The UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII), a high-level advisory body established in 2000, opened its 25th session at UN headquarters in New York on Monday, drawing more than 1,000 participants and focusing on healthcare access for Indigenous communities — particularly in conflict zones. UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that displacement, land loss, and cultural disruption during conflicts directly threaten Indigenous health, while forum chair Aluki Kotierk noted that Indigenous peoples face shorter life expectancies, higher rates of chronic illness, and elevated suicide rates compared to the broader population. General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock called the persistent health disparities — including life expectancies up to 20 years shorter and disproportionately high maternal mortality rates — both a moral and a development failure, warning that progress on global sustainability goals depends on addressing them.