The National Iwi Chairs Forum congratulates and celebrates Dr Valmaine Toki (Ngāti Rehua, Ngāti Wai, and Ngāpuhi) on her appointment to the role of Chair of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in Geneva today, 8 July 2024. Dr Toki has been a member of EMRIP since 2022 and contributes to the international advancement of Indigenous rights through her work there as a Professor of Law at the University of Waikato.

Professor Margaret Mutu said, “Dr Toki was previously a member of the Aotearoa Independent Monitoring Mechanism who last week submitted a damning 10th annual performance report on the New Zealand government to the Expert Mechanism. Our rangatahi and Pou Tikanga representatives will share this report with other states and indigenous peoples in Geneva this week.”

“Having Dr Toki appointed to Chair, a wahine Māori from Aotearoa, with significant expertise in Indigenous Rights and Law is a cause for celebration,” stated Professor Mutu.

“It is ironic that while Māori expertise and leadership are acknowledged on the international stage, the New Zealand coalition government and political climate has taken our relationship with the state and progress on Indigenous, human and climate rights back more than 40 years. We look forward to working with Valmaine in her new role and hope that EMRIP will come to Aotearoa for a formal follow-up country visit this year.”

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