Examining Indigenous Peoples’ Health: WHO Hosts Side Event at EMRIP

The World Health Organization (WHO) is hosting a side event at the 17th session of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP) in Geneva, Switzerland. The event will focus on the health of Indigenous Peoples and is taking place in Room XXVI, Palais des Nations.

The WHO Director-General was tasked with developing a Global Plan of Action for the Health of Indigenous Peoples after Resolution 76.16 was adopted by the 76th World Health Assembly in May 2023. To this end, WHO has been working on a global literature review on the health of Indigenous Peoples. The aim of the side event is to present the initial findings of this review and allow Indigenous Peoples to provide input and contribute to ongoing research efforts.

The analysis includes studying key health outcomes in which Indigenous Peoples face inequities, exploring social determinants of health for Indigenous Peoples, and evaluating availability, accessibility, acceptability, and quality of health services for Indigenous Peoples with a focus on cultural appropriateness. Keynote speaker Valmaine Toki, a member of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, will be joined by speakers Pauliina (Lina) Nykänen-Rettaroli, Rodrigo Paillalef, and Mariam Wallet Aboubakrine who are all involved in developing situation analysis related to Indigenous peoples’ health.

Prior to the event, a light lunch will be served at 12:45 p.m., providing participants with an opportunity to network and engage in informal discussions. The side event aims to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing to support the development of the Global Plan for Health Action for Indigenous Peoples.

In summary, WHO is hosting a side event at EMRIP where they will present initial findings from their global literature review on Indigenous peoples’ health. They aim to gather input from indigenous communities through open discussion and collaborate towards developing a comprehensive plan that addresses their unique healthcare needs.