Good morning, good afternoon and good evening. Although people of all walks of life are affected by COVID-19, the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people are especially at risk.
That is true of indigenous peoples all over the world, in urban or remote areas. There are up to 500 million indigenous peoples worldwide, in over 90 countries.
Indigenous peoples have unique cultures and languages, and deep relationships with the environment. Like other vulnerable groups, indigenous peoples face many challenges.
This includes a lack of political representation, economic marginalization and lack of access to health, education and social services.