Carson Kiburo (Endorois) on his recent participation at the United Nations' Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

Azimuth World Foundation recently supported Carson Kiburo, a member of the Endorois People, in attending the UN's 17th session of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP) last month in Geneva, Switzerland. Today, just in time for International Youth Day, we are pleased to provide insight into our partnership with Carson and his reflections on this year's Expert Mechanism session.

We are proud supporters of Revitalize the Roots, an initiative through which Carson's organization, Jamii Asilia Centre (JAC), and Global Wisdom Collective (GWC), are dedicated to preserving Endorois ancestral knowledge for future generations.

We were honored to stand alongside JAC and GWC at an official side event during this year's UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, focusing on intergenerational knowledge-sharing strategies among Indigenous communities and organizations.

Carson's presence at the Expert Mechanism in Geneva was deeply significant, given the history of the Endorois people in Kenya, marked by successive violations of their rights under the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The Endorois have been forcibly relocated from their ancestral land twice: first for tourism projects and later due to rising water levels linked to climate change.

Below, find a statement from Carson on the importance of his participation:

As an Endorois youth, I have witnessed firsthand how non-compliance with the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples profoundly impacts my People's well-being. Despite Kenya's acquiescence based on the unanimous UN resolution in 2021 and its membership on the Declaration, our rights as Indigenous Peoples remain unfulfilled. Our community's resilience has allowed us to preserve our ancestral knowledge and way of life, which are deeply tied to our ancestral land around Lake Bogoria. However, ongoing threats to our land rights and the lack of support for our unique challenges as Indigenous People continually hinder our efforts to thrive, preserve our culture, and strengthen our identity.

Being here in Geneva to represent my People is crucial, as the Expert Mechanism will advise the Human Rights Council and urge Member States to fully implement and enforce the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

This year, the Expert Mechanism focused on their latest study on 'Constitutions, laws, legislation, policies, judicial decisions, and other mechanisms through which States have taken measures to achieve the ends of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, in accordance with article 38 of the Declaration.' Several aspects underscore the urgency of my participation in this meeting: I'm a law student myself. And I'm a member of a community that has persistently fought for recognition as Indigenous Peoples in Kenya. I have seen our land and human rights violations validated by higher courts, which ruled our forced removal illegal and mandated proper compensation. But I have also witnessed the lack of implementation of these rulings by the Kenyan government.



Sharing my testimony here is a pivotal step toward building on our progress and expanding networks that will one day secure our rights fully. Participating in the Expert Mechanism is another vital step towards ensuring future Endorois generations can embrace their heritage without fear of fundamental rights violations.

by Carson Kiburo (Endorois)