-raising initiatives have also increasingly addressed digital violence and encouraged victims to report abuse. Digital innovation must remain a force for empowerment and inclusion. This requires a human rights-based governance framework for digital technologies and artificial intelligence supported by appropriate safeguards, effective accountability mechanisms, and accessible remedies for victims. No actor can address this challenge alone. Cooperation among states, international organizations, technology companies, and civil society is essential to prevent this abuse. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the delegation of Egypt.

Thank you, Vice President. We have taken note of the work on this matter, the digital environment is not separate from reality. This has an impact on reality. It's for this reason that we must develop global responses for prevention of harmful content. The states must establish legal framework to address this, and society must take up its responsibilities in addressing human rights, including the concept of the products that are produced. And the protection does not begin after the damage. The protection begins before. Egypt has a framework for addressing digital crimes. We also have mechanisms for complaints and awareness raising. I would note our Office for Women's Complaints and a hotline for children. We know that there is a gap between developed -- among developed and developing countries as regards capacity and the -- and data collection. We'd like to know how international cooperation could strengthen capacity of these countries, ensuring that societies respect their responsibilities. Thank you.

Thank you. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Poland.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. Poland aligns itself with the statement of the EU and would like to add its remarks in national capacity. We thank Advisory Committee for its work, especially submitting a study on the impact of AI systems on good governance, containing a set of concrete recommendations to ensure that AI deployment in public governance remains consistent with international human rights obligations and the principles of good governance. This report provides valuable input to the work of the Council, including the resolution on the role of good governance in promoting and protecting human rights that is under negotiation at the present session, and is sponsored by Core Group of Australia, Chile, Republic of Korea, Poland, and South Africa. Rapid development of AI and the impact it already has and may have in the future on public institutions is amongst the most important issues requiring attention of all the international community. Your report provides such much needed guidance on this pressing matter for states, international community and the private sector. Chair, your recommendations include a call to consider the development of a dedicated framework under UN auspices which would commit states to concrete obligations regarding impact of AI on human rights. Given your experience, how should such framework be embedded in the UN system in order to be pivotal in ensuring compliance? I thank you.

Thank you. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Armenia.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. Armenia thanks the Advisory Committee for its work and welcomes the thematic study on technology-facilitated gender-based violence and its impact on women and girls. We believe it is essential that digital technologies and artificial intelligence advance human rights rather than reinforce existing inequalities or create new forms of violence and discrimination. For Armenia, advancing gender equality and combating discrimination remain important national priorities, as reflected in the adoption of Armenia's Gender Equality Strategy for 2025-2028, aimed at promoting substantive equality and strengthening the full, equal, and meaningful participation of women and girls across all spheres of life. Mr. Vice President, both positive and negative impact of digital technologies stretch far beyond the national borders and requires concerted efforts on national, regional, and international levels. This have been acknowledged both by the Global digital compact and the most recent outcomes of the World Summit on the Information Society. We are happy to note that Armenia, together with the members of the core group, is presenting a resolution entitled Strengthening International Cooperation for Promoting and Protecting the Rights of Women and Girls in the Context of Digital Technologies. Earlier this year, Armenia signed the Council of Europe's Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law. Armenia reaffirms its commitment for an open, stable, and peaceful digital environment that fosters responsible state behavior, protects human rights and democracy, and upholds the rule of law and fundamental freedoms online. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the delegation of UN Women.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. UN Women welcomes the Advisory Committee's study and its recognition of TFGVV as part of a continuum rooted in inequality, harmful norms, and unequal power relations. we commend the intersectional lens and focus on women in the public eye our Tipping Point research finds that 70% of women in the public sphere face online violence and an alarming 42% report offline harm linked to online violence we hope that the study renews momentum behind the 2024 secretary General's report on technology facilitated violence against women and girls and the general assembly resolution on violence against women and girls in in the digital environment which set out a comprehensive road map for effective legislation accountability prevention multi-stakeholder corporation.

UN Women will continue to lead the UN system.

Coordination on the areas highlighted in the report, including on harmonized definition and measurement framework and a model legislative framework for technology-facilitated violence against women and girls, and strengthening resilience of women human rights defenders. With our corporate strategy on preventing and eliminating technology-facilitated violence against women and girls, UN Women stands ready to support.

States and all stakeholders make digital spaces safe by design. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Republic of Korea.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. The Republic of Korea thanks the Advisory Committee for its comprehensive and timely report on this important issue. My delegation recognizes that technology-facilitated gender-based violence is an increasingly serious global challenge, rooted in and reproducing existing gender inequalities, power asymmetries, and harmful gender norms and stereotypes.

We are particularly concerned that TFGVB can lead to further forms of violence and harm, both online and offline. Given the complex and transborder nature of TFGPV, addressing it requires a multi-faceted response. In this regard, the Republic of Korea has undertaken various efforts, including establishing a national center for digital sex crime response.

And utilizing AI technologies to proactively identify and screen sexually exploitative content.

At the same time, we are mindful of the need to ensure that measures to combat the FGBV do not undermine human rights, particularly the right to privacy, we would therefore appreciate the committee's views on what practical safeguards and accountability measures states should put in place when using AI and other digital technologies to prevent and respond to TFG effectively while respecting the right to privacy and avoiding undue surveillance.

I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Ecuador.

Thank you, Vice President. My delegation thanks the committee for its report on TFG and its effect on girls and women. Ecuador shares the premise that this type of violence is not a separate phenomenon, rather it is ongoing violence and just an inequality that exists outside of the digital environment with a physical, psychological, and sexual impact on safety of the victims as well as on their professional and economic opportunities. Ecuador has a legal framework and public policy that includes a comprehensive organic law to prevent and eradicate violence against women. This includes sexual digital violence as well as all actions that undermine or restrict the right to privacy, for women in the digital environment. We also recognize legally the media and cybernetic regions, contexts in which violence against women takes place, as well as in social media, et cetera. We recognized that this is relevant in the press, social networks and in virtual platforms. Thank you very much.

Thank you very much. The distinguished representative of Belgium has the floor.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. Belgium thanks the Advisory Committee for its work. With the rise of digital technologies, technology-facilitated gender-based violence has become a significant human rights concern all over the world. While it can impact anyone, women and girls are disproportionately affected. Gender-based violence is not new. However, digital technologies and online spaces amplify the harms and create new ones. We must improve our understanding of these new trends while also harnessing the potential of these technologies to foster gender equality. In this regard, the study being presented today is an important step in addressing this scourge. It gives a detailed account of the different forms TFGbV can take, such as image-based abuse, cyber harassment, coercive control and surveillance, tech-facilitated exploitation and gender disinformation. It also highlights how digital technologies can be instrumental to combat TFGbV and provides concrete recommendations. In that regard, we agree that a gender perspective must feature prominently in efforts to regulate digital technologies and artificial intelligence. More broadly, cooperation among states, international organizations, the tech industry, and civil society is essential. A pervasive phenomenon such as TFGBV cannot be addressed effectively in isolation. We therefore look forward to further engagement with all stakeholders to advance concrete actions on this topic. Thank you.

Thank you. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Ghana.

Mr. Vice President, Ghana commends the Advisory Committee for its study and aligns with the statement of the African Group. Ghana considers technology-facilitated gender-based violence an important and growing human rights concern. The report rightly highlights that online abuse is not isolated from offline violence and has equally damaging impacts on women and girls. The staggering data highlighted in the report underscores the urgency of addressing this evolving menace through robust regulatory enforcement and policy implementation. Canada's commitment to preventing and addressing gender-based violence is grounded in its 1992 constitutional guarantee of equality and non-discrimination. Our Domestic Violence Act 2007 provides a framework for protection against abuse, while Cybersecurity Act 2020 criminalizes conduct, including threats and the non-consensual distribution of private sexual images for harassment, intimidation, coercion, or extortion. Vice President, Ghana therefore supports strengthening national capacities to address emerging forms of digital abuse while urging technology companies to embed safety, privacy, and human rights protection into the design of their products and platforms. Given the inherently cross-border nature of digital technology, Ghana also underscores the importance of international and regional cooperation in addressing these harms. I thank you, Mr. Vice President.

Thank you. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Jordan.

Thank you, Vice-President. We have taken note of the presentation made by the Advisory Committee on technology-facilitated gender-based violence, and we believe that violence through technology drives women and girls to remove themselves from private and public life, and this limits opportunities for education and for working. It is important to have a healthy environment so as to strengthen women's participation. Protection is effective when survivors are protected regarding their data privacy, and complaints ought to be treated in a confidential manner. Accountability is necessary, and content, when it is private, can be extremely harmful if shared. That is why it is essential to prevent the dissemination of private content and have regulations in this field. These crimes are transnational in nature, and that is why Governments and digital platforms must co-operate better so as to ensure that victims do not have to ensure their own protection. We would like to ask the committee what practical measures do you recommend so as to address complaints in an equal-handed manner. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Algeria.

Mr. Vice President, my delegation thanks the Adversary Committee for the presentation of its report. While recognizing that technology-facilitated violence represented a digital extension of offline harms against women and girls, compounded by rapid online dissemination and cross-border regulatory challenges, we underscored the necessity of holding technology companies accountable through safety, privacy, and right-by-design principles, along with transparent human rights impact assessments of their algorithms. Mr. Vice President, at the national level, Algeria's actions form part of integrated framework. National strategy against violence against women established in 2007, strengthened by the 2015 penal code amendment, criminalizing various forms of violence and an expanded strategy incorporating a toll-free reporting helpline and participatory platform for comprehensive support to survivors. This complemented by continuous training for personal working with victims and the reinforcement of psychological listing and support cells, including measures targeting hate speech based on sex, religion, race, and color. Internationally, having previously shared the UN Ad Hoc Committee on Cybercrime and currently holding a bureau seat for the African Group, Algeria continues to demonstrate its sustained commitment to tackling the cross-border dimensions of cyber violence. I thank you, Mr. Vice President.

Thank you. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Maldives.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President.

The Maldives thanks the Advisory Committee for its report on technology-facilitated gender-based violence and its impact on women and girls. Through our Maldives 2.0 digital transformation initiative, we are working to remove barriers to women and girls' meaningful participation in the digital economy.

Enabling girls to become creators and innovators in AI, robotics, and computer programming.

We recognize that the impact of technology-facilitated gender-based violence varies with individual circumstances. In 2025, the Maldives launched a campaign named Udhilum, raising community awareness of how online harm affects children's safety offline, particularly girls. Also in collaboration with the UNDP and EU support under the AIM project, Youth peer education program on preventing domestic gender-based violence was implemented with 1,154 young people trained so far.

Similarly, gender-sensitive media guidelines for reporting on domestic and gender-based violence was developed.

We've also developed an AI assistant platform with UNFPA to support gender-based violence service providers. Mr. Vice President, technology-facilitated gender-based violence knows no borders, and addressing it requires global collaboration and an unwavering commitment to human rights. How can member states better work with industry to ensure AI development tackles rather than perpetuate gender-based violence? I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Peru.

Thank you very much, Vice-President. Peru would like to thank the Advisory Committee for the presentation of the report, which helps better understand new forms of violence linked to the use of digital technologies and artificial intelligence, as well as the consequences on privacy, personal integrity, freedom of expression and the participation of women in public life. At the national level, my country has strengthened its legal framework in order to address these challenges, including through the criminalisation and prosecution of crimes of harassment, sexual blackmail and non-consensual sharing of images or audiovisual or audio material with sexual content. We have explicitly incorporated te- digi- uh, techno- violence facilitated by digital technologies. We welcome the fact that the report pays attention to the situation of women with public protection, including human rights defenders. Peru has an intersectoral mechanism for the protection of female human rights defenders, which includes coordination of nine entities, government entities, that work to prevent threats, aggression, and risks for these women when they are carrying out their work. Peru would like to reaffirm the importance of strengthening the state response in the face of new forms of technology-facilitated violence, in particular those that have a particular impact on women. Thank you,

and I now give the floor to distinct Ambassador Brazil.

Thank you, Vice President.

So, Vice President, Brazil thanks the Advisory Committee for its report. Brazil recognized the importance of addressing violence against women in digital environments through prevention, protection, awareness raising, access to justice and victim support, as well as accountability from tech companies. Brazil's legal and institutional framework includes national guidelines on technology-facilitated violence against women. They adopt a victim-centered approach, protect privacy and personal data, seek to prevent revictimization, recognize online harassment and digital stalking, and provide for prompt removal of abusive online content where applicable. Brazil has also strengthened data collection and victim support. including Brazil's national hotline protocols to identify and register case of digital violence against women. Regionally, the committee of experts on the follow-up mechanism to the Belem do Para Convention adopted the Inter-American Model Law to prevent, punish, and eradicate digital violence against women on the basis of gender, offering states a reference for strong legal institutional responses. challenges remain in capturing the scale and evolving nature of technology-facilitated gender-based violence. Could the Committee elaborate on practical measures States can adopt to strengthen data collection and evidence-based policy-making?

Thank you. I call on the distinguished representative of France.

Thank you, Vice-President. France would like to thank the Advisory Committee for its report, and we commend its report on technology-facilitated gender-based violence. Almost two women out of three in the world have suffered such violence. France supports the human rights-based approach that is intersecting and survivor-centred. The sharing of non-consensual intimate images, online harassment and sexual deepfakes are an extension of offline violence. These forms of violence undermine dignity, health and the private life and freedom of expression of women and girls. It can drive women journalists or politicians or female human rights defenders out of the public space. France calls on States to adopt effective legal frameworks to ensure that women and girl survivors have access to justice and appropriate support, and to support civil society organizations. Technology companies should integrate at the design stage the protection of privacy and respect for rights, and they should assess their algorithms and ensure effective monitoring in all languages. Prevention requires early education on gender equality and digital skills and should include boys and men. Vice-President, what specific criteria could make it possible to make the principle of safety at design binding and verifiable, in particular for generative artificial intelligence systems? Thank you.

I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Ireland.

Ireland aligns with the statement of the EU and thanks the members of the Human Rights Advisory Committee for their work, including the report on technology-facilitated gender-based violence and its impact on women and girls. Preventing and responding to violence against women and girls is a priority for Ireland in both our domestic and foreign policy.

In this digitalised world.

Fast-paced technological change exacerbates the already high levels of multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination and violence women and girls face, and risks further excluding them from equal participation in public, political, economic and social life.

We echo the Committee's findings that technology-facilitated gender-based violence is not limited to the online world. It perpetuates and facilitates offline violence and discrimination, including intimate partner violence.

Ireland is deeply concerned by the UNFPA's findings reflected in the report that almost two in three women.

Globally have experienced technology-facilitated gender-based violence, and 85% of women have witnessed such violence being committed against another woman. It is appalling that such high levels of.

Violence are experienced by adolescent girls and young women, and that women human rights defenders also report high levels.

Of technology-facilitated abuse.

We welcome the committee's calls for a survivor-centred, trauma-informed and intersectional approach to this important issue within a human rights-based framework. We would like to ask the committee how States.

Can better keep pace with rapidly developing technology to counter the consequent rise in technology-facilitated gender-based violence.

Thank you.

Thank you. I call on the distinguished representative of Pakistan.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. We take note of the Advisory Committee's report and study. The rapid advancement of digital technologies, including AI, offer both opportunities and challenges. Algorithmic data and automation biases, meanwhile, pose serious risks to the full enjoyment of human rights. These risks are amplified by cyber harassment, stalking, online abuse, doxing, and harmful AI-generated content. We condemn all forms of violence against women and girls, whether in physical or online spaces. The response requires effective prevention, protection, and accountability. Pakistan has undertaken significant legislative and institutional measures in this regard that are highlighted in the full version of the statement uploaded to the extranet. In March this year, Pakistan launched its first national strategy on countering GBV in online spaces via strengthened institutional coordination, victim protection, awareness raising, and prevention. We remain committed to creating safe, inclusive, and empowering digital spaces for all, especially for our women and girls. Mr. Vice President, the nature of digital technologies requires enhanced international cooperation, technology transfer, capacity building, digital literacy, and the sharing of best practices. Pakistan supports responsible development and use of AI. At the same time, we emphasize that emerging technologies like AI should benefit all and should not exacerbate inequalities and digital divides within and across countries. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinct representative of India.

Mr. Vice President, India takes note of the report of the Advisory Committee on Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence and its Impact on Women and Girls. India views digital technologies as powerful enablers of human rights that help in strengthening citizen protection. At the same time, we also recognize that technology can be misused to facilitate gender-based violence, disproportionately impacting women and girls. We welcome the recommendation to strictly criminalize digital abuse, mandating accountability of tech companies, and empowering women, as these align closely with our existing domestic policies. India has implemented comprehensive legislative and policy measures to mitigate misuse of technology. Our criminal code severely penalizes digital voyeurism, cyberstalking, and non-consensual sharing of intimate images. Furthermore, our Information Technology Rules, 2021, legally mandate platforms to remove sexually explicit and MOBF content within 24 hours of complaint. To guarantee survivors' justice, we operate a national cybercrime reporting portal, a dedicated 1930 helpline, and over 14,000 women help desks in police stations nationwide. Campaigns like Digital Shakti digitally empower women against cyber violence, while Mission Shakti scheme integrates digital protection with legal and psychological aid through one-stop centres. India fully supports digitalisation and remains equally committed to ensuring digital safety for everyone, with specific focus on protection of women and girls. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Cuba.

Thank you very much, Vice-President. We would like to thank the Advisory Committee for their presentation, and we reiterate Cuba's support for the Committee's mandate as a crucial Council body for assessing and presenting for consideration by Member States action-oriented guidelines regarding specific topics. We believe that there should be national and international strategies that developed in order to regulate the use of digital technologies in order to contribute to eradicating technology-facilitated gender-based violence and its negative impacts on women and girls. We cannot allow for platforms and the algorithms that are the monopoly of large platforms to be turned into instruments for psychological and sexual violence against women and girls. These tools must serve equality and women's empowerment. This form of digital violence and the extension to the cyber sphere of discrimination and inequality is linked to discrimination already faced by women, and it exacerbates the digital divide and undermines their human rights. We urge the Committee to ensure that, in future studies on this topic, in addition to making practical recommendations, the members of the Committee look in more depth at States' practices and the practices of digital platforms in order to dismantle this form of violence. Thank you.

I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Mr. Vice President, the Islamic Republic of Iran welcomes the Advisory Committee's study on the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures on the right to health of individuals in vulnerable situations, particularly women and children. The Advisory Committee plays an important role in supporting the Human Rights Council through independent expertise, research, and substantive analysis on a broad range of human right issues. We therefore hope that the committee will be increasingly encouraged to focus on issue of particular importance to developing countries, as well as on structural and underlying challenges that fundamentally affect the advancement or setback of human right realization. Greater attention to issues such as poverty, inequality, development, access to essential services, and other resistance obstacles to the enjoyment of human rights would enhance the relevance and impact of its work. Such a focus could also help identify practical and sustainable approaches and strengthen the Council's effort to promote and protect human rights for all. Thank.

You.

Thank you. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of China.

Mr. Vice President, China has taken note of the report of the 31st session of the Advisory Committee and its study on technology-facilitated gender-based violence and its impact on women and girls. We appreciate the important intellectual support provided by the Advisory Committee to the work of the Human Rights Council and stand ready to strengthen dialogue and cooperation with the Committee. The rapid development of digital technologies has brought new challenges to the cause of human rights. We should strengthen international solidarity and cooperation, enhance coordination and synergy among mechanisms and initiatives across different fields. We should adhere to a government-led approach with the participation of multiple stakeholders, promote the improvement of a multilateral, democratic, transparent global internet governance system, strengthen cyberspace regulation and law enforcement oversight to combat violence against women and girls. We should also strengthen international cooperation on capacity building for developing countries, strive to bridge the digital divide and advance sustainable development. Thank you, Mr. Vice President.

Thank you. I now give the floor to the Netherlands.

Thank you, Mr. President. The Kingdom of the Netherlands is grateful to the Advisory Committee for this timely and important report. Everyone in this room will know how digitalization is rapidly changing our lives and societies. We see the benefits of this development, but we should also be aware of the many risks that have emerged at equal speed, and of how these risks disproportionately impact women and girls and all their diversity. This report rightfully underscores the urgency to address this. The Kingdom of the Netherlands is especially concerned about the chilling effect technology-facilitated gender-based violence has on the civic space, both online and offline, for women and girls and all their diversity, so that their voices be heard. with an even greater risk for those that are specifically targeted because of who they are. Combating this, as the report recommends, requires a global, collective, and coordinated effort. The report stresses the importance of regulation in UN and national contexts, as well as for the tech industry. The Kingdom of the Netherlands underscores the report's recommendation that in regulation of digital technologies, a gender-based perspective is imperative.

Mr. President.

The report briefly mentions the engagement of men and boys. Where do you see opportunities to involve men and boys more in preventing and combating technology-facilitated gender-based violence?

I thank you.

Thank you. This was the last speaker on the list of states. We still have time to listen to two speakers from the NGO list, and I'd like to give the floor to the representative of Frontline AIDS.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. Frontline AIDS thanks the Advisory Committee for this important work. Digital technologies have transformed access to health, information, services, and digital participation. However, these benefits are not experienced equally. Technology-facilitated gender-based violence is increasingly affecting women and girls, as well as LGBTIQ+ persons and human rights defenders. Online harassment, stalking, bullying, entrapment, privacy violations, and other forms of abuse undermine safety and dignity and can limit people's to participate freely and fully in digital spaces. We are also concerned about the structural dimensions of this issue. The gender digital divide, combined with punitive and discriminatory laws that criminalize aspects of sexuality, gender, and sexual and reproductive health and rights, can deepen the exclusion and restrict access to justice and essential health services. We therefore call on the Human Rights Council and States to strengthen human rights-based legal and policy frameworks governing digital technologies. These frameworks must address technology-facilitated gender-based violence while protecting freedom of expression, privacy, and access to information. They must also tackle the digital divide and note that criminalizing communities does undermine access to digital participation and justice. Digital innovation must advance human rights and not deepen existing inequalities. Thank you.

Thank you. I now give the floor to the representative of Center for International Environmental Law.

Excellencies, CIEL thanks the Advisory Committee for its report on this information and specifically the section on the environment. We also thank the committee for ongoing work on sea level rise and would like to highlight some arguments we hope will be reflected in the study. First, statehood and sovereignty remain unaffected despite climate-induced loss of territory, in line with the work of the ILC, ICJ, and Pacific regional leadership. Second, sea level rise triggers states' obligation to cooperate and provide remedies once land is lost or made uninhabitable. This includes remedies such as compensation, technological and financial support, protection for climate-displaced persons, and climate mobility pathways. Third, states' no refoulement obligations may be triggered where climate and sea level rise-related conditions create a real, foreseeable, and irreversible risk of serious human rights harm. Finally, states have an obligation to address the root causes of climate change, including by equitably phasing out fossil fuels. The Advisory Committee has now the unique opportunity to consolidate and harmonize the existing findings on sea level rise and to deliver the most ambitious and comprehensive legal analysis to date of sea level rise and corresponding state obligations. We look forward to continuing to engage with the Committee. Thank you.

Thank.

You. The time for today's session is now up, so we have reached the end of this meeting. We will reconvene this afternoon at 3:00 p.m. to continue the dialogue of the Advisory Committee. I hereby close this 25th meeting of the 63rd session of the Human Rights Council.