BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 22. Special state institutions should be established to solve the problems of indigenous peoples, Director General for Relations with Civil Society Organizations at the Mexican Foreign Ministry, Mariana Posada Lombana, said at the roundtable on "Indigenous Peoples' Rights" held in Baku as part of WUF13, Trend reports.
According to her, it's impossible to talk about development without social justice. Social justice refers to government policies that ensure more equitable use of resources and aim to reduce the deep gap between the wealthy and the less wealthy segments of society.
She noted that Mexico is a multicultural country, where indigenous peoples, mestizos, and other ethnic groups live together.
"It's impossible to speak of indigenous peoples as a single and homogeneous group. They have different ethnicities, languages, places of residence, and unique traditions. Therefore, it is not possible to apply the same policies to all communities. The characteristics of each ethnic group must be taken into account," he stressed.
According to Lombana, the number of people who identify as indigenous in Mexico is about 15% of the country's population. Moreover, approximately 3.1 million people consider themselves representatives of Afro-Mexican or African communities, which is equivalent to 2.4% of the population.
She pointed out that the protection of the rights of indigenous peoples should be established at the highest level of state policy.
"The Mexican Constitution recognizes the rights of indigenous peoples and Afro-Mexican communities to autonomy, self-determination, the use of traditional legal norms, land ownership, as well as the use of natural resources," she explained.
The director-general emphasized that the creation of special state institutions to address the problems of indigenous peoples is also important. According to her, the institutions operating in this direction in Mexico are engaged in the implementation of the rights of indigenous peoples, ensuring their sustainable development and preserving their cultural identity.
Lombana added that indigenous peoples' rights should not be considered as a separate issue, but as an integral part of all government programs related to gender equality, women's rights, children, youth, the elderly, and persons with disabilities.
"Indigenous peoples should be represented in all aspects of government policies and should not be neglected in any area," she concluded.
Today marks the final day of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13).
The first day included a ministerial meeting dedicated to the New Urban Agenda, a ministerial roundtable, assemblies for women and civil society, business sessions, and discussions on urban prosperity. An official ceremony marking the raising of the UN and Azerbaijani flags also took place.
The second day stood out for the inaugural Leaders' Summit, featuring high-level discussions on the global housing crisis, urbanization policy, and urban resilience. Concurrently, the opening of the Mexico City pavilion took place, serving as a significant platform for expanding cooperation with the Latin American region and preparing for WUF14.
The third day of WUF13 featured a comprehensive program of events covering the global housing crisis, the formation of safe and inclusive cities, climate resilience, artificial intelligence and urban governance, green urbanization, social equity, and sustainable transport.
One of the highlights of the third day was the signing of a sister-city memorandum between the Azerbaijani city of Shusha and the Turkish city of Trabzon.
The fourth day of WUF13 featured a broad program of events dedicated to urbanization, climate change, inclusive urban development, housing policy, and sustainable governance.
The fifth day of WUF13 continued discussions on the global housing crisis, the creation of safe and inclusive cities, climate resilience, the use of artificial intelligence in urban management, green urbanization, and social equality.
One of the important events of the UN Special Program for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA) Cities Forum, held on the fourth day, was the announcement of Almaty’s official accession to the “Declaration of Intent on the Establishment of the SPECA Smart Climate-Resilient Cities Forum.”
Also, for the first time in WUF history and at Azerbaijan’s initiative, the “WUF13 NGO Forum: Global Partnership and Decision-Making” was held.
WUF13, which has attracted more than 40,000 registered participants from 182 countries, will continue until May 22. Held under the theme “Housing the world: Safe and resilient cities and communities,” the forum brings together governments, international organizations, experts, and representatives of civil society to strengthen global cooperation in the field of sustainable urban development.
