2025 Statement to the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

The Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung—New York Office, together with MADRE, welcomed a delegation of Indigenous women leaders from across Africa to participate at the 24th session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues at the UN Headquarters in New York.

The group wrote a statement to the Permanent Forum, that addresses the unique contexts of their countries, notably the war in Sudan, as well as the common fights they face, such as land rights and full recognition of their indigeneity.

The full statement can be downloaded here or read it below:

Thank you, Madam Chair. This statement is presented by a delegation of Indigenous Women from Kenya, Sudan, and Tanzania.

We highlight the following pressing situations concerning our respective Peoples:

In Tanzania, Indigenous Peoples have been violently displaced from their ancestral lands. In Loliondo, conflicts over Maasai land escalated in 2022, with authorities using armed force and abusive tactics. Many lost livestock or were forced to repurchase their animals. In Ngorongoro, Indigenous Peoples were forced to resettle into individual homes by depriving them of access to healthcare and education on their Indigenous lands. Forced displacement has increased poverty, forcing men and youth to migrate to cities for work. This disrupts Indigenous Peoples, eroding traditions and unity, while making women and girls more vulnerable to violence.
In Kenya, the Ogiek People rely on their ancestral lands for survival, identity, and culture. Despite a 2017 African Court on Human and Peoples Rights ruling, evictions from the Mau Forest continued, devastating the community and destroying homes and cultural and ecological ties. The state’s failure to enforce the ruling reflects a trend of sidelining Indigenous rights in favor of market-driven climate agendas. Under the guise of conservation and through opaque carbon market projects, Indigenous lands are commodified without consent or safeguards. Recent climate laws, passed without proper consultation, further marginalize Indigenous Peoples. In Transmara, Samburu, and Pokot, land-related conflicts and climate stress have led to displacement, violence—including sexual violence—and poverty. Additionally, there is an overall staggering surge in gender-based violence, especially femicide, which urgently requires international attention and accountability.
In Sudan, the war has displaced more than 11 million people, devastating Indigenous Peoples’ homes, livelihoods, and ties to the land. It has destroyed infrastructure, forcing people to flee due to violence and a lack of basic services. Indigenous lands face unregulated resource extraction. Indigenous farmers cannot plant, leading to food insecurity and famine. Livestock are frequently killed in the conflict, but also die due to a lack of water. Sudanese women, and Indigenous women in particular, are subject to rampant sexual violence, abductions, imprisonment, and exploitation. The international community has provided minimal financial and diplomatic support to address what is currently the worst humanitarian crisis in the world.
Tanzania and Sudan do not officially recognize Indigenous Peoples as a distinct category of rights-holders, intentionally depriving them of international legal protections specific to their Indigenous identities.
The violent repression against Indigenous activists in all of our countries has increased dramatically, threatening our very existence and making our activism very dangerous.

We call for the following urgent actions to uphold the rights of Indigenous Peoples in Sudan, Kenya, and Tanzania:

Comply with past UNPFII recommendations, stop the widespread displacement of Indigenous Peoples and ensure legal judgments on land rights are implemented, particularly the 2017 African Court ruling on Kenya’s Ogiek evictions.
Recognize and constitutionally protect Indigenous identities and rights, especially those related to land.
End violent repression of Indigenous activists and provide redress and reparations for past abuses.
Acknowledge Indigenous Peoples as key conservation actors and prioritize their leadership and knowledge over foreign governments and organizations. Recognize them as rights-holders and collective landowners in any climate-related legislation.
Deliver inclusive, culturally sensitive social services to Indigenous pastoralist and hunter-gatherer communities and financially support Indigenous organizations.
Hold the Tanzanian government accountable to reflect Indigenous demands in the upcoming Presidential Committee report and act on them.
Pressure all parties in Sudan to end hostilities, protect Indigenous Peoples, and mobilize humanitarian support. Ensure Indigenous participation—especially women—in peace negotiations, and include them in any future constitution.
Curb illegal mining and deforestation in Sudan and Kenya by promoting Indigenous-led, sustainable land use.
Fully fund the Loss and Damage Fund to support communities already facing climate impacts.
Ratify and implement all international human rights instruments that promote and protect the rights of Indigenous Peoples and especially Indigenous women like UNDRIP, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the ILO Convention 169, and CEDAW. Ensure that multilateral organizations are obligated to implement respect for Indigenous rights.