– Sukhai tells conference
Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai, has called on the member countries of the Group of Latin American and Caribbean States (GRULAC) to renew their commitments to protect the rights of Indigenous Peoples, noting that although progress has been made globally in advancing the rights of Indigenous Peoples, many challenges remain.
According to a release on Wednesday from the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, the Minister made the statement as part of her address at the high-level event to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the outcome document of the high-level plenary meeting of the General Assembly known as the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples in New York.
In her speech which was made on behalf of GRULAC, Sukhai stated that there are currently over 45 million people in Latin America and the Caribbean who identify as Indigenous Peoples, more than 826 distinct Indigenous Peoples. As such, the region’s roots are deeply indigenous as it is a large part of the region’s identity.