In a bid to advance the voice and role of a range of key stakeholders in the fight against land degradation, drought and desertification, events such as the first ever dialogue for Indigenous Groups at UNCCD COP16 took place during ‘People’s Day’. It comes as the Riyadh Action Agenda intensifies engagement with non-state and state actors to mobilise action on new and existing land restoration and drought resilience initiatives.
“Five per cent of the global population are indigenous peoples, they are custodians of 20 per cent of land, which houses 80 per cent of biodiversity. So, they are the gatekeepers of biodiversity”, said Dr. Osama Faqeeha, Deputy Minister for Environment, Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, and Advisor to the UNCCD COP16 Presidency, beginning the Indigenous Peoples dialogue.
The session concluded with a landmark declaration from representatives from Indigenous Peoples around the world. Amongst other objectives, it called for the full and effective participation of Indigenous Peoples, including women and youth, in land-related processes at the local, national, regional and international levels. It also urged the international community to recognise Indigenous Peoples as a rightsholders distinct from civil society organisations, and ensure direct access to finances for Indigenous Peoples.
“For the first time ever we have gathered indigenous peoples, indigenous leaders, from the seven social cultural regions to carry a very simple message with them here”, said Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, President of the Association for Indigenous Women and Peoples of Chad. “Land is the element where everything fits together, in all our regions land is the root of all life.”
People’s Day, one of seven thematic days running throughout COP16 in Riyadh to hone discussions and outcomes, also included a youth forum called ‘Action for Land, Restoring Work for Resilient and Sustainable Futures, under the patronage of the Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Human Resources and Social Development.
The event saw the launch of the UNCCD Youth Strategy and Action Plan 2024, a roadmap for harnessing young people in the fight against land degradation. It highlights the importance of younger generations in accelerating land restoration and drought resilience. According to the UNCCD, more than one billion young people in developing countries depend on land and natural resources.
“Inclusivity must be at the core of land restoration and drought resilience”, said Dr. Faqeeha. “As an international community, it is essential we harness the knowledge, experience and expertise of those impacted by land degradation, desertification and drought.”