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21.04.2025 joint nordic statement at UNPFII24

Who Statement by the Nordic countries delivered by Erik Laursen, Deputy Permanent Representative of Denmark to the UN 
Who Statement by the Nordic countries delivered by Erik Laursen, Deputy Permanent Representative of Denmark to the UN 
When 21.04.2025

 

Check Against Delivery

 

Thank you, Chair,

I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the Nordic countries: Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and my own country, Denmark together with Greenland.

The Nordic countries welcome the opportunity to address this very important topic on the Forum’s agenda. This year we celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the promises the world made to all women and girls to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls in all their diversity. This promise was also made to indigenous women and girls. But this promise has yet to be fulfilled.

Indigenous women and girls continue to suffer from intersecting forms of discrimination: because they are women, because of poverty, and because they belong to Indigenous Peoples. Furthermore, they are subjected to extreme poverty, trafficking, illiteracy, lack of access to ancestral lands, poor or no health services and to sexual and gender-based violence in the private and the public sphere.  

Far too many indigenous women are also met with barriers that prevent them from fully, equally and meaningfully participating in global decision-making spaces. We need to dismantle these barriers and ensure that Indigenous women and girls enjoy greater representation in all relevant fora. Indigenous women are decision-makers, leaders and agents of change, not only in their communities but all around the globe. This underlines also the pertinence of following the guidance provided in CEDAW Recommendation no. 39 on the rights of Indigenous women and girls.

The Nordic countries support all efforts to enhance full, effective, equal and meaningful participation of Indigenous Peoples in UN meetings on issues affecting them. Without Indigenous women’s participation, their perspectives on important topics such as land rights, economic empowerment, and violence against Indigenous women and girls continue to be invisible. Their voice and active engagement in all spaces that affect them is crucial.

The Nordic countries will continue the fight for the human rights of all women and girls, for Indigenous Peoples’ rights and the interlinkages.

Thank you.