Why Indigenous Self-Selection Matters
Why Indigenous Peoples insist on their own regional processes (And how to stop the UN from taking control).
Most people think representation is about having a seat at the table. It's not.
Real power lies in controlling how those seats are filled.
Today, I want to share a critical insight I've gained from our fight for authentic representation on the global stage.
The UN's "Inclusive" Power Grab
Everytime, the United Nations accepts Indigenous seats at the table.
Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples Platform
Santiago Network on Loss and Damage
Loss and Damage Fund
They attempt to replace Indigenous Peoples' culturally-appropriate selection processes with their own bureaucratic systems. They call it "inclusive" and "transparent."
What they really mean is "controlled."
Instead of Indigenous Peoples choosing representatives through their own governance systems (usually through their regional processes), the UN positions itself as the gatekeeper.
This isn't just procedural nitpicking. It's a fundamental attack on sovereignty.
The 3 Things You Actually Lose
What happens when Indigenous Peoples can't select their own representatives?
State-friendly voices dominate
Representatives who won't challenge national interests get the nodBureaucratic roadblocks multiply
Endless delays and external approvals strangle progressSelf-determination evaporates
Can't choose your own leaders in your own way, you're no longer governing yourself
It's a calculated power transfer where Indigenous Peoples still appear to have a seat, but only if external powers approve.
The UNFCCC Victory (And Why You Should Care)
I was in this power struggle during negotiations for the Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples Platform at the UN Climate Talks.
At COP23 presided over by Fiji and COP24 in Katowice, the UN wanted to "organize" (read: control) how Indigenous Peoples’ representatives were selected.
The Indigenous Peoples caucus pushed back hard. And won.
Decision 2/CP.24, paragraph 6:
“Indigenous Peoples representatives shall be appointed by the Indigenous Peoples, through their focal points, and that the Chair of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice shall be notified of these appointments.”Decision 2/CP.23, paragraph 8:
“Processes under the platform…shall take into account…full and effective participation of Indigenous Peoples; equal status of Indigenous Peoples and Parties, including in leadership roles; self-selection of Indigenous Peoples representatives in accordance with Indigenous Peoples’ own procedures.”
The resulting decisions established that:
Indigenous Peoples would have equal status with Parties
Representatives would be self-selected according to Indigenous Peoples' own procedures
The UN would simply be notified of these appointments
This wasn't just a procedural victory. It was recognition that Indigenous governance systems deserve respect, not replacement.
The Real Fight Is Bigger Than a Seat
Here's what most people miss:
Getting invited to the table isn't the win. Controlling who sits in your chair is.
This struggle reflects a deeper truth about power in any context. Whether you're Indigenous or not, if you can't control how your representation is determined, your "voice" becomes managed, filtered, and ultimately co-opted.
The UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (Articles 18 and 19) recognizes this. Indigenous Peoples don't just have the right to participate in decision-making—we have the right to design how those decisions are made in the first place.
3 Qs To Know If You're Fighting the Right Battle
In your own professional and organizational contexts, consider:
Where are you fighting for inclusion without demanding control of the process?
Who determines how representatives in your industry or community are selected?
Are you satisfied with a seat, or are you fighting for the right to design the table itself?
The difference matters enormously.
Because when someone else controls the selection process, they've already shaped the outcome before the first word is spoken.
Before You Go
Every Indigenous leader in global diplomacy faces this question: Fight for a seat, or fight for control of the process?
The truth is stark: If you don't control the process, the seat doesn't matter.
That's where the real power lies. That's the battle worth fighting.
That’s it for now.
See you next week!