The Navajo Nation is advocating for the inclusion of indigenous peoples in the United Nations.
In December, Navajo President Russell Begaye and Ambassador Peterson Zah took part in a U.N. consultation in New York City to seek the right to participate in discussions on topics affecting the nation, such as water rights and natural resources. In a release, Begaye said, “We can no longer be an isolated nation within the U.S.” Other indigenous peoples are also seeking the right to take part in meetings of the General Assembly, Human Rights Council and other U.N. bodies. Zah said at present, sovereign tribal governments can only participate through non-governmental organizations, a situation the Navajo Nation views as “an affront.”
