Church of Sweden leads the way on rights of indigenous peoples

The General Synod during the debate on ILO Convention No. 169. Photo: Ewa Almqvist/IKON.

The General Synod has today commissioned the Central Board of the Church of Sweden to push Sweden’s government and parliament to support Swedish ratification of ILO Convention No. 169 on the rights of indigenous peoples.

The Convention on indigenous and tribal peoples (ILO’s Convention No. 169) was adopted by the International Labour Organization, ILO, in 1989. It is based on the premise that the principles of the UN’s other rights declarations should also be applied to indigenous populations.

In its report, the Church Life Committee considers that the Church of Sweden should step up efforts towards speeding up the process of Swedish ratification of ILO Convention No. 169 to clarify which international regulations for the rights of indigenous peoples are already being applied, and what needs to be taken account of in the Swedish Forestry Act and other legislation, that is not yet being applied.

“The Church of Sweden has been raising matters affecting the rights of indigenous peoples for a long time. The decision of the General Synod is a clear message that the Church of Sweden should be actively contributing towards ensuring Sweden moves forward on the issue of ratifying ILO Convention No. 169,” says Secretary-General of the Church of Sweden, Helén Ottosson Lovén.

“We are aware that the matter is a complex one, and that we need to work hard to identify effective solutions. But we must also be clear about the fact that this is about respect for the human rights of the Sami people, which means we need to find solutions that uphold the rights of indigenous peoples. The Church of Sweden can also opt to be at the forefront and test new approaches in our land management.”

When the committee discussed the motion, it was noted that Sweden is already bound by international law, but that it is a problem that Swedish regulations are not applied to the extent that they fulfil the requirements of international law regarding protection for the rights and culture of indigenous peoples.

The committee also noted that the Church of Sweden is a major landowner and that consideration should be paid to Sami reindeer management rights within the Church’s own forestry activities. The Church of Sweden can help find new forms for consultation with Sami villages and other Sami organisations, thereby helping reduce any concerns regarding the implications of a Swedish ratification of the ILO Convention.