The Indigenous World 2026: Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Indigenous Peoples

Written on 22 April 2026. Posted in The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Indigenous Peoples

Indigenous Peoples have been engaging in relevant processes on sustainable development since the Earth Summit (Rio Conference) in 1992. The main advocacy issues for Indigenous Peoples in these processes are respect for, protection and fulfilment of the rights of Indigenous Peoples as affirmed by the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP),^[1] as well as the full and effective participation of Indigenous Peoples in the development, implementation, monitoring and review of action plans and programmes on sustainable development at all levels.

The main coordination mechanism of Indigenous Peoples in the sustainable development process is the Indigenous Peoples’ Major Group for Sustainable Development (IPMG),^[2] which is currently coordinated by Tebtebba Foundation (Indigenous Peoples' International Centre for Policy Research and Education)^[3] and the International Indian Treaty Council (IITC),^[4] both of which also act as the facilitators/co-convenors and Organizing Partners (OPs) accredited by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA)^[5] as part of the nine recognized Major Groups that can officially participate in the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) processes at the global level.

This article is part of the 40^th edition of The Indigenous World, a yearly overview produced by IWGIA that serves to document and report on the developments Indigenous Peoples have experienced. Find The Indigenous World 2026 in full here

The Indigenous Peoples’ Major Group for Sustainable Development (IPMG) continues to strengthen its role in not only in facilitating and coordinating the full and effective engagement of Indigenous Peoples in relevant Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) processes but also in ensuring that Indigenous Peoples’ perspectives and initiatives in relation to development are mainstreamed. For 2025, the IPMG continued its support in coordinating the Indigenous Peoples’ constituency of the Asia-Pacific Regional CSO Engagement Mechanism (APRCEM) alongside supporting Indigenous Peoples’ engagement in relevant global SDG processes.

High-Level Political Forum 2025

The theme of the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) 2025 was “Advancing sustainable, inclusive, science- and evidence-based solutions for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals for leaving no one behind”.^[6] The HLPF 2025 conducted in-depth reviews of the following goals:

• SDG 3 - Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.
• SDG 5 - Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.
• SDG 8 - Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.
• SDG 14 - Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable development.
• SDG 17 - Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development.

Thirty-five countries^[7] presented their Voluntary National Reviews (VNRS), sharing their progress on the 2030 Agenda: Angola, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bhutan, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Finland, Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Israel, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lesotho, Malaysia, Malta, Micronesia, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Qatar, Saint Lucia, Seychelles, Sudan, Suriname, and Thailand.

The IPMG played a central role in facilitating Indigenous Peoples’ engagement, ensuring that they were able to deliver statements in plenary sessions and thematic reviews.^[8] Speaking on behalf of their own communities and organizations were Indigenous Peoples’ representatives from Bangladesh, Papua New Guinea, and South Africa, including one Indigenous youth from the Philippines — all of which are VNR reporting countries. These interventions highlighted the persistent gap between the reports submitted by governments and the realities experienced on the ground. While governments often referenced Indigenous Peoples in their VNRs, these mentions were frequently tokenistic, and lacking in substantive commitments to rights, resources, or accountability.

In the session: Transformation from the ground up: Acting at local level, Uzzal Azim from Bangladesh highlighted that “The implementation of the SDGs needs to be strongly anchored to the realization of human rights and for Indigenous Peoples, the implementation of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP),” and “SDG localization efforts should be inclusive and responsive with adequate financial and technical support through direct financing and partnerships with Indigenous Peoples.”

The 2025 VNR Synthesis Report^[9] provides a clear picture of this gap. A number of countries mentioned Indigenous Peoples in their VNR reports:

• In Guatemala, Indigenous and ancestral authorities called for the enforcement of existing laws protecting Indigenous women’s rights and for strengthened institutional support through dedicated budgets, including budget allocations for the Vice-Ministry of Interculturality within the Ministry of Culture and Sports.
• In Malaysia, Comprehensive Special Model Schools are integrating primary and secondary education into a single institution to reduce dropout rates in remote and Indigenous communities.
• Suriname's SURGE programme aims to strengthen micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), with a focus on women and Indigenous and Tribal Peoples.
• Several countries noted collaboration with academia and the scientific community for SDG implementation and additional sectors and stakeholder groups highlighted persons with disabilities, Indigenous Peoples (Bangladesh, Finland, Guatemala, and Suriname), traditional leaders, and actors in rural areas in the VNRs.

At the regional level, the Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD) should have been a critical space in which to ensure the visibility of Indigenous Peoples, particularly since many VNR countries in 2025 came from the Asia-Pacific region. Asia is home to one-third of the world’s Indigenous Peoples, yet Indigenous Peoples often encounter barriers that prevent them from fully engaging in the APFSD and related SDG processes at the country level. These barriers include: limited opportunities, where Indigenous organizations struggle to gain recognition as official participants; a lack of financial resources, which restricts their ability to travel and attend meetings; and language barriers, as many sessions are conducted in English without adequate interpretation for Indigenous languages. Furthermore, state-centric reporting frameworks often exclude Indigenous perspectives, meaning that even when Indigenous Peoples are present, their contributions are sidelined in official reports. While countries may mention Indigenous Peoples in their VNRs, these references are often superficial, failing to reflect the actual challenges Indigenous Peoples face, such as land dispossession, environmental degradation, and human rights violations. Indigenous Peoples have repeatedly pointed out that their lived experiences are not adequately represented in official UN documents, creating a gap between rhetoric and reality, hence the call for more support not only for the localization of the SDGs but also the SDG reporting process.

At the international level, similar challenges persist at the HLPF. Indigenous Peoples have consistently raised concerns about shrinking civic spaces. Discrimination and marginalization also play a role, as Indigenous Peoples are frequently treated as “stakeholders” rather than rights-holders, undermining their ability to assert their collective rights under the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). In addition, challenging visa processing and funding constraints remain a major obstacle, with Indigenous Peoples often lacking direct access to financial support for participation. This was highlighted in discussions at the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, where Indigenous Peoples stressed the need for direct funding mechanisms to enable their full and effective engagement in climate, biodiversity, and SDG processes.

Engagement of the IPMG in the Second World Social Summit for Development

The Second World Summit for Social Development (WSSD2) was held in Doha, Qatar, from 4-6 November 2025. This summit revisited commitments made during the first historic summit in Copenhagen in 1995, focusing on poverty eradication, social integration, and decent work. The outcome document, the Doha Political Declaration,^[10] reaffirmed global pledges to advance social justice and equality.

Indigenous Peoples were explicitly mentioned in the Declaration, which stated:

“Creating inclusive societies that enable full, equal and meaningful participation as well as leadership opportunities for all, including but not limited to, women, youth, older persons, persons with disabilities, persons living with rare diseases and people living with HIV/AIDS, Indigenous Peoples, people of African descent, people living in poverty and in rural and remote areas, as well as people in vulnerable situations, fostering social connection and reduce loneliness and isolation, and integrating their needs and perspectives into social and economic policy frameworks.”

Another section emphasized:

“Recognizing and supporting Indigenous Peoples in their pursuit of economic and social development, with full respect for their identity, traditions, forms of social organization and cultural values and the right to participate in decision-making in matters which would affect their rights in accordance with their procedures.”

While these references were welcomed, Indigenous Peoples noted that the pledges lacked clear mechanisms for implementation. Governments have committed to strengthening civic participation and addressing inequalities but Indigenous representatives stressed that, without concrete measures, these commitments risk remaining purely rhetorical.

IPMG at the UN Oceans Conference

The Third UN Oceans Conference (UNOC3) was held in Nice, France, from 9-13 June 2025, focusing on SDG 14 - Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development. IPMG mobilized Indigenous Peoples’ participation in this conference, including from North America and two Indigenous youths from Asia and the Caribbean.

The outcome document,^[11] “Our ocean, our future: united for urgent action” stressed the urgency of ocean protection and the need for global cooperation.

Indigenous Peoples were referenced many times in the document:

• Paragraph 3: “We must act with urgency to face this challenge with bold, ambitious, just and transformative action, and ensure that all people, including women and girls, persons with disabilities, youth, people in vulnerable situations, Indigenous Peoples and local communities, are fully and meaningfully empowered and included in ocean-related decision-making as appropriate.”
• Paragraph 10: “...recognize and respect the integral role and rights of Indigenous Peoples, as established in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, as established in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and local communities, including over their Indigenous and traditional territories where applicable, in line with section C of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.”
• Paragraph 30: “Ocean action must be based on the best available science and knowledge, including, where available, traditional knowledge, knowledge of Indigenous Peoples and local knowledge systems, while recognizing and respecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples, as established in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and local communities, in conserving, restoring and sustainably using the ocean, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.”
• Paragraph 30.a: “Affirm the value of strengthening sharing of knowledge and expertise, including, where there is free, prior and informed consent, the knowledges, innovations, practices and technologies of Indigenous Peoples and local communities, traditional knowledge and local knowledge systems.”
• Paragraph 31.f: “Underline the need to support coastal communities, in particular small scale and artisanal fisheries and sustainable aquaculture producers, women and girls, youth, Indigenous Peoples and local communities, in developing and implementing locally driven adaptation measures, and stress the importance of enhancing their capacity to effectively engage, advocate and manage marine resources in a sustainable manner.”

However, Indigenous representatives noted that while references to Indigenous Peoples’ knowledge were frequent, the conference lacked strong human rights language. The reality on the ground is that Indigenous Peoples continue to face exclusion from decision-making processes and resource allocation. Indigenous Peoples called for references to be matched with policy action, stressing that recognition must go hand in hand with implementation.

Recognition of Indigenous Peoples’ own initiatives in data sovereignty

In several global discussions on data and data sovereignty, the IPMG has consistently advanced the generation, management, use, and control of data, particularly those pertaining to Indigenous Peoples, their communities, and their territories. Indigenous Peoples have long been implementing their own data-gathering initiatives not merely for information gathering but as a means to counter colonial narratives and historical misinformation. These initiatives, such as the Indigenous Navigator,^[12] are essential for the substantive recognition of their collective rights and contributions to society. Too often, data on land and natural resources within Indigenous territories are treated solely as economic goods, disregarding the communities who sustain and protect them for cultural, spiritual, and ecological reasons.

Indigenous-led monitoring of the SDGs has emerged as a direct response to extractive data practices that marginalize Indigenous voices. By generating their own data, Indigenous Peoples can ensure that monitoring frameworks and results reflect their lived realities, priorities, and aspirations. This approach challenges the dominant tendency to reduce Indigenous territories to commodities, instead affirming their role as custodians of biodiversity, climate resilience, and cultural heritage.

The IPMG, working in solidarity with the Major Groups and Other Stakeholders (MGOS) and wider civil society organizations, has called for the recognition of community-generated data as a legitimate and essential component of global monitoring frameworks. Indigenous Peoples assert their right to data sovereignty and governance, emphasizing that Indigenous data are not foreign concepts but are deeply embedded in cultural practices, governance systems, and traditional knowledge. These efforts highlight that Indigenous Peoples’ control over their own data is fundamental to ensuring accountability in the SDGs.

Indigenous-led data initiatives demonstrate that sovereignty over information is inseparable from sovereignty over land, resources, and identity. By resisting extractive data practices and advancing community-driven monitoring, Indigenous Peoples are not only safeguarding their rights but also contributing to more accurate, inclusive, and just global development processes. Recognition of these initiatives is therefore critical, as it ensures that Indigenous Peoples are not passive subjects of data collection but active agents shaping the narratives and policies that affect their lives.

​​The UN Collaborative on Citizen Data^[13] and the adoption of the Copenhagen Framework are a step in the right direction in the recognition of data generated by Indigenous Peoples but it is more important that states have the political will to implement the UNDRIP and put in place mechanisms whereby Indigenous Peoples can effectively contribute their own data and contributions to sustainable development.

High-Level Political Forum 2026

Looking ahead, the HLPF 2026 will be held from 6-15 July in New York with full appreciation for the integrated, indivisible, and interlinked nature of the SDGs. It will conduct in-depth reviews of:

• SDG 6 - Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
• SDG 7 - Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.
• SDG 9 - Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation.
• SDG 11 - Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.
• SDG 17 - Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development.

Thirty-six countries will present their VNRs: Albania, Algeria, Bahrain, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Estonia, Gabon, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Italy, Jamaica, Jordan, Kiribati, Liberia, Malawi, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Mozambique, Norway, Republic of Moldova, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Somalia, Switzerland, Togo, Tonga, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, United Republic of Tanzania, and Uruguay.

Despite political and resource challenges, the IPMG will continue to ensure that sustainable development is anchored in human rights and that Indigenous Peoples are able to advance a truly just and sustainable development aligned with their development aspirations.

Jimrex 'Mitch' Teofilo Calatan is an Ibaloi youth from the province of Benguet located in the northern Philippines. She works with the Indigenous Peoples’ International Centre for Policy Research and Education (Tebtebba) and is passionate about communications and advocacy-related sustainable development and human rights.

This article is part of the 40^th edition of The Indigenous World, a yearly overview produced by IWGIA that serves to document and report on the developments Indigenous Peoples have experienced. Find The Indigenous World 2026 in full here

Notes and references

^[1] United Nations. “United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples”. 2007. https://www.un.org/development/desa/indigenouspeoples/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2018/11/UNDRIP_E_web.pdf

^[2] See: Indigenous Peoples Major Group for Sustainable Development (IPMG), https://indigenouspeoples-sdg.org/index.php/english/

^[3] See: TEBTEBBA, https://www.tebtebba.org/index.php/about/who-we-are

^[4] See: International Indian Treaty Council (IITC), https://www.iitc.org/

^[5] See: UNDESA, https://www.un.org/en/desa

^[6] United Nations. (2025). High-Level Political Forum 2025. Available at: https://hlpf.un.org/2025

^[7] United Nations. (2025). 2025 Voluntary National Reviews. Available at: https://hlpf.un.org/2025/vnrs

^[8] Indigenous Peoples Major Group for Sustainable Development. (2025). IPMG Statements and Intervention Documents. Available at: https://indigenouspeoples-sdg.org/index.php/english/all-resources/ipmg-position-papers-and-publications/ipmg-statements-and-interventions

^[9] High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development. (2025). 2025 Voluntary National Reviews Synthesis Report. Available at: https://hlpf.un.org/sites/default/files/2025-10/2025-VNR-Synthesis-Report_final.pdf

^[10] United Nations. (2025). Doha Political Declaration of the “World Social Summit” under the title “the Second World Summit for Social Development. Available at: https://social.desa.un.org/sites/default/files/documents/2025/Doha-Political-Declaration-5Sep2025_0.pdf

^[11] United Nations. (2025). UN DOC: A/CONF.230/2025/L.1: Draft Resolution Submitted by the President of the Conference (Costa Rica and France): Our Ocean, our future: United for urgent action. Available at: https://docs.un.org/en/A/CONF.230/2025/L.1

^[12] Indigenous Navigator. (N.d.). What is the Indigenous Navigator? Available at: https://indigenousnavigator.org/what-is-the-indigenous-navigator

^[13] United Nations. (2025). Citizen Data. Available at: https://unstats.un.org/UNSDWebsite/citizen-data/

Tags: Global governance