Photo: Indigenous Peoples and allies gather at the U.N. Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in April 2025, New York City, U.S. by Nancy Kelsey (Anishinaabe)/Nia Tero
May 5, 2026
Advancing Indigenous Peoples’ Guardianship at 25th Session of U.N. Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues
Story by Nancy Kelsey (Anishinaabe)
Nia Tero participated in the 25th Session of the U.N. Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues with a clear and carefully considered strategy, in support of our partners, that reflects our broader commitment to Indigenous Peoples' guardianship, self-determination, and leadership in the global arenas.
For two weeks, Indigenous leaders congregated in the halls of the United Nations to call on Member States to respect their self-determination while also aligning on policy objectives as Indigenous Peoples. This year’s UNPFII theme, “Ensuring Indigenous Peoples’ health, including in the context of conflict” was a clear opportunity to expand on the connection between the health of Indigenous Peoples and the places they call home.
“Indigenous guardianship is the most time-tested effective, enduring way to keep the planet healthy,” Nia Tero CEO ‘Aulani Wilhelm shared during a UNPFII dialogue on financing Indigenous Peoples’ work. “Despite safeguarding many of the world's healthiest ecosystems, estimates indicate that Indigenous People directly receive less than 1% of global climate financing.”
From discussions on funding for Indigenous Peoples to cultural exchanges and art exhibitions, the Forum was marked by moments of hard truths and discussions along with joyous celebrations and unity-building.
Shifting Funding Paradigms to Better Support Indigenous Peoples
As the largest international funder of Indigenous Peoples’ guardianship, Nia Tero is a leader in providing direct funding to Indigenous Peoples, organizations and their chosen allies. At a discussion on Indigenous Peoples and global finance, Wilhelm outlined three things that must change within existing funding models:
- Correcting inaccurate narratives about Indigenous Peoples merely as beneficiaries of funds versus equal partners in global climate and biodiversity decision-making
- Shifting funding agreement models beyond conventional grantor-grantee dynamics to one of trust-based partnership
- Ensuring financial commitments made in international forums reach Indigenous Peoples who are on the frontlines of the climate and other crises
“We need funders to realize that Indigenous Peoples bring tremendous assets to those fortunate to partner with them, to partner with us. The primary beneficiary of that capacity, between funders and between Indigenous Peoples, is all of humanity. This at the heart of what we do at Nia Tero,” Wilhelm said. “Across all of these sectors and systems, progress means respecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples to identify our own needs, design our own processes of change, control our own resources, and uphold our decision-making protocols through our own systems of self-governance.”
Indigenous Rights: A Vital Pathway for the Health of Our Planet
During the UNPFII, Nia Tero coordinated and connected with partners for an in-person human rights training aimed at strengthening rights across the U.N. system. This free training – part of a virtual yearlong curriculum – was led by Indigenous rights experts and well-attended by Indigenous Peoples.
“The beautiful part about this was the engagement, the practicality of taking the treaty bodies, taking your case and your reality and your territorial struggles and analyzing it in a really specific way. [Participants] can analyze which treaty body is good for you, you can use and you can come with your problems in situations but also requesting solutions for protecting the rights of your people,” said Nia Tero Policy Manager Carmen Guerra (Kankuama, Colombia). “We can always add new tools to defend our rights.”
The training was offered in partnership with Nia Tero, the U.N. Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Peoples (UNVFIP), IWGIA, Docip, Indigenous Peoples Rights International, Land is Life and Human Rights Watch. They are available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French and Russian to increase accessibility for Indigenous Peoples around the world.
In addition to helping increase Indigenous representation in global forums where decisions affecting Indigenous Peoples are made, there are other notable ancillary effects of these trainings such as fostering relationships between Indigenous Peoples facing similar struggles and capacity strengthening for more effective engagement.
“This is important because we are better equipped to advocate for our communities, to document violations and to engage with governments and international institutions,” said Bae Anna Jessa Mae Crisostomo (Obu Manuvu Peoples, Philippines), a UNVFIP grantee.
“These trainings build confidence among Indigenous People, especially me. They transform fear into courage and silence into meaningful participation. I think that is the very essence and significance of the training for me.”
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"These trainings build confidence among Indigenous People, especially me. They transform fear into courage and silence into meaningful participation."
- Bae Anna Jessa Mae Crisostomo
Obu Manuvu Peoples, Philippines
UNVFIP grantee
Other Highlights of Nia Tero’s Support in Action at UNPFII
- Four Indigenous leaders from Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Colombia and the Indo-Myanmar Biodiversity Region spoke at Nia Tero’s side event on Indigenous Peoples’ responses to territorial challenges in times of conflict. U.N. Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Albert Barume also participated in the panel discussion.
“Traditional culture can help find ways out of climate change,” said Sultan Sarygulov (Kyrgyz), an elder from the World Union of Indigenous Spiritual Practitioners. “It is the crisis of our civilization, the crisis of mistaken values, the values that we have put on the basis of our lives …that have been lost and the situation will deteriorate.” - The Wayfinders Circle brought together leaders from four distinct Indigenous Peoples to the UNPFII from the Blackfoot Confederacy in North America, Heiltsuk Nation in Canada, the Sami in Sweden and Dayak Iban People of Indonesia. They delivered, for the first time in their five-year history, a collective statement. Nia Tero proudly supports the Wayfinders Circle, a global network of Indigenous leaders committed to sharing knowledge, culture and spirituality to strengthen Indigenous self-determination and solidarity. Learn more at wayfinderscircle.org.
- In addition, Nia Tero supported the Wayfinders Circle’s conversation centering Indigenous women’s perspectives on the intersection of health, healing, conflict and Indigenous territories. Read more here.
- Nia Tero also supported this year’s Indigenous Peacebuilding Summit held during the UNPFII. The event drew more than 100 people to explore Indigenous ways of peace, especially in times of conflict.
“Today, the harm we have made because of the dominant development paradigm based on extraction – the way we have harmed Mother Earth and the climate change – have created an awareness in the dominant society so that the Indigenous philosophy and language about them being guardians of the Earth is absorbed."
- Elsa Stamatapoulou
U.N. expert on human rights
Building Indigenous Solidarity
Across the UNPFII, despite the borders and distances separating Indigenous Peoples, there was a shared solidarity and commitment to collective advocacy for Indigenous rights, knowledge and representation – by both Indigenous Peoples and allies in attendance. It is a fight that has been decades in the making.
“When Indigenous Peoples were using their language about Mother Earth in the 80s, it didn't have the same resonance, I was there, as it has today,” said Elsa Stamatapoulou, a longtime U.N. ally and expert on Indigenous Peoples' rights. “Today, the harm we have made because of the dominant development paradigm based on extraction – the way we have harmed Mother Earth and the climate change – have created an awareness in the dominant society so that the Indigenous philosophy and language about them guarding the Earth, being guardians of the Earth, is absorbed.”
Next year, the 26th Session of the UNPFII will coincide with the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the U.N. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
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