UN Indigenous Peoples Fund 2027: Financial Support for Indigenous Representatives to Attend UN Meetings in New York and Geneva

The United Nations Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Peoples is inviting applications from Indigenous individuals and representatives of Indigenous Peoples’ organizations to participate in two important United Nations human rights processes in 2027: the 26th session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) and the 20th session of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP).

This opportunity is intended to help Indigenous representatives participate directly in international discussions, strengthen advocacy for their communities, engage with United Nations human rights mechanisms and contribute to efforts to promote and protect the rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Selected applicants will receive travel arrangements and a stipend to cover travel, accommodation and related expenses, in accordance with United Nations rules and procedures. The support is intended for representatives who are actively engaged in Indigenous Peoples’ rights advocacy but require financial assistance to participate in these international meetings.

The UNPFII session will take place in New York, United States, from 10 to 21 May 2027, while the EMRIP session will take place in Geneva, Switzerland, from 12 to 16 July 2027.

The application deadline for this opportunity is 8 November 2026 at 23:59 Geneva time. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered, and applications submitted by email will not be accepted.

About the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Peoples

The United Nations Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Peoples supports the participation of Indigenous representatives in relevant United Nations meetings and processes. Its purpose is to help ensure that Indigenous Peoples can contribute their perspectives and experiences to international discussions concerning their rights.

Participation in international human rights forums can provide Indigenous representatives with an opportunity to raise issues affecting their communities, exchange experiences with other Indigenous advocates, engage with international institutions and contribute to policy discussions.

However, attending these meetings can involve significant costs, including international transportation, accommodation and other travel-related expenses. Financial limitations can prevent otherwise qualified representatives from participating.

This call for applications seeks to address that barrier by providing selected Indigenous representatives with travel arrangements and a stipend for eligible expenses, subject to UN rules and procedures.

The opportunity is particularly relevant to individuals who are already involved in promoting and protecting Indigenous Peoples’ rights and can explain how their participation in a specific UN process would benefit their community or organization.

Two United Nations Meetings Covered by the Opportunity

Applicants are invited to seek support to attend one of the two specified international meetings. Each meeting has a different focus and schedule.

1. 26th Session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII)

Dates: 10–21 May 2027

Location: New York, United States of America

The UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues is a United Nations platform concerned with Indigenous Peoples’ issues. The 26th session provides an opportunity for Indigenous representatives to participate in discussions relating to the rights and concerns of Indigenous communities.

For representatives working on Indigenous rights, participation can support advocacy, engagement with international stakeholders and efforts to bring community priorities into broader policy discussions.

Applicants interested in attending this session should be prepared to explain their engagement with the UNPFII process and how participation could contribute to advocacy on behalf of the community or organization they represent.

Further information about the session is available through the UN’s Division for Inclusive Social Development:

https://social.desa.un.org/issues/indigenous-peoples/unpfii/26th-session

2. 20th Session of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP)

Dates: 12–16 July 2027

Location: Geneva, Switzerland

The Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is a United Nations human rights mechanism focused on Indigenous Peoples’ rights.

The 20th session provides a further opportunity for Indigenous representatives to participate in international human rights discussions and strengthen engagement with the mechanisms concerned with their rights.

Applicants interested in this session should demonstrate how their work relates to Indigenous Peoples’ human rights and how attending the meeting could strengthen their advocacy, engagement with UN mechanisms or influence on relevant policies.

Further information is available on the official website of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples:

https://www.ohchr.org/en/hrc-subsidiaries/expert-mechanism-on-indigenous-peoples

Who Can Apply for the UN Indigenous Peoples Fund 2027?

Applications are open to Indigenous individuals and representatives of Indigenous Peoples’ organizations who meet the requirements established by the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Peoples.

Applicants should meet the following conditions:

• Be actively engaged in promoting and protecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples.
• Demonstrate how participation in the selected UN meeting would contribute to advocacy on behalf of their community or organization.
• Require financial support to cover travel, accommodation and related expenses associated with attending the meeting.

The opportunity is intended for people who can demonstrate a clear connection between their work, the Indigenous community or organization they represent, and the purpose of the UN process they wish to attend.

It is therefore important for applicants to explain not only their personal interest in attending but also the value their participation could bring to the community or organization they represent.

Applicants with disabilities and Indigenous 2SLGBTQ+ people

The call specifically states that applications from Indigenous persons with disabilities and Indigenous 2SLGBTQ+ persons are particularly encouraged.

This encouragement recognizes the importance of including Indigenous people with diverse experiences and perspectives in international advocacy and human rights discussions.

Applicants in these groups must still submit the required application and supporting documents and demonstrate how their participation would contribute to Indigenous Peoples’ rights advocacy.

Selection Criteria: How Applications Will Be Assessed

The United Nations identifies five criteria for assessing applications. Applicants should address these areas carefully when preparing their submissions.

1. Representation

Priority will be given to Indigenous representatives who have a clear mandate from their communities or organizations.

Applicants should explain whom they represent and how their proposed participation relates to the priorities, concerns or advocacy efforts of that community or organization.

A clear connection between the applicant and the people or organization they represent is therefore important.

2. Relevance

Applicants should demonstrate engagement with human rights issues affecting Indigenous Peoples, including engagement with the specific UN human rights mechanism they intend to attend.

For example, applicants should explain how their work relates to the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues or the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, depending on the meeting selected.

The application should make the relevance of the proposed participation clear.

3. Potential Impact

The selection process will consider the potential for an applicant’s participation to strengthen:

• Advocacy on Indigenous Peoples’ rights.
• Engagement with United Nations mechanisms.
• Policy influence at national, regional or international levels.

Applicants should explain how attending the meeting could support their ongoing work and benefit the community or organization they represent.

It may be useful to describe the issues they are working on, the advocacy activities they undertake and how participation could contribute to their future efforts.

4. Previous Engagement and Preparedness

Applicants are encouraged to demonstrate previous engagement with advocacy processes, consultations, caucuses, submissions or community initiatives related to the selected UN process.

This criterion emphasizes the importance of preparation and meaningful participation.

Applicants should describe relevant activities they have undertaken and explain how their experience has prepared them to contribute to the meeting.

Previous engagement may help demonstrate that the applicant understands the process and has a clear purpose for attending.

5. Financial Need

The Fund will consider applicants’ financial need and the absence of alternative funding sources.

Applicants should therefore be able to explain why financial assistance is necessary for their participation.

This is particularly important because the opportunity is designed to support representatives who require assistance with travel, accommodation and related expenses to attend the specified UN meetings.

What Financial Support Will Selected Applicants Receive?

The United Nations Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Peoples will provide selected representatives with travel arrangements and a stipend to cover travel, accommodation and related expenses, in accordance with United Nations rules and procedures.

This support is intended to help selected applicants participate in the relevant meeting without having to bear all the associated costs themselves.

The published call does not specify a fixed cash grant amount or a universal monetary stipend. Applicants should therefore not assume that a particular sum will be paid directly to every selected participant.

Instead, the support will be arranged according to the applicable United Nations procedures.

The opportunity should be understood as financial and logistical support for participation in the specified UN processes, rather than an unrestricted grant or a general-purpose scholarship.

Required Documents for the Application

Applicants must complete the official application form and upload the required supporting documents.

The call specifies three documents:

1. A Recent Curriculum Vitae

Applicants must provide an up-to-date CV outlining their relevant experience.

The CV should help establish their professional, community or advocacy involvement in the promotion and protection of Indigenous Peoples’ rights.

2. A Copy of the Applicant’s Passport

A passport copy is required as part of the application.

Applicants should ensure that the document they upload is legible and that the information is clearly visible.

3. A Letter of Recommendation

Applicants must submit a letter of recommendation from the Indigenous organization, community, non-governmental institution or nonprofit organization they represent.

The UN states that there is no official or prescribed template for this letter. Applicants may use a format of their choice.

Nevertheless, applicants should ensure that the letter clearly supports their connection to the relevant community or organization and is appropriate for the purpose of the application.

Because representation is one of the selection criteria, this supporting document is particularly important.

How to Apply for the UN Indigenous Peoples Fund 2027

Interested applicants must submit their applications through the official online application form.

Applications can be completed in the following languages:

• English: https://survey.ohchr.org/956359?lang=en
• Spanish: https://survey.ohchr.org/342518?lang=es
• French: https://survey.ohchr.org/956359?lang=fr

Applicants should select the appropriate language version, complete the form and upload all required documents.

Step-by-step application process

1. Choose the relevant UN meeting. Determine whether you are applying to attend the 26th session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in New York or the 20th session of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in Geneva.
2. Review the eligibility and selection criteria. Make sure your work involves promoting or protecting Indigenous Peoples’ rights and that you can explain the relevance of your participation.
3. Prepare your CV. Highlight relevant advocacy, community engagement, human rights work and previous participation in related processes where applicable.
4. Obtain a letter of recommendation. Request the letter from the Indigenous community or organization, NGO or nonprofit institution you represent. Remember that the UN does not prescribe a specific format.
5. Prepare your passport copy. Ensure the document is readable before uploading it.
6. Complete the online application form. Use the official form in English, Spanish or French.
7. Explain the expected impact of your participation. Clearly describe how attending the selected meeting would strengthen advocacy, representation or engagement with UN mechanisms.
8. Submit the complete application before the deadline. Late and incomplete applications will not be considered.

Important: Applications submitted by email will not be accepted. Applicants must use the official online application process.

Click HERE to learn more

Application Deadline: 8 November 2026

The deadline for the UN Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Peoples call for applications is:

8 November 2026 at 23:59 Geneva time.

The UN explicitly states that late or incomplete applications will not be considered.

Applicants should plan ahead to prepare their CV, passport copy and recommendation letter, and to complete the online form well before the deadline.

The Secretariat also notes that, because it receives a high volume of applications and correspondence, it will not be able to respond to individual enquiries about application outcomes. Only selected candidates will be contacted in due course.

Applicants should therefore ensure that their submissions are complete and follow the official instructions rather than relying on individual email correspondence for confirmation of their status.

Contact Information

For additional information about the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Peoples, applicants may contact:

Email: ohchr-indigenousfunds@un.org

The official programme website is:

https://www.ohchr.org/en/about-us/funding-budget/indigenous-peoples-fund

Applicants should use the official website and application form to confirm the requirements and relevant information before submitting their applications.

Conclusion

The UN Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Peoples 2027 call for applications offers Indigenous representatives an opportunity to receive financial and logistical support to participate in two significant United Nations processes: the 26th session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in New York and the 20th session of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in Geneva.

The opportunity is intended for Indigenous individuals and representatives of Indigenous Peoples’ organizations who are actively engaged in human rights advocacy, can demonstrate the potential impact of their participation and require financial support to attend.

Applicants will be assessed on representation, relevance, potential impact, previous engagement and preparedness, and financial need. Selected representatives will receive travel arrangements and a stipend for travel, accommodation and related expenses in accordance with UN rules and procedures.

To apply, candidates must complete the official online application form and upload a recent CV, a passport copy and a letter of recommendation from the community or organization they represent.

The application deadline is 8 November 2026 at 23:59 Geneva time. Since late or incomplete applications will not be considered, eligible Indigenous representatives should prepare their documents early and submit their applications through the official portal before the deadline.

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