3C: Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the rights of Indigenous Peoples

Chair,
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the Nordic Baltic states: Estonia, Finland,
Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden, and my own country, Denmark together
with Greenland.

We welcome the Special Rapporteur’s interim report on the identification,
demarcation, registration and titling of Indigenous Peoples’ lands. We thank him for
underscoring the unique and inherent nature of Indigenous Peoples’ land rights,
which are fundamental to the full realization of their human rights.

The report highlights ongoing inconsistencies in the recognition and implementation
of these rights across regions. We are concerned that competing political and
economic interests often impede effective legal protection and that Indigenous
Peoples continue to face significant challenges in securing their land rights.
We also commend the Special Rapporteur’s call for robust support to human rights
mechanisms, which play a critical role in advancing and safeguarding Indigenous
Peoples’ rights.

We are deeply alarmed by the increasing criminalization and violence against
Indigenous human rights defenders, particularly those defending their territories.
The disproportionate and unacceptable impact on those defending their territories
demands urgent attention.

Special Rapporteur, what are the most effective measures States can take to halt the
criminalization and violence against Indigenous human rights defenders, and to
strengthen human rights mechanisms to better protect them?
Thank you