Panel
From Protection to Power: Strengthening Indigenous governance and community-led remedy in Asia
ORGANIZED BY
Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact, Land is Life, Indigenous Peoples Human Rights Defenders Network in Asia, Network of Indigenous Women in Asia, PACOS Trust, Kapaeeng Foundation, Lawyers' Association for Human Rights of Nepalese Indigenous Peoples and Perhimpunan Pembela Masyarakat Adat Nusantara
14-Sep
13:15-14:15
Conference Room 1
In Asia, the expansion of extractive industries, large-scale infrastructure, and "green energy" projects frequently occurs on Indigenous Peoples territories without proper procedural rights of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC). While international frameworks like the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) and United Nations Declaration on the rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) exist, a "protection gap" remains where corporate commitments do not translate into grassroots reality. This event focuses on how Indigenous-led data systems and community protocols serve as the core for resilience. By asserting their own governance structures, Indigenous Peoples move from being "vulnerable subjects" to active rights-holders who define what "remedy" and "resilience" look like.
Overview
In Asia, the expansion of extractive industries, large-scale infrastructure, and "green energy" projects frequently occur on Indigenous Peoples territories without proper procedural rights of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC). While international frameworks like the UNGPs and UNDRIP exist, a "protection gap" remains where corporate commitments do not translate into grassroots reality.
This event focuses on how Indigenous-led data systems and community protocols serve as the core for resilience. By asserting their own governance structures, Indigenous Peoples move from being "vulnerable subjects" to active rights-holders who define what "remedy" and "resilience" look like.
Why it matters
Indigenous Peoples’ lived experiences and ground realities related to Business and Human Rights (BHR) are effectively reflected in policy discussions.
Policy influences and legal harmonization by Strengthened Human Rights Due Diligence (HRDD) Frameworks.
Indigenous Peoples Human Rights Defenders protection and security.
Capacity and movement building, with the cross regional solidarity and empowering the participation of Indigenous Women and Youths.
Key questions
How can legal remedy system work and how important the rights to Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) process and in connection with the UNGP?
Is the IPHRD mechanisms works in your respectives countries? and how Indigenous Community Protocols play an important role in strengthening the Indigenous governance system within the community?
What would be the significant for 20th Anniversary of UNDRIP and FPIC?
Is there any significant impact to Indigenous Women due to Business conduct operation? How the General Recommendation 39 (GR39) CEDAW advancing rights and building the resilience of Indigenous Communities particularly to the rights of Indigenous Women?
How the National Plan of Actions (NAP) and Human Rights Due Diligence (HRDD) framework and regulations aligning to the rights of Indigenous Peoples and ensuring effective remedy to the affected Indigenous Communities?
Who should attend?
Human rights defenders
Legal experts
Private sectors representatives
Government agencies
National Human Rights Institutions
Civil society organizations
Regional human rights bodies
What participants will gain
Identify Structural Barriers: Highlight the specific risks faced by Indigenous Peoples Human Rights Defenders (IPHRDs) in Asia, including criminalization and the shrinking of civic space by corporate-state alliances.
Showcase Indigenous Peoples Solutions: Present community-led monitoring tools, Indigenous Community Protocols and remedy system as practical mechanisms for advancing rights.
Strengthen Accountability: Facilitate a dialogue on the implementation of General Recommendation No. 39 (CEDAW) and their role in protecting Indigenous Peoples and women human rights defenders in business contexts.
Additional resources
https://aippnet.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/CEDAW-General-Recommendation-No.-39-October-2024.pdf