Indigenous activists call for global recognition of anti-colonial movements at UN forum

Indigenous rights activists from across the globe gathered at the United Nations headquarters to demand stronger international support for decolonization and anti-colonial independence movements.

Human rights defenders and indigenous activists from the Pacific to the Caribbean united at the United Nations on Tuesday to amplify their calls for decolonization and self-determination.

The forum, titled “Decolonization: Silent Revolution,” was organized by the Baku Initiative Group, an international NGO focused on empowering indigenous movements worldwide. It served as a platform for activists to share experiences, strategize, and build solidarity across continents.

“We must decolonize education and teach our children who they really are,” said Bonair activist Phenice Frans-Piar. “We must reclaim our identity with pride and purpose.”

Participants emphasized that the legacies of colonialism continue to affect indigenous communities through economic marginalization, political disenfranchisement, and cultural erasure.

Viro Xulue, a Kanak indigenous rights activist from New Caledonia, attended the forum to draw attention to his people’s struggle for independence from French colonial rule. “We are not seeking permission—we are asserting our rights,” he said, underscoring the urgency of international recognition for ongoing independence efforts.

Activists called on the UN and the broader international community to take concrete steps toward supporting indigenous sovereignty, especially in regions still under foreign administration or lacking formal independence.

The event marks a growing momentum within global civil society to reframe indigenous rights as central to international human rights and geopolitical discourse.

Copied