Dear colleagues & friends,

Members of the HLPF Major Groups and Other Stakeholders Coordination Mechanism (MGoS CM) sent a letter to the President of ECOSOC regarding the High Level Political Forum's Ministerial Declaration. Please express your interest in having a strong declaration by signing on below.

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Members of the HLPF MGoS sent a letter to the President of ECOSOC inviting him to convene a meeting with relevant Member States, prior to Wednesday, to ensure progress in reaching a consensus on the adoption of a strong ministerial declaration.  This declaration is the foundation for advancing and achieving the sustainable development goals put forth, agreed to and adopted by all Member States in 2015.

Sign our statement

Kindest regards,

Women's Major Group

STATEMENT OF THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES MAJOR GROUP
Leveraging interlinkages of the SDGS
The principle for a balanced implementation of the economic, social and environment
dimensions require policy cohesion in the implementation of the 2030 agenda that should be
consistent with the respect, protection and realization of human rights. According to the data
by the Danish Institute for Human Rights, 92% of the targets have direct link to human rights.
This thereby underpins the human rights obligations and commitments of States in the
implementation of the 2030 Agenda. It is thereby critical that the work of human rights
monitoring bodied be integrated in the follow up and review processes of the 2030 agenda.

Indigenous peoples major group on SDGs statement
Science-Policy interface and emerging issues

Cultural diversity is a creative source and enabler for sustainable development. The cultures
and values of peoples, and the knowledge and innovations of indigenous peoples and local
communities, are fundamental cultural resources, vital for contemporary problem-solving.
Indigenous Knowledge enabled us to achieve sustainability before the existence of modern
States and the UN. We welcome recent policy decisions within various United Nations to
recognize Indigenous and Local Knowledge(s) as complementary to Science(s) and integral to
knowledge-policy platforms on sustainable development, biodiversity and climate change.

The Indigenous Peoples Major Group is seriously concern on the reliance to Public-Private Partnership for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda with the business as usual approach. Based on our experience on project funded under private- public partnerships such as on larges dams and other energy projects, these have resulted to massive land grabs, displacements, destruction of our livelihoods, disregard to our culture and indigenous institutions, as well as environmental.  

The implementation of the SDGs requires structural and transformational actions and measures to rectify the monopoly of finance, unequal distribution of wealth and resources, and imbalance economic power which is dominated by the private sector, particularly large corporations.  Likewise, financial transparency and accountability of both the public and the private sector are needed, and policy cohesion in line with the respect and protection of human rights and balanced implementation of the social, environment and economic dimensions of the SDGs.  Sadly, there is more appetite to finance targets for economic growth and industrialization, social needs such as quality education, social protection, environment protection and sustainable management of resources

"Eradicating poverty and promoting prosperity in a changing world"

Executive Summary:

The approximately 370 million indigenous peoples worldwide account for about 5% of the world’s population but 15% of the extreme poor. Poverty is also a factor in the food insecurity of indigenous peoples. This alarming condition is the consequence of historical colonization, subjugation and assimilation, and the prevailing discriminatory structures and systematic violation of the rights of indigenous peoples. The widespread loss of lands, territories and resources has weakened their customary systems, which are the bases of their distinct identities, dignity and wellbeing. The status of ownership, control and security of indigenous peoples to manage their lands and resources defines their state of impoverishment.