United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in his message on the International Day of the World’s Indigenous People, August 9, 2021, called for ending the grievous inequalities of indigenous peoples worldwide, according to United Nations Information Center.
Indigenous peoples around the world continue to face overwhelming marginalization, discrimination, and exclusion, Guterres said in the message, adding that this was rooted in colonialism and patriarchy.
Pointing to efforts by some nations to address this heinous legacy through apologies, truth and reconciliation efforts, and legislative and constitutional reforms, Guterres insisted that this was not enough and much more needed to be done.
He urged nations to act through existing tools, including the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the outcome document of the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples.
“There is no excuse for denying the world’s 476 million indigenous peoples self-determination and meaningful participation in all decision-making,” the UN chief stated.