WHO Slows Pace On Indigenous Health Strategy To Ensure ‘Meaningful’ Consent

The World Health Organization (WHO) has delayed the final consideration of a Global Plan of Action to advance the health of indigenous peoples globally, with the Executive Board voting to postpone the plan’s final review until May 2027.

Prioritizing Legitimacy Over Speed

The draft strategy aims to address health inequities faced by indigenous communities, focusing on access to services, recognition of traditional knowledge, and climate resilience. The decision to extend the deadline by a year reflects a consensus among member states to prioritize the legitimacy of the process over speed, ensuring the “free, prior and informed consent” of the populations the policy addresses.

“Strengthening consultation mechanisms that are tailored to cultural and linguistic realities remains vital to guarantee effective participation,” stated the delegate for the Central African Republic, speaking on behalf of the 47 Member States of the African Region.

Bridging ‘Digital Barriers’ to Enable Real Inclusion

Delegates supporting the delay argued that a program built on limited engagement would be ineffective. Brazil reinforced the African Group’s stance, warning against the exclusion inherent in modern diplomatic processes, and expressed concern regarding the “limitations of consultations conducted exclusively online,” citing potential digital divides.

Non-state actors also urged the Board to use the additional time to bridge the gap between western medicine and traditional practices. Médecins sans Frontières (MSF) welcomed the proposal but stressed the delay must be used to centre “social participation and meaningful leadership,” calling for a plan that respects “traditional medicines and knowledge encouraging dialogue with traditional healers.”

Indonesia Rejects Fixed ‘Indigenous’ Label

While the delay was driven by a desire for inclusion, the session also revealed political disagreements regarding the definition of ‘indigenous’ communities. Indonesia challenged the applicability of the term within its national context, stating the concept does not fit their demographic reality as a multicultural nation with over 1,300 ethnic groups.

Indonesia voted in favour of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) in 2007, but with a formal explanation limiting its application within its borders. The Indonesian delegate underscored their position, stating, “There is no one fixed definition of indigenous people and that concept is not applicable in our national context.”

This statement has political implications, as conflicts between land claims by local communities and massive deforestation by the palm oil industry have intensified. Communities across Africa and Latin America’s Amazonia region also face health challenges due to incursions by the oil and gas industry, resulting in loss of food sources, biodiversity, contamination of waterways, and gas flaring.

The debate reflects the complexities the WHO Secretariat faces in drafting a global strategy that protects vulnerable communities facing challenges from economic interests and political constituencies.

Image Credits: Felix Sassmannshausen.