Fourth World Nations in the United Nations?

This paper examines the ongoing efforts within the United Nations (UN) to establish modalities and criteria for the participation of indigenous institutions in the UN Organization, particularly in the General Assembly, Economic and Social Council, and treaty bodies. It highlights that this consideration, anticipated for the UN's 70th General Assembly and potentially reaching a decision in September 2017, marks a significant shift, challenging over 370 years of a modern state system that has largely denied the political legitimacy of Fourth World nations. The UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and the 2014 World Conference on Indigenous Peoples (WCIP) have provided crucial principles,…