IFI’s Interventions at the 60th Session of the UN Human Rights Council Exposing Chile's International obligations Avoidance

Written By Lidia Arrigada Garcia

Consejo de Derechos Humanos

Geneva, Switzerland— In a coordinated effort to challenge the structural violence and systemic denial to recognize and implement Indigenous Peoples’ rights to Free, Prior and Informed Consent in Chile, Images for Inclusion Inc (IFI), through its President and CEO, Lidia Arriagada Garcia, delivered two urgent public interventions at the 60th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC). These actions—conducted on the 24th and 25th of September, 2025, and built upon IFI's comprehensive Open Letter—exposed the fundamental mechanisms used by the Chilean State for avoidance of international obligations.

Intervention 1: Challenging Extractive Industries and Flawed Legislation

Wednesday, September 24, 2025 during the Annual Half-Day Panel Discussion on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

IFI opened its advocacy during the panel on "The rights of Indigenous Peoples in the context of a just transition to sustainable energy systems, including in relation to critical minerals." (This specialized debate focused on how the global rush for clean energy resources, like lithium, impacts Indigenous territories).

IFI's statement directly targeted the legislative roots of Chile's failed consultation processes:

"We are deeply concerned about the violation of the human rights of Indigenous Peoples in Chile, especially in the context of extractive industries. It is imperative that Chile guarantees the right to Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) of the Indigenous Peoples, a fundamental pillar for a just and sustainable transition. Supreme Decree N° 66 of 2013, while recognizing consultation, suffers from flaws that empty the right to participation of its content and violate good faith."

The intervention cited the decree which allows consultation to be "considered fulfilled even if no agreement or consent is reached," a point that undermines the principle of the FPIC principle. IFI's urgent appeal sought to mandate Chile to amend Supreme Decree N° 66 of 2013 and uphold FPIC as the basis for equitable development and territorial protection.


Intervention 2: Demanding UN Integrity and Exposing Strategic Omission

Thursday, September 25, 2025 during the General Debate on Human Rights Bodies and Mechanisms

The following day, IFI delivered its second intervention, focusing on accountability within the UN system and the specific legal flaws of the new land consultation.

The Allegation of Irregularity (Lapse in UN Due Diligence): IFI's statement, delivered under Item 5 (Human Rights Bodies and Mechanisms), denounced a serious lapse in transparency, revealing that the Advanced Unedited Version of the Permanent Forum Report (the UN body that advises ECOSOC on Indigenous issues) had initially included a recommendation for Chile to implement the measures of the Presidential Commission for Peace and Understanding (CPPyE) report before the report was even publicly presented.

"The alarming fact is that this report was not yet available to the public nor had it been presented to the President of Chile. Fortunately, the Permanent Forum accepted our observations, eliminating that recommendation."

We showed concern for the Omission of UNDRIP: Building on the Open Letter, IFI publicly highlighted that Chile's ongoing consultation process for the new legislative measures omits the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), a core violation of international law.

The Demand for Investigation: The intervention concluded with an appeal to the Council:

"We urge the Council and Member States to demand an investigation and the utmost transparency and integrity in the Permanent Forum's procedures, and to urge the independent expert [Special Rapporteur] and the Expert Mechanism to guarantee the human rights of Indigenous Peoples established in international law, particularly FPIC."

Building the Case: The Foundation of IFI's Open Letter

These public actions were critical components of the diplomatic pressure initiated by IFI's formal Open Letter: Request for revocation of the Exempt Resolution No. 244. The interventions ensured that the key legal arguments detailed in the Open Letter—namely the arbitrary and discriminatory nature of the consultation and the intentional avoidance of binding international obligations—were entered into the public HRC record.

This strategic public pressure immediately preceded IFI's direct diplomatic meeting with the Special Rapporteur, Dr. Albert K. Barume, on the same day, setting the stage for a major breakthrough.

Please feel free to watch both interventions from UN TV (on the right) to witness how IFI exposed Chile's fundamental mechanisms for avoiding its international obligations and demanded UN accountability on September 24th and 25th, 2025.

Lidia Arrigada Garcia

Lidia is a leading voice on Indigenous human rights, contributing authoritative articles for IFI. Her writing is informed by rigorous study and true involvement, drawing on extensive reading, direct work and dialogue with Indigenous Peoples in the field. She advocates for the human rights of Indigenous Peoples, especially Indigenous women and girls, from her active presence in the United Nations forums and mechanisms at the international level — as both Civil Society at the UN through Consultative Status and a Mapuche woman. Therefore, as president and CEO of our NGO, she effectively bridges grassroots programs with international human rights dialogue, providing a unique perspective.

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