Indigenous Unity: Advocates from Cambodia, Guyana and Kenya Connect

The challenges facing Indigenous Peoples around the world often go unnoticed. This article follows three Indigenous leaders who've dedicated their lives to changing that: 39-year-old Sokunthea Nun, President of the Cambodia Indigenous Youth Association, 28-year-old Rosemarie Ramitt from the Guyana Council of Organisations for Persons with Disabilities (GCOPD), and 38-year-old Kenyan advocate, Christine Kandie, who serves as the Executive Director of the Endorois Indigenous Women Empowerment Network (EIWEN).

In April of 2024, Mr. Nun, Ms. Ramitt, and Ms. Kandie were invited to address the twenty-third session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII). The theme for this year's session was Indigenous Peoples' right to self-determination and the role Indigenous young people play in furthering that goal. United by a common cause, the UNPFII gathering marked the first opportunity to bridge geographic gaps between their respective Indigenous communities and advocate for Indigenous Peoples globally. As Mr. Nun from Cambodia said, "here is limited space for us as Indigenous Peoples to share our thoughts and to speak on our issues. The chance to speak on a recognized global platform for the first time -- representing my Indigenous community and our alliance with other Indigenous communities -- was a great opportunity to share valuable experiences and perspectives."

Later, at a side event facilitated by the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) and EIWEN, all three Indigenous leaders joined together for a panel discussion. Representing Guyana, panellist Ms. Ramitt, a young Indigenous woman with a visual disability from Guyana, shared similar feelings about speaking at the United Nations. She explained, "Participating as a speaker in a side event at the UNPFII with the support of IFES provided me with an opportunity to highlight the important role of young Indigenous people with disabilities in decision-making processes."

Kenyan advocate, Ms. Kandie, an Indigenous woman with a physical disability, who serves as the Executive Director of EIWEN, added her own powerful voice to the conversation. In reflecting on this one-of-a-kind gathering of Indigenous voices, Ms. Kandie noted, "[The] inclusive work for our people with disabilities within our Indigenous communities is something that I realized is not only EIWEN, but the synergy has built up a momentum that we stand up for our constituency."