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Supporting Indigenous Youth Delegation to the United Nations: EMRIP 2026

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Authored by: Ryan Fleming
From July 13–17, 2026, our Indigenous youth delegation from Treaty No. 9 and Treaty No. 5 territories across northern and northwestern Ontario will travel to the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, to participate in the 19th Session of the United Nations Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP).

We will bring the perspectives, priorities, and lived realities of our Nations and communities into international discussions on Indigenous rights.
 
Our delegation includes Keira Spence, Kohen Mattinas, and Ryan Fleming.

Together, we bring experience in grassroots organizing, regional Indigenous leadership, academic research, treaty implementation, environmental stewardship, and international Indigenous advocacy. Through our respective work within our Nations, communities, and Indigenous organizations, we remain committed to advancing Indigenous rights while staying grounded in the people, lands, waters, and territories we call home

Members of our delegation have also previously participated in the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII), and EMRIP provides an opportunity to continue building those relationships while bringing the perspectives of our communities into one of the world’s leading international forums dedicated to Indigenous rights.
 
For those who may not be familiar with EMRIP, it is the expert mechanism of the United Nations Human Rights Council dedicated to the rights of Indigenous Peoples. Each year, Indigenous representatives, States, United Nations entities, experts, and civil society gather in Geneva to advance the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) through dialogue, the exchange of knowledge, and recommendations that help shape international approaches to Indigenous rights.
 
SUPPORT OUR JOURNEY

 

We recognize the responsibility that comes with participating in spaces like EMRIP. We do not attend for ourselves alone. Too often, the realities facing Indigenous communities in northern and northwestern Ontario can feel distant from the places where decisions are made. We carry with us the perspectives, lived realities, strengths, and priorities of our Nations and communities, helping ensure those experiences remain part of international conversations on Indigenous rights. 

Throughout the week, we will engage with Indigenous leaders, governments, United Nations experts, and representatives from around the world while contributing to discussions on Indigenous rights, treaty implementation, governance, self-determination, environmental stewardship, and the issues affecting our communities.

Just as importantly, we will return home with new knowledge, stronger relationships, and new perspectives that can strengthen Indigenous governance, advocacy, and leadership within our own communities. The conversations, relationships, and knowledge developed at EMRIP do not end in Geneva. They return home with us, informing future conversations on treaty implementation, Indigenous governance, and the protection of our lands and waters.

While we have each committed ourselves to this work, international advocacy comes with significant personal costs that can create barriers to participation. Like many Indigenous delegates, we are responsible for covering the costs of travelling to and staying in Geneva, and much of this work is undertaken on a volunteer basis.
 
We are asking for your support to help offset the costs of airfare, accommodations, local transportation, and meals while we are in Geneva. Your support helps remove those financial barriers, allowing us to focus on listening, learning, building relationships, and ensuring that the perspectives and lived realities of Indigenous communities from our territories are part of international discussions on Indigenous rights.
  • Donate by e-transfer to EMRIPdelegation@gmail.com
  • Donate online by credit card here
  • Unable to donate? Sharing this post is another meaningful way to support our journey
We undertake this work because we believe our treaties matter, our lands and waters matter, and our Nations and communities deserve to be heard wherever decisions affecting our future are being discussed. We are grateful for your support and look forward to bringing what we learn home, strengthening the work already happening in our territories, and sharing that knowledge with our Nations, communities, and future generations.
 
Chi-miigwech. 
 
For media wishing to arrange an interview, please contact:
 
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