Indigenous Women Testify on Sterilization and Human Rights Abuses at U.N. Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in New York
Russia Rebuked for Calling Indigenous People 'Mentally Ill' at U.N. Permanent Forum
By Brenda Norrell, Censored News, April 22, 2026
Dine' (Navajo) Jean Whitehorse told the U.N. Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues today that she was a victim of the U.S. sterilization program, denying her the right to have more children. Whitehorse said she is a survivor of the boarding school and relocation systems of the colonized U.S. government. At Gallup Indian Medical Center in New Mexico in 1972 she was sterilized without her consent by an Indian Health Service doctor. "I wanted more children," Whitehorse told the U.N. Describing the impact on the culture and future of the Dine' people, Whitehorse said, "There is no Navajo term for sterilization. In our culture, true wealth is our children. They are the Guardians of our Heritage." Whitehorse said the sterilizations by U.S. doctors is not only an individual loss, but the loss of generations. She said it is a violation of international rights. Speaking as a representative of AIM West, Whitehorse points out Indigenous women have been sterilized in countries from Canada to South America and their struggle for justice continues.
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Breaking News -- During this morning's session of the U.N. Permanent Forum, an Indigenous representative responded to the International Fund of Russia's representative who called the majority of Russia's Indigenous Peoples "mentally ill." She said this not only insulted Indigenous people as inferior, but it is "psychological violence," which creates collective trauma and discredits entire cultures. She said this man has been turning the protection of human rights into money making by way of NGOs and personal businesses, and the money is being stolen through schemes. She said he is being prosecuted for the theft of funds for elderly and others in need. "This person is guilty of economic crimes." She points out that this man is a former expert of the U.N. Permanent Forum. Indigenous in Siberia speak on reprisals at the U.N. Video by Cultural Survival. Securing Freedom for Indigenous Rights Defenders in Siberia Live from #UNPFII Indigenous Media Zone: Securing Freedom for Indigenous Rights Defenders in Siberia: Indigenous human rights defenders are being charged with terrorism by Russia. Organized by the International Committee of Indigenous Peoples of Russia https://www.facebook.com/culturalsurvival/videos/2430226114143704/ |
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Speaking now on Day three of the Permanent Forum, a representative of the Inuit Circumpolar Conference urged the importance of resolving the harm for more than 5,000 Indigenous women in Greenland who were victims of Denmark's IUD program that resulted in systematic harm. Many of the victims were minors. |
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| An Indigenous journalist from Canada points out the importance of Native people telling their own stories, and the importance of telling the cross border stories. She points out the high rate of missing and murdered Indigenous women and people in Canada. |
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| A representative of the government of Mexico told the U.N. today that Mexico is working to guarantee the rights of women in Mexico. Indigenous People are being denied visas from some countries to attend the U.N. Permanent Forum, and those targeted are pointing out the racism in the United States. The Holy See's statement to the U.N. Permanent Forum on Tuesday did not address the long-term kidnapping, abuse and murder of Indigenous children in boarding and residential schools operated by the Catholic Church, or the priests who preyed on Indigenous children, or the financial profiteering in the U.S. at church-operated boarding schools. Jean Whitehorse, Dine', describes how she was a victim of forced sterilization, during an AIM West panel broadcast at the U.N. AIM West director Tony Gonzales said 300,000 Indigenous women in Peru were sterilized. Now, the State of New Mexico is taking action following the secrecy in the United States. Listen at Cultural Survival https://www.facebook.com/culturalsurvival  This article is in process, please check back. Copyright Censored News |
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