World Health Assembly approves draft resolution on health action plan for indigenous people

Subject : International Relations

Section: International Organisation

Context:

Member states of the World Health Organization accepted a draft resolution that proposed developing a Global Plan of Action for the Health of Indigenous People during the World Health Assembly hosted on May 29, 2023.

Details:

The plan will be up for consideration at the 79th World Health Assembly in 2026.
The draft resolution was proposed by Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, the European Union and its Member States, Guatemala, Mexico, New Zealand, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, the United States of America and Vanuatu.
The resolution noted that the indigenous peoples are disproportionately subject to poverty, poor housing, cultural barriers, violence, including gender-based violence, racism, experiencing disability, pollution and lack of access to education, economic opportunities, social protection, water, and sanitation, as well as appropriate resilience planning for climate change and natural and other emergencies.
WHO’s 194 member states were urged to develop a collection of ethical data to identify specific requirements of indigenous people and fill in the gaps.
They were also urged to have an intersectional approach to their politics that overcomes geographical barriers, digital connectivity, information availability, remoteness and disability.
Another approach proposed was to use evidence-based traditional medicine, along with medical services offered at the primary healthcare level, which also includes mental health and wellness services.

Status of Indigenous people around the world:

The world presently has 476 million indigenous people across the world in about 90 countries.
They speak 7,000 languages and come from 500 different cultures.
They are marginalised individuals without access to basic infrastructure and oftentimes cannot claim titles over their land and surrounding natural resources.
The life expectancy of indigenous people is 20 years lower than that of an average person.

United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

The United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues or Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples Platform (LCIPP) is an open and inclusive space under the UNFCCC secretariat and brings together people and their knowledge systems to build a climate-resilient world for all.
The forum was established in 2000 and provides advice and recommendations on indigenous issues to the Economic and Social Council.
Purpose of the platform:
- The platform has been established to strengthen the knowledge, technologies, practices, and efforts of local communities and indigenous peoples related to addressing and responding to climate change, to facilitate the exchange of experience and the sharing of best practices and lessons learned on mitigation and adaptation in a holistic and integrated manner and to enhance the engagement of local communities and indigenous peoples in the UNFCCC process.