Global Mercury Convention Completed Without Using the Term “Indigenous Peoples”

Geneva, Switzerland — A long-awaited Legally Binding International Treaty on Mercury, officially named the “Minimata Convention on Mercury” was adopted by States at the 5th International Negotiating Committee session on the morning of January 19th, 2013.

The disproportionate impacts of mercury contamination suffered by Indigenous communities around the world were recognized in the preamble as a result of a monumental effort carried out by representatives of the Global Indigenous Peoples Caucus attending the INC5 negotiations.

Read the press release.