Who Gets to Be Heard?

30 August 2026 · Global Divide

International policy spaces often describe themselves as open forums: places where governments, experts and civil society come together to exchange ideas and shape solutions. But there is a question that deserves more attention: who actually gets to speak once they are in the room?

That question became particularly tangible during the 19th session of the United Nations Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP), held in Geneva from 13-17 July 2026. During the session, a Global Divide policy representative delivered an oral contribution for JRCCA/JRFIUSA, a nonprofit partnership located in the USA and Cameroon.