Australia in collaboration with Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP), International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs, FAO Indigenous Peoples Unit, OHCHR Regional Office for South-East Asia (TBC)

The side event will focus of SDG 16 as this is key to undoing systemic barriers and for creating transformative pathways to promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development. The current pandemic exposes the systemic barriers and the indifference of the governments towards the most vulnerable groups, including the indigenous peoples. What is note worthy is how Indigenous communities self-organized themselves in response to the pandemic. These instances of community responses across make it evident that devolution and community empowerment can be far more effective in dealing with the crisis, if resources and support are provided to self-governing local-institutions.