On this International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief, we remember all those who have been targeted because of their faith.
Across the world, bloodshed based on religious affiliation runs rampant. Festivals have been attacked. Places of worship desecrated. And many believers – especially among religious minorities – face hostility both online and off.
Such acts are an assault on human rights and human dignity. They must end now.
I urge governments to bring perpetrators to justice and work to counter all forms of discrimination and hate speech. I appeal to religious leaders to speak out against violence. And I call on digital technology companies to design and moderate their platforms in ways that protect users from stigma and scapegoating.
Whenever one group is persecuted, no group is safe. Today, we honour the victims of violence and commit to building societies where all faiths can live and worship in peace.
FORUM: "Healing through Memory." International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to Victims of Terrorism 2026. The General Assembly, in its resolution 72/165 (2017), proclaimed August 21st as International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism. The focus of the International Day is to honour, remember, and pay tribute to the victims of terrorism by standing in solidarity and promoting and protecting their human rights and fundamental freedoms. Selected in consultation with the Victims of Terrorism Associations Network (VoTAN), this year’s theme recognises that acts of remembrance and memorialisation are not merely about looking back, but are essential for the dignity, recognition and long-term healing of survivors. By preserving stories and fostering empathy, collective memory can strengthen social cohesion and contribute to the prevention of future violence. To achieve this, commemorations must be respectful, victim-centred, and trauma-informed, ensuring they honor survivors without causing further harm. The International Day serves both as a tribute and a call to action. It honours the courage, resilience and leadership of victims and survivors while encouraging Member States, international organizations, civil society, educators, media professionals, and technology companies to promote responsible approaches to remembrance that uphold victims' rights and contribute to healing and prevention. Follow the conversation with the hashtags: #UNiteforVictimsofTerrorism, #UNCCT, #VictimsofTerrorism, #21August, #HealingthroughMemory.
EVENT: On Friday; August 21st, 2026 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:20 a.m. EDT to mark the ninth International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism, the United Nations will host a high-level virtual event under the theme "Healing through Memory." The event will feature keynote remarks from Secretary-General António Guterres and opening remarks from the Acting Under-Secretary-General for Counter-Terrorism, Mr. Alexandre Zouev. It will also include reflections from victims and survivors of terrorism on the role of remembrance in healing and recovery, and a Global Minute of Silence to honour victims and survivors worldwide. The event will also mark the launch of a new victim-led initiative by members of the Victims of Terrorism Associations Network (VoTAN). Developed by victims and survivors worldwide, this project examines online harms experienced by victims of terrorism and presents recommendations for technology platforms to promote more victim-centred and trauma-informed digital spaces that prevent re-traumatisation. The event will be broadcast live and on-demand on UN WebTV. Stay tuned to Watch the livestream!
Agenda Programme of the High-Level Commemorative Event
21 August 2026
10.00- 11.15 am EDT (New York time) 10:00 a.m. - Welcome remarks and moderation of event
H.E. Mr. Lukman Al Faily, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Iraq to the United Nations and Co-Chair of the Group of Friends of Victims of Terrorism
10:03 a.m. - Keynote remarks
Mr. António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations 10:05 a.m. - Opening remarks
Mr. Alexandre Zouev, Acting Under-Secretary-General for Counter-Terrorism,United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT)
10:10 a.m. - Victims’ Voices - “Healing through Memory” Four victims of terrorism share reflections on remembrance, memorialization, and the role of memory in healing and recovery
Mr. Joseph Pfiefer (USA)
Ms. Saynab Warsame (Somalia)
Ms. Rachel Goldberg-Polin (Israel/USA)
Ms. Yassmine Bouzidi (Morocco)
10:25 a.m. - Global Minute of Silence 10:26 a.m. - Statement on behalf of the Group of Friends of Victims of Terrorism
H.E. Ms. Ana Jiménez de la Hoz, Deputy Permanent Representative of Spain to the United Nations and Co-Chair of the Group of Friends of Victims of Terrorism
10:30 a.m. End of High-Level Segment 10:30 a.m. Launch of "Building a Safer Internet for Victims of Terrorism”
Panel discussion on VoTAN’s recommendations for addressing online harms affecting victims and survivors of terrorism Moderator: Ms. Sian Hutchinson, Officer-in-Charge, Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism Section, UNOCT
Ms. Odette Chesnot (Victims of Terrorism Associations Network)
Ms. Maysoon Salama (Victims of Terrorism Associations Network)
Ms. Naureen Chowdhury Fink (Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism)
Ms. Emily Knowles (UNOCT/UNCCT Victims of Terrorism Programme)
11.10 a.m. - VoTAN video: “Healing Through Memory”
Featuring reflections from VoTAN members on the role of memory and remembrance in healing and recovery
11:15 a.m. Music performed by the UN Chamber Music Society
Clarinet Concerto in A Major, K. 622, II. Adagio, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Media and Communications: Victims of terrorism, victims' associations, Member States, civil society organizations and United Nations
partners are encouraged to create social media content to commemorate the International Day on their
platforms, using the hashtag #UNiteforVictimsofTerrorism. A Trello board with communications assets
will be provided by UNOCT. Communication activities will promote respectful, victim-centred, trauma-informed and responsible remembrance while highlighting the importance of preserving victims' stories
and experiences for future generations.
More information about the International Day will be available on the dedicated page on the
UNOCT website and on the main UN Observances page. For more information, please contact
Ms. Laurence Gerard, Public Information Officer, at gerardl@un.org.
Today, we pay tribute to the victims and survivors of terrorism. We honour their courage; amplify their voices; and reaffirm our commitment to their dignity and rights. This year’s theme, “Healing through Memory”, reminds us that remembrance is a pathway to recovery and renewal.
But how we remember matters. Victims’ stories must never be exploited or used to sow more hate, including on digital platforms. When we commemorate responsibly, we protect victims from further trauma and counter the harmful narratives terrorism seeks to spread.
Instead of letting terror divide us, we can and must stay united. Today and every day, let us stand in solidarity with victims and survivors. And build a future free from violence and fear.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres’.
COMMUNICATION MATERIALS: Digital assets and other campaign tools are available on the Trello board.
Partnerships: The UNOCT/UNCCT Global Victims of Terrorism Support Programme leads the organization of all commemorative activities for International Day, in collaboration with the Group of Friends of Victims of Terrorism, and in partnership with the United Nations Department of Global Communications and the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Coordination Compact Working Group on Promoting and Protecting Human Rights and the Rule of Law while Countering Terrorism and Supporting Victims of Terrorism
FORUM: "#ActforHumanity" World Humanitarian Day 2026. 2025 set another grim record for violence against aid workers, with 907 colleagues killed, injured or kidnapped, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said today on World Humanitarian Day.
While the death toll decreased slightly to 350 last year, the overall level of violence did not ease: 322 aid workers survived attacks that left them injured while 235 were kidnapped, according to Humanitarian Outcomes’ Aid Worker Security Database.
With 186 humanitarians killed, Gaza remained the deadliest context for the third year running, followed by Sudan with 71 killed.
So far in 2026, 82 aid workers have been killed, 97 injured and 39 kidnapped across the world.
“More than 1,000 aid workers have been killed in just three years and that is utterly unacceptable,” said Tom Fletcher, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator. “But just calling it out will not protect the next aid worker. States must uphold international humanitarian law and use every tool to protect civilians and our colleagues. And for those who break the rules, there must be real consequences.”
Of particular concern is the proliferation of cheap and adaptable armed drones that are putting lethal power into ever more hands and sending more explosive weapons into towns and cities.
In Sudan, armed drones caused 80 per cent of civilian deaths in the first four months of 2026, hitting markets and health facilities.
In Ukraine, drones killed 80 civilians in April this year alone, while in the Russian Federation, civilians have been killed and civilian infrastructure damaged because of drone attacks.
In Colombia, attacks using weaponized drones quadrupled between 2024 and 2025.
Humanitarians are increasingly in the crosshairs of armed drones. In March this year, an aid worker was killed in a drone strike on a residential building in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In just one week in May, four humanitarian convoys were hit in Ukraine.
"Weaponized drones have become the new face of an old danger: the deliberate or reckless destruction of civilian life,” Mr. Fletcher said. “The technology may change, but the laws of war do not.”
On World Humanitarian Day, we honour the dedicated workers who provide life-saving aid to millions in need. We also confront an appalling truth: Serving others has become more dangerous than ever. More than a thousand humanitarians have been killed in the last three years. Most were local staff supporting their own communities. Countless others narrowly survived being shot at, shelled, bombed, kidnapped, or raped. Schools and hospitals are coming under fire. And new tools of war – including armed drones – are posing fresh risks. At the same time, disinformation is eroding trust. Humanitarian funding is being cut. And humanitarian access is being restricted. We see aid convoys blocked. Aid workers threatened, arrested, and detained. And people in desperate need left without support. Attacks on humanitarian workers are illegal. And the consequences are devastating. For families struggling to survive. Children waiting for food. Patients seeking urgent care. And so many more. The world has made commitments. Now it must act: To respect the rules of war; Ensure safe access; Hold perpetrators accountable; And provide sufficient resources. Humanitarian workers stand up for people in need. We must stand up for them. We must act for humanity – now.
António Guterres.
EVENTS: On August 19th, starting at 4 p.m., the UN Geneva held a commemorative eventin the memory of those who paid the utmost sacrifice in line of duty and to honour the invaluable contribution of humanitarian workers. The event will bring together partners from across the humanitarian system to advocate for the survival, well-being and dignity of people affected by crises, and for the safety and security of aid workers. Register to participate and Watch the livestream!
Agenda Programme
World Humanitarian Day 2026 – Commemoration Ceremony. Tuesday, 19 August 2026, 4 p.m. Salle des Pas Perdus, 3rd Floor, Building A, Palais des Nations
4 P.M. OPENING OF THE EVENT
Master of ceremony: Ms. Alessandra Vellucci, Director, United Nations Information Service at Geneva
Wreath laying and candle lightning ceremony by the United Nations
Laying of flowers by the survivors and families of the victims of the attack against the United Nations Mission in Baghdad of 19 August 2003, and other UN offices
Laying of flowers by the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Iraq to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva
Remarks by Ms. Tatiana Valovaya, Director-General, United Nations Office at Geneva
Minute of silence
Remarks by Mr. Barham Salih, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Remarks by Ms. Awa Dabo, Deputy High Commissioner, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
Remarks by H.E. Mr. Saywan Barzani, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Iraq to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva
Remarks by Ms. Shawbo Taher-Al-Talabani, survivor of the 19 August 2003 terrorist attack against the United Nations Mission in Baghdad
Remarks by Ms. Laura Johnson, Executive Secretary, UNOG Staff Union
Remarks by Ms. Gemma Connell, Officer-in-Charge, Humanitarian Sector Division, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
5 P.M. CONCLUSION OF THE EVENT.
Annual observance of World Humanitarian Day at the Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland.
Lowering of the UN Flag to half mast in observance of World Humanitarian Day 2026, and in honour of humanitarian personnel who have lost their lives.
Lowering of the UN Flag to half mast in observance of World Humanitarian Day 2026, and in honour of humanitarian personnel who have lost their lives.
Led by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the 2026 campaign theme under #ActForHumanity spotlights the grave dangers aid workers face—particularly from weaponized drones—and shares the personal stories of fallen humanitarians through their families.
Lowering of the UN Flag to half mast in observance of World Humanitarian Day 2026, and in honour of humanitarian personnel who have lost their lives.
Wreath-laying by the Secretary-General, H.E. Mr. António Guterres in front of the plaque honouring those who lost their lives in Baghdad, followed by a moment of silence.
The ceremony also marks the observance of World Humanitarian Day designated by the General Assembly in 2008 to coincide with the date of the bombing in Baghdad.
The Day also honours humanitarian aid workers who have been killed or injured in the course of their work.
Confirmed attending survivors (in-person):Mr. Salim Lone, the spokesperson in Baghdad for Mr. Sérgio Vieira de Mello, the head of the UN mission in Iraq. Mr. Lone currently writes columns for a newspapers, including The New York Times, The Guardian, The Washington Post, The Sunday Nation (Kenya), and publishes on the Iraq war. More about Mr. Lone: Salim Lone - Wikipedia Mr. Francis Mead, UN and BBC Filmmaker/Writer: He was working on the day of the bomb blast in the Canal Hotel - reporting on the situation in Iraq for the IRIN news service - which was then part of the UN. He is from the UK and worked for the UN for 25 years, mostly making documentaries, before retiring in 2023. Mr. Darko Mocibob, Director, Political Affairs - Middle East Division, DPPA-DPO. Mr. Romano Lasker, Manager, Humanitarian Development Peace, Crisis Bureau, UNDP.
Other survivors and family members of the victims will also join us live on UN Web TV.View less Related Sites and Documents: Press release.
FORUM: "Different Contexts, Common Aspirations." International Youth Day 2026. Today, we recognize that while young people’s lives are shaped by different national and local realities, their aspirations are remarkably similar. Across countries and communities, young people seek dignity, opportunity, meaningful participation, decent work, quality education, and a sustainable future. This year’s theme places particular attention on young people living in Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs), and Small Island Developing States (SIDS), who often experience overlapping challenges linked to poverty, climate change, geographic isolation, limited economic opportunities, and unequal access to digital technologies. At the same time, these young people continue to demonstrate resilience, leadership, and innovation in advancing sustainable development within their communities and beyond. Although young people experience different realities depending on where they live, many of today's most pressing challenges transcend borders. Limited access to quality education, barriers to decent work, unequal digital connectivity, climate change, social exclusion, and concerns about mental well-being affect millions of young people worldwide. These challenges are often most acute in LDCs, LLDCs, and SIDS, where structural constraints—including limited fiscal space, geographic isolation, climate vulnerability, and infrastructure gaps—can reduce opportunities for youth. Yet young people in these countries are also leading innovative solutions through entrepreneurship, digital technologies, community action, climate adaptation, and social innovation. The 2026 theme emphasizes that recognizing different contexts should strengthen—not diminish—global solidarity. By investing in youth everywhere and supporting those facing the greatest barriers, the international community can help ensure that no young person is left behind.
The 2026 Sub-themes are about:
Global Solidarity: Sustainable development and youth development are shared responsibilities. This sub-theme highlights the importance of international cooperation, partnerships, and equitable access to opportunities and resources that enable young people everywhere to thrive. Shared Challenges: Young people across countries increasingly face interconnected challenges related to education, employment, climate change, digital inclusion, and mental well-being. This sub-theme encourages dialogue and collective responses informed by young people's lived experiences. Youth Innovation: Young people are developing practical and creative solutions to local and global challenges. From climate action and digital entrepreneurship to community-led initiatives and social innovation, youth continue to demonstrate leadership even in resource-constrained settings. This sub-theme celebrates their contributions while promoting opportunities for collaboration and knowledge sharing.
On this occasion, we celebrate also the young people around the world who are turning ideas into action, building businesses, creating opportunities and driving change in their communities. Through our global youth entrepreneurship community, we are proud to connect and support young entrepreneurs on their journeys. With The hashtags #InternationalYouthDay, we celebrate the young entrepreneurs showing us what hashtag #YouthLead looks like in action — and the creativity, ambition and leadership they bring to building a better future.
On this International Youth Day, I'm delighted to join you in celebrating the vital contribution of the young people whose ideas, energy, and determination are driving progress towards a more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient world.
This year's theme, different context, common aspirations, reflects a simple but powerful truth. While the young people's lives are shaped by diverse local realities, their aspirations for dignity, opportunity, participation, and sustainable future are also shared across the borders. Many young people continue to face barriers to education, employment, digital connectivity and opportunity. Yet, we also see a generation that is innovating, adapting, and leading change in the communities around the world.
This year's observance highlights three priorities.
First, global solidarity. Expanding opportunities for young people requires a stronger international cooperation, investment, and partnerships.
Second, shared challenges. Issues such as inequality, climate change, education, employment, digital access, and mental health transcend borders and demand collective solutions.
Third, use innovation. Across the all regions, young people are developing climate solutions, building businesses, and using technology to strengthen the layer communities.
The 2025 world summit for social development in Doha reaffirmed the importance of the inclusive people centered development. As we build on that commitment, we must continue investing in young people and creating the conditions for them to succeed through its work that on sustainable development, social inclusion and youth employment. My department at the UN Desert remains committed to supporting young people and expanding opportunities for them to thrive. Young people are not waiting for change.
They are leading changes. Our responsibility is to ensure that they have the opportunities, resources, and support they need to shape a better future for all. Thank you.
The United Nations will commemorate International Youth Day 2026 on 12 August through an online campaign inviting young people worldwide to share messages of hope, support, and collaboration, with particular attention to youth living in LDCs, LLDCs, and SIDS. The observance provides a platform for governments, youth organizations, United Nations entities, civil society, academia, and other stakeholders to promote dialogue, strengthen partnerships, and showcase youth-led initiatives that contribute to more inclusive, peaceful, and sustainable societies.You can read the full concept note andRegister to participate!
This celebration of youth convenes hundreds of young people from around the world who are eager to make the world a better place. Hosted at the United Nations World Health Organization, young people, dignitaries, leaders, educators, activists and champions of sustainable development are gathering to explore the theme of “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations.” Watch the celebration of International Youth Day 2026: Different Contexts, Common Aspirations organized by the UNITAR
COMMUNICATION MATERIALS: In support of the 2026 theme, DESA is preparing a set of products to amplify youth voices and inspire action at all level. These products are available in a Trello Board and include:Digital cards designed for dissemination by youth networks, Member States, and UN agencies to increase outreach and engagement
Infographic that brings together key facts, insights, key messages and initiatives.
Everyone has a role to play in supporting young people and creating opportunities that allow them to thrive. Join the conversation with the hashtag: #YouthDay by participating in International Youth Day activities, sharing youth-led initiatives, engaging with the digital solidarity campaign, and using your platforms to amplify young voices and promote inclusive, sustainable development. Together, we can recognize that while young people live in different contexts, they share common aspirations—and that achieving those aspirations requires collective action and global solidarity.
FORUM: "Honouring Indigenous Midwives: Safeguarding Life and Well-being". International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples 2026. The United Nations General Assembly on 23 December 1994, decided, in its resolution 49/214, that the International Day of the World’s Indigenous People shall be observed on 9 August every year. The date marks the first meeting, in 1982, of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations.This year's observance will focus on the recognition of Indigenous midwives as vital knowledge holders and guardians of community health. Indigenous midwifery has sustained the well-being of Indigenous Peoples for generations. It brings together
knowledge systems, values and practices that Indigenous Peoples have developed and passed on over
time. It reflects holistic worldviews that connect territory, spirituality, community and ways of life. These
practices are central to transmitting and sustaining Indigenous Peoples’ knowledge, strengthening cultural
identity and supporting self-determined forms of care and community wellbeing, and ensuring the continuity
of Indigenous Peoples’ ways of life for future generations.
Despite the continued presence of these knowledge systems and forms of care, Indigenous Peoples face
significant and persistent health inequities. Evidence indicates that Indigenous women and adolescent girls
experience poorer maternal health outcomes than non-Indigenous Peoples, including lower access to
essential services and, in some contexts, substantially higher maternal mortality. Such disparities are
closely linked to structural barriers, including discrimination, geographic isolation, the limited availability of
culturally appropriate services, and the insufficient recognition of Indigenous knowledge systems within
formal health frameworks.
Culturally appropriate midwifery models can improve continuity of care, strengthen trust in health systems,
and contribute to better maternal and newborn outcomes. Yet, in many settings, Indigenous midwifery
continues to be stigmatized, face regulatory restrictions, exclusion or lack of recognition, and even
criminalization. These conditions limit access to culturally safe care and affect Indigenous women’s ability
to make informed and meaningful decisions regarding pregnancy and childbirth, with implications for
dignity, bodily autonomy and quality of care.
At the same time, there is growing global recognition of the value of culturally grounded and communitybased approaches to maternal care. In many advanced economies, including urban health systems, there
has been a notable increase in demand for continuous, personalized and non-clinical support during
pregnancy and childbirth, including through the expanded use of doulas and other community-based birth
companions. These approaches respond to gaps in conventional maternity care models, where clinical staff may be unable to provide sustained one-to-one support during labour, and are increasingly integrated into
health systems and public health programmes, with coverage now available in multiple jurisdictions.
Against this backdrop, this year’s theme, “Honouring Indigenous Midwives: Safeguarding Life and
Well-being,” is presented in a spirit of recognition and respect. It contributes to the global momentum
leading to the inaugural commemoration of the International Day of Indigenous Women and Girls by
highlighting Indigenous women, who have always been part of their Peoples’ struggle, as leaders,
knowledge holders and caregivers, and by bringing focused attention to a critical but often underrecognized dimension of their contributions to Indigenous Peoples’ well-being. The United Nations system has progressively strengthened its engagement at the intersection of
Indigenous Peoples’ rights, health and knowledge systems. The United Nations Declaration on the Rightsof Indigenous Peoples affirms the rights of Indigenous Peoples to maintain and strengthen their cultural
practices and institutions, and to access health services that respect their knowledge systems and ways of
life.
The United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) has consistently identified
Indigenous women’s health as a priority, including the role of Indigenous midwifery. The Forum has
highlighted the lack of culturally appropriate services and called on Member States to remove
discriminatory barriers, recognize Indigenous midwives, and strengthen support for Indigenous-led systems
of care. The Forum has further underscored the role of Indigenous women and elders in transmitting
cultural knowledge and sustaining Indigenous cultures, including through midwifery. It has called upon
Member States to support the establishment of mechanisms for the empowerment of Indigenous women
and girls and has called for their equal involvement and participation in decision-making processes at all
levels.
Other United Nations Indigenous Peoples’ mechanisms, including the Special Rapporteur on the rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, have underscored
persistent challenges in implementation, particularly in relation to non-discrimination, access to culturally
appropriate services and the recognition of Indigenous knowledge systems.
The World Health Organization has similarly highlighted that Indigenous Peoples experience systematically
poorer health outcomes – including in maternal health – and has called for culturally appropriate, rights-based approaches across the life course. The UNFPA has supported Indigenous midwifery as a vital component of culturally appropriate maternal and
reproductive health care. UNFPA has promoted the recognition of Indigenous midwives, advocating for
strengthened links between Indigenous Peoples’ own health systems and formal health systems, and
supported efforts to preserve Indigenous knowledge and practices while improving access to safe and
respectful maternity care for Indigenous women.
Despite this growing normative and policy framework, implementation gaps remain across many national
contexts. Strengthened dialogue, evidence-sharing and policy action are required to advance equitable,
culturally grounded systems of care and to ensure the full respect of the rights of Indigenous Peoples’, their
identity, their forms of social organization, their cultural values and their ways of life.
On Monday 10 August 2026, from 08:30-10:30 AM EDT (New York time), the Virtual Commemoration entitled Honouring Indigenous Midwives: Safeguarding Life and Well-being was held. This year, due to 9 August falling on a Sunday, the International Day observance will take place online on Monday, 10 August 2026. This year’s theme is: “Honouring Indigenous Midwives: Safeguarding Life and Well-being”. Get the Concept Note: EN | ES & Tentative programme: EN | ES. The Interpretation will be available between English and Spanish, kindly provided by Land is Life. Watch the livestream!
The virtual commemoration will include an opening segment with an Indigenous spiritual ceremony, statements from UN senior officials, and a statement from the Chair of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. This will be followed by two moderated dialogues with invited speakers and an interactive discussion.
Dialogue 1: Indigenous Midwives as Knowledge Holders and Guardians of Well-being This moderated dialogue will aim to raise awareness of Indigenous midwifery as a living Indigenous knowledge system, highlight the contributions of Indigenous midwives to community well-being, and illustrate the challenges they face in maintaining and transmitting their knowledge.
• Martha Arotingo (Pueblo Kichwa Kutacachi) | Ancestral midwife, spokesperson CONPASA,
Founder Partera di Anaku & Vice President CISAHW
• Nicolle Arthun (Diné) | Indigenous Nurse-Midwife and maternal leader, CNM, FACNM, and CEO,
transcending Strategies LLC
• Rhonda Lee Grantham (Cowlitz Nation) | Director, Center for Indigenous Midwifery
• Laura Lemons (Iñupiaq) | Indigenous Midwife and Doula.
Moderated by Assistant Secretary-General Bjørg Sandkjær, UN Department of Economic and Social
Affairs
Dialogue 2: From Recognition to Action: Protecting and Supporting Indigenous Midwifery. This dialogue will examine policy reforms and practical pathways for recognizing Indigenous midwifery as critical knowledge systems, and for advancing implementation of related international commitments, human rights obligations and recommendations.
• Agnes Leina (Maasai) | Founder and Executive Director of Il’laramatak Community Concerns &
Gender Coordinator of Indigenous People of Africa Coordinating Committee
• Dora Méndez (Tseltal) | Traditional midwife and Coordinator Continental Alliance of Traditional and
Indigenous Midwives of the Americas
• Victoria Bertolino | MD, MSc, International consultant on Cultural Diversity and Health, Pan
American Health Organization
• Abra Nungasuk Patkotak (Iñupiaq) | Indigenous Birthworker and Student Midwife, Co-Creator and
Co-Director of Alaska Native Birthworkers Community.
Moderated by Astrid Hurley, Senior Programme Management Officer, Division for Inclusive Social
Development, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs.
The objective of this year’s International Day is to advance a rights-based and evidence-informed dialogue on Indigenous midwifery, with a focus on:
• Strengthening recognition of Indigenous midwifery as an autonomous Indigenous knowledge
system
• Addressing structural discrimination and barriers affecting Indigenous Peoples’ knowledge systems
and community-based forms of care
• Promoting culturally appropriate approaches to well-being, including maternal and reproductive
health, within human rights frameworks
• Advancing understanding of the links between Indigenous knowledge systems, health equity and
community well-being
• Identifying concrete policy pathways for the protection, recognition and sustainable support of
Indigenous-led systems of care and knowledge transmission
In doing so, the commemoration also contributes to the broader recognition of Indigenous women’s roles
and rights, serving as a thematic bridge to the inaugural International Day of Indigenous Women and Girls
in September.
Format and Structure (2-hour virtual dialogue)
The event will be structured as a focused dialogue with substantive interventions from:
Indigenous Knowledge Holders / Midwives
Lived experience, intergenerational transmission of knowledge, community role, and Indigenous
systems of care
• Member State / Policy Perspective -
National legal and policy frameworks, recognition of Indigenous knowledge systems, public health
approaches and implementation challenges
• Human Rights/Legal Expert Perspective - International standards, non-discrimination, bodily autonomy, and protection from coercion and
violence, including accountability frameworks
• United Nations Perspective - System-wide frameworks and analysis, including UNPFII recommendations, global health
guidance, and approaches to advancing equitable and culturally appropriate care.
Expected Outcomes
The event is expected to contribute to:
• Strengthened visibility of Indigenous midwifery as a vital Indigenous knowledge system within
global policy and normative discussions
• Increased awareness of disparities affecting Indigenous women’s access to culturally appropriate
maternal health care
• Greater understanding of implementation gaps in United Nations recommendations related to
Indigenous Peoples’ rights, health, knowledge systems and self-determination.
• Identification and dissemination of good practices in culturally grounded, community-led systems of
care
• Enhanced recognition of Indigenous women’s roles and contributions, supporting broader efforts
toward the inaugural International Day of Indigenous Women and Girls
Invited speakers
DIALOGUE 1 | Martha Arotingo is an ancestral midwife, herbalist, and keeper of the ancestral sciences of the Kichwa Kutakachi People of Ecuador. She is the founder of Partera di Anaku and spokesperson for the Plurinational Council of Elders, Midwives, and Traditional Birth Attendants of Ecuador (CONPASA). Together with the Indigenous Council of Ancestral Health, she helped advance the First National Congress of Ancestral Midwifery. She supports the training of new ancestral midwives through community programs. She is the author of a bilingual Kichwa–Spanish poetry collection on birth stories and co-author of an agro-culinary postpartum care manual. Image
DIALOGUE 2 | Agnes Leina comes from Kajiado County, Kenya, inhabited mainly by the Maasai community. She holds a Master’s degree in Rural Sociology and Community Development from the University of Nairobi, a Bachelor’s degree in Communications and Community Development from Daystar University, and a Postgraduate Certificate in International Development from the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom. She is the Founder and Executive Director of Il’laramatak Community Concerns and the Gender Coordinator of the Indigenous Peoples of Africa Coordinating Committee (IPACC).
DIALOGUE 1 | Nicolle Arthun (Diné) is an Indigenous Certified Nurse-Midwife from the Navajo Nation. She is an Indigenous birth knowledge holder with 22 years of experience restoring Native-led maternity care. She founded Changing Woman Initiative, the first Native women-led maternal health and wellness organization in the United States, and the Mni Wiconi Midwifery Field Clinic at Standing Rock. She is a member of the International Confederation of Midwives Indigenous Midwifery Working Group and has testified before the UN Human Rights Committee and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.
DIALOGUE 2 | Dora Lucía Méndez Alfonzo is a Tseltal Indigenous woman from Las Rosas, Chiapas, Mexico, and a traditional midwife with 17 years of experience. She coordinates the Comprehensive Health and Gender program at Formación y Capacitación A.C. (FOCA). She founded and coordinates several traditional and Indigenous midwifery networks, including the Las Pinoltecas Midwives Network and the Continental Alliance of Traditional and Indigenous Midwifery of the Americas, and is a co-founder of the Chiapas Midwives Movement Nich Ixim. She holds a degree in Administrative Informatics and is currently studying Law.
DIALOGUE 1 | Rhonda Lee Grantham is an Indigenous midwife, herbalist, and citizen of the Cowlitz Nation, a Salish-Sahaptian Tribe of southwestern Washington whose name translates to "Seeker of the Medicine Spirit." With nearly 30 years of experience supporting birth, wellness, and traditional healing, she has dedicated her life to strengthening Indigenous families and communities through culturally grounded maternal care. As the founder of the Center for Indigenous Midwifery, Rhonda is guided by her perspectives as both a Native woman and cultural anthropologist, combining Indigenous knowledge with a commitment to global health, family wellness, and culturally centered care. For more than two decades, she has supported births and developed maternal health programs within Tribal communities across the United States and internationally.
DIALOGUE 2 | María Victoria Bertolino Depratti, MD, MSc, is a Specialist in Obstetrics and Gynecology and holds a Master of Science in Reproductive Health from the University of Edinburgh. She has extensive experience in research, university teaching, and the design, implementation, and evaluation of health policies. She is an International Consultant for the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in the Cultural Diversity Unit of the Department of Social and Environmental Determinants for Health Equity, where she works on projects related to the health of Indigenous Peoples and Afro-descendants in the Americas, with an emphasis on maternal and neonatal health and the promotion of health equity for women, girls, and adolescents.
DIALOGUE 1 | Laura Lemons is an Indigenous Alaskan, Licensed Midwife, Certified Professional Midwife, and Certified Indigenous Doula. She has lived in the Mat-Su Valley since 1998. She became a Certified Doula in 2018, a Certified Indigenous Doula in 2020, and earned a Bachelor of Science in Midwifery in 2022. As one of the few practicing Indigenous midwives in Alaska, she is dedicated to supporting women and families throughout pregnancy and birth. Through compassionate care, education, and culturally grounded support, she strives to empower families to make informed decisions and approach the birth process with confidence.
DIALOGUE 2 | Abra Nungasuk Patkotak is Iñupiaq from Utqiaġvik, Alaska, and Gifford, Idaho. She resides in Dgheyey Kaq’, also known as Anchorage, on Dena’ina land. Abra is an Indigenous Full-Spectrum Birthworker, student midwife, and Co-Creator and Co-Director of the Alaska Native Birthworkers Community, where she advances reproductive justice while serving Indigenous birthing people. Trained as a doula in 2010, she earned a Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Alaska Anchorage in 2023. She began training as a direct-entry midwife in 2023 and works to create safer spaces for pregnant and parenting people through systems change, policy work, and direct support.
CEREMONIAL OPENING | María Herminia Quiñelen Martínez is a Lawentuchefe, a Medicine Woman of the Mapuche tradition, with more than 40 years of experience and expertise in the properties of medicinal plants, learning from them as one who comes to know another living being. She began her learning and communication through dreams at the age of 7, being guided and trained through a learning process of approximately 15 years. She is also a Puñeñelchefe, a Master of Ancestral Mapuche Childbirth, with more than 1,300 births providing comprehensive and respectful accompaniment to women during natural and home births. She is a Mapuche Authority and Medicine Woman, belonging to the eighth generation of a lineage of Mapuche healers on both her father's and mother's sides. She is a Kimelfe, author and educator of her Mapuche School of Medicine and founder of the Women’s Circles, “For the Recovery of the Culture of Being a Woman,” an initiative dedicated to strengthening women's identity and revitalizing ancestral knowledge.
Messages on the Occasion of the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples
Indigenous Peoples account for over 6 per cent of the world’s population. They are guardians of cultural heritage, stewards of vital ecosystems and crucial contributors to our shared future.
Yet, across the globe, their rights and well-being face disproportionate threats. Some of the starkest relate to maternal and infant health, with complications and deaths far more prevalent than among the wider population.
That is why, on this International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, we celebrate Indigenous midwives. Evidence shows that they improve outcomes for mothers and babies, strengthen trust in health systems and ensure continuity of care. As knowledge holders and leaders, they also help preserve the languages, values and practices that sustain Indigenous cultures across generations.
The United Nations is working with Member States and Indigenous Peoples to advance rights-based approaches to health. Governments must gather the missing data that so often leaves Indigenous patients invisible in healthcare systems, and they must invest more in training for midwives and natal care. It is also vital that we uphold the rights of Indigenous women to make informed decisions about their own bodies and care.
Traditional wisdom can protect new life. Together, let us ensure that Indigenous midwives, and the communities they serve, have everything they need to thrive.
On the occasion of the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, I ampleased to join the global community in honoring indigenous peoples, their knowledge systems, and their contributions to the planet. This year's theme invites us to recognize indigenous midwives as guardians of life, well-being, and cultural continuity. Indigenous midwives are caregivers, knowledge holders, and leaders. Their work connects birth, family, community, culture, nature, and future generations. Their work reminds us that indigenous knowledge systems are living, dynamic, and contemporary. It also reminds us of the leadership of indigenous women, the importance of transmitting knowledge across generations, and the need to safeguard the conditions that allow indigenous peoples to thrive. The knowledge of indigenous midwives is part of these broader knowledge systems. It is placebased, culturally specific, and rooted in relationships with territories, waters, biodiversity, and traditional governance systems. This recognition is closely connected to the work of the convention. At COP 16, parties adopted the program of work on article AJ and established a subsidiary body on article AJ, marking an important step forward in the recognition of the traditional knowledge, contributions and participation of indigenous peoples. At COP 17, parties will consider the modus operandi of the subsidiary body on article AJ, which is needed for this subsidiary body to become fully operational and to support the effective and inclusive implementation of the program of work on article AJ. On this day, let us honor indigenous midwives by recognizing their knowledge, supporting their leadership, and safeguarding the conditions that allow life, culture, biodiversity, and well-being to flourish for generations to come.
Executive Secretary of the CBD - Astrid Schomaker.
Across the world, Indigenous Peoples sustain vital knowledge systems and cultural heritage deeply intertwined with their lands, waters, and environments offering invaluable perspectives for addressing today's global challenges. This year’s theme of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples –“Honouring Indigenous Midwives: Safeguarding Life and Well-being”–highlights the practice of midwifery. Inscribed as a transnational element on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2023, midwifery bridges traditional knowledge systems with women’s health, well-being, cultural identity, andthe sustainable use of medicinal plants.Committed to supporting Indigenous Peoples, UNESCO is leading the International Decade of Indigenous Languages 2022-2032 to ensure that Indigenous voices, worldviews, and intellectual diversity receive the recognition they deserve. As we approach the midpoint of this milestone, UNESCO is also leveraging the 2026 International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists to amplify the voices of communities practicing transhumant pastoralism, demonstrating the power of cultural reclamation, community resilience, science-based conservation, and local stewardship.On this International Day, let us reaffirm that humanity’s diversity is one of its greatest strengths. By valuing Indigenous Peoples, their languages, cultures, heritage, and knowledge systems, we safeguard an irreplaceable part of humanity’s heritage that our world cannot afford to lose. ;;
Mr Khaled El-Enany, Director-General of UNESCO.,
PAST EVENTS
Held April 20 – May 1, 2026 The 25th Session (UNPFII25) was held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York under the theme "Ensuring Indigenous Peoples' health, including in the context of conflict". The Discussions Addressed were about land degradation, shrinking civic space, safety of human rights defenders, and the impact of geopolitical conflict on Indigenous well-being.
