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The EU would like to thank the secretariat for the overview paper of the situation of indigenous peoples with regard to their rights to lands, territories and resources contained in doc. E/C.19/2018/5 as well as for the report from the International Expert Group Meeting on the theme “Sustainable Development in Territories of Indigenous Peoples”.

In its Human Rights Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy 2015-2019, adopted in July of 2015, the European Union committed to foster a comprehensive agenda to promote Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ESCR). This includes the stepping up of efforts “to protect human rights defenders, including social partners who are working to uphold economic, social and cultural rights, with a particular focus on human rights defenders working on labour rights, land-related human rights issues, and indigenous peoples, in the context of inter alia 'land grabbing' and climate change”.

In May 2017, the EU Foreign Affairs Council adopted for the first time in 15 years Council Conclusions on Indigenous Peoples reaffirming its commitments to the UNDRIP as well as to the Outcome of the 2014 World Conference on Indigenous Peoples. In these Conclusions, the Council underlines the importance of giving priority to actions to address the threats to, and violence against indigenous peoples and individuals, as well as to human rights defenders in the context of land and natural resources in the protection of the environment, biodiversity and the climate.

In a time where the phenomenon of land grabbing seems to become more frequent and where we see a daunting increase in serious violations against indigenous human rights defenders and leaders working on land rights and environment issues, we need to step up our support. This is what the European Union does with its Human Rights Defender Mechanisms under the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR). 

Though the legal frameworks and obligations in relation to the recognition of land rights and land tenure differ from country to country, the respect for the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all individuals is a universal prerogative. It is against this background that the EU is supporting through its development cooperation as well as through the EIDHR a number of programmes and projects that seek to empower indigenous peoples to engage in dialogue and consultation mechanisms pertaining to land and natural resources.

In accordance with the New European Consensus for Development adopted in June 2017, the EU and its Member States dedicate themselves to support improvements in governance relating to sustainable forest management, participatory land management, and to equitable access to land tenure, particularly for women, respecting the rights of all persons, including indigenous peoples.

We would also like to recall that the EU is a strong supporter of the FAO "Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the context of National Food Security” (VGGT).  One of their most important purposes is to “strengthen the capacities and operations of implementing agencies; judicial authorities; local governments; organisations of farmers, fishers, forest users and pastoralists; indigenous peoples and other communities; civil society; private sector; academia and all persons concerned with tenure governance, as well as to promote the cooperation between the actors mentioned”.

The EU hopes that today’s discussion will contribute to identifying good practices particularly with regard to how best to engage in dialogues and consultations to ensure the free, prior and informed consent of indigenous peoples in the context of land, territory and resource management in accordance with the UNDRIP.

Thank you.