Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization

The UNPO was conceived of by leaders of self-determination movements: Linnart Mäll of the Congress of Estonia, Erkin Alptekin of East Turkestan, and Lodi Gyari of Tibet, together with Michael van Walt van Praag, international legal adviser of the 14th Dalai Lama. The founder members were representatives of national movements of Estonia, Latvia, Tibet, Crimean Tatars, Armenia, Georgia, Tatarstan, East Turkestan, East Timor, Australian Aboriginals, the Cordillera in the Philippines, the Greek minority in Albania, Kurdistan, Palau, Taiwan, and West Papua. A core goal of the UNPO was to replicate the powerful message of nonviolence and interethnic tolerance in the face of oppression exhibited by the Tibetan people and championed by the 14th Dalai Lama, and to provide a forum in which others are encouraged and supported to adopt similar approaches. Today, this founding vision continues to inform the work of the organization.

The Hague, in the Netherlands, was selected as the founding headquarters for the UNPO in 1991. This decision was made because the city was striving to be the International City of Peace and Justice, hosting international courts like the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and International Criminal Court (ICC). A Foundation was thus established in the Netherlands to provide secretarial support to the UNPO General Assembly and to carry out research and educational activities related to unrepresented peoples worldwide. Currently, the UNPO is present in three locations, establishing offices in Brussels and Geneva to enhance its engagement with key international institutions and stakeholders. The organization maintains ongoing engagement with regional organizations such as the European Union and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, as well as multilateral bodies such as the United Nations.

The organisation is funded by a combination of member contributions (3’000 euros per year and per community), donations from individuals, and project-based grants from foundations. UNPO publishes its annual activity and financial reports on its website.

UNPO has been awarded the 1991 Tolerance Award, 1992 Social Innovation Award (The Body Shop), 1998 Petra Kelly Peace Award (Heinrich Böll Foundation) and was nominated for the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize and 1994 Right to Livelihood Award.

UNPO’s overarching aim is to promote the right of all peoples to self-determination and meaningful political participation, in accordance with international human rights standards. The organization seeks to ensure that communities lacking adequate representation in national or international institutions can articulate their concerns, protect their cultural and linguistic heritage, and participate in shaping their political, economic, social, and cultural futures. Although UNPO members differ in their political goals and historical circumstances, they are united by the absence of formal representation in major international fora, including from the United Nations system. This lack of representation limits their ability to obtain international protection, participate in multilateral negotiations, or influence policy decisions affecting their rights and territories.

UNPO provides a platform of solidarity through which unrepresented peoples from different regions can engage in dialogue, coordinate advocacy, and share expertise on non-violent strategies for addressing discrimination, conflict, or marginalization. Through research, raising awareness, training, and engagement with international, regional and national bodies, the organization supports its members in navigating global governance structures and amplifying issues that may otherwise remain excluded from diplomatic or media attention. The platform ensures that the voices of unrepresented peoples are not only heard but valued in global forums, empowering nations and peoples to fully realize their potential within a just and inclusive society.

UNPO’s work is guided by five principles set out in its Covenant, which all members are required to endorse:^[3]

1. The equal right of all peoples to self-determination and representation: UNPO interprets this as the right of any “people” to determine their own political status and chart their economic, social, and cultural development.
2. Adherence to international accepted human rights standards: members commit to the norms laid out in international human rights instruments, ensuring the protection of civil, political, cultural, social, and economic rights for all individuals and communities.
3. Commitment to democratic pluralism and rejection of intolerance: UNPO defines democratic pluralism as inclusive, participatory, transparent, representative governance that respects diversity of cultures, religions, beliefs and political opinions.
4. Promotion of non-violence and rejection of violence or terrorism as instruments of policy: from its inception, UNPO has emphasized non-violent civil resistance and advocacy. Members pledge not to resort to violence, terrorism, or extremism in pursuit of political goals.
5. Protection of the natural environment and respect for ancestral lands and resources: recognising the close link between cultural identity, community survival, and the environment, UNPO prioritises environmental protection. This includes safeguarding traditional lands, natural resources, and ancestral territories, especially in the face of climate change, extractive industries, and ecological degradation.

In an era of shifting geopolitical dynamics, rising authoritarianism, and intensifying conflicts that disproportionately affect unrepresented communities, UNPO has continuously evolved and adapted its approach to meet emerging challenges. The organization's recent strategic focus emphasizes self-determination not merely as a political principle but as an essential prerequisite for building peaceful, sustainable, and inclusive futures.

The last Strategic Plan (2024-2027) was approved by the UNPO membership at the XIX General Assembly held in Munich between the 14th and 15th May 2024.

Central to this evolution is the UNPO Academy, the strategic core of UNPO's long-term vision, which serves as an international hub bringing together research, policy development, training, and strategic guidance. The Academy produces geopolitical analyses on communities often absent from global forums reframing them not as marginal actors but as central to global stability and security. UNPO actively raises awareness of how contemporary geopolitical developments, including great power competition, resource extraction, climate change, and technological authoritarianism, directly impact unrepresented peoples, while simultaneously highlighting the vital contributions these communities make to global diversity, cultural heritage, environmental stewardship, and conflict resolution.

A central focus of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO) is capacity building, through which it seeks to strengthen the ability of unrepresented peoples and communities to engage independently and effectively in political, legal, and diplomatic processes. UNPO supports its members through training programmes, research, advocacy initiatives, and diplomatic engagement, enabling them to navigate international institutions and articulate their concerns in regional and global forums, including the United Nations.

UNPO’s work is guided by the promotion of international human rights standards and democratic principles, including the right to self-determination and the protection of civil and political rights. The organization actively promotes values reflected in international frameworks such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 16 on peace, justice, and strong institutions. In this context, UNPO engages in policy-oriented advocacy at both national and international levels on issues relevant to its members, including freedom of expression, political participation, minority rights, and the protection of civic space.

In addition to its advocacy and capacity-building activities, UNPO engages in public outreach and awareness-raising.

Webinars, Conferences, Podcast and Public Events

UNPO organizes and participates in webinars, conferences, public panels, educational events, and a podcast focused on thematic issues relevant to its mission, including linguistic rights, environmental governance, and the role of self-determination in contemporary geopolitical contexts. These initiatives provide platforms for knowledge exchange among scholars, activists, policymakers, and community representatives, and contribute to raising public awareness of the perspectives and concerns of unrepresented peoples. As part of its public outreach, UNPO also publishes People’s Represented, an online magazine published by UNPO featuring reporting and analysis on the experiences and perspectives of unrepresented peoples worldwide.

Research, Publication, and Knowledge Dissemination

In support of its advocacy and educational objectives, UNPO produces research reports, policy briefs, and analytical publications that document conditions affecting member communities and propose frameworks for addressing systemic exclusion. The organization combines academic insight with lived experiences to inform debates on self-determination, minority rights, environmental protection, and global governance. These publications serve as resources for members, scholars, and international actors engaged in human rights work.

The following unrepresented nations and peoples are listed as members by the UNPO.^[4]

UNPO founding members are listed with a pink background and in bold. Members who are recognised as independent countries by at least 1 UN Member or by other countries recognised by at least 1 UN member are marked by asterisk (*).

More information Member, Date joined ...

Member	Date joined	Represented by	Ref
Acheh	11 February 1991	Acheh-Sumatra National Liberation Front	[5]
Annobón	14 May 2024	Ambô Legadu	[6]
Afrikaners	15 May 2008	Freedom Front Plus	[7]
Ahwazi	14 November 2003	Democratic Solidarity Party of Ahwaz	[8]
Assyrians	6 August 1991	Assyrian Universal Alliance	[9]
Balochistan	1 March 2008	Balochistan National Party	[10]
Barotseland	23 November 2013	Barotse National Freedom Alliance	[11]
Batwa	17 January 1993	African Initiative for Mankind Progress Organization	[12]
Bellah	6 June 2017	Malian Association for the Preservation of Bellah Culture	[13]
Brittany	8 June 2015	Kelc’h An Dael [br]	[14]
Catalans	14 December 2018	Assemblea Nacional Catalana	[15]
Chittagong Hill Tracts	6 August 1991	Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti	[16]
Crimean Tatars	11 February 1991	Milli Mejlis	[17]
District of Columbia (Washington, DC)	4 December 2015	D.C. Statehood Congressional Delegation	[18]
East Turkestan	11 February 1991	World Uyghur Congress	[19]
Gilgit Baltistan	20 September 2008	Gilgit Baltistan United Movement	[20]
Guam	31 July 2020	Government of Guam	[21][22]
Haratin	18 September 2011	Initiative de Résurgence du Mouvement Abolitionniste en Mauritanie	[23]
Hmong	2 February 2007	Congress of World Hmong People	[24]
Ijaw	29 October 2025	Ijaw National Congress	[25]
Iranian Kurds	2 February 2007	Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan	[26]
Kabylia	6 June 2017	MAK-Anavad	[27]
Khmer Krom	15 July 2001	Khmers Kampuchea-Krom Federation	[28]
Nagalim	23 January 1993	National Socialist Council of Nagalim	[29]
Niger Delta	1 June 2023	Niger Delta Peoples Movement	[30]
Ogaden	6 February 2010	Ogaden National Liberation Front	[31]
Ogoni	19 January 1993	Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People	[32]
Oromo	19 December 2004	Oromo Liberation Front	[33]
Sindhis	19 January 2002	World Sindhi Congress	[34]
Somaliland*	19 December 2004	Government of Somaliland	[35]
South Moluccas	6 August 1991	Republic of South Moluccas	[36]
Southern Azerbaijanis	2 February 2007	South Azerbaijan Democratic Party	[37]
Southern Mongolians	2 February 2007	Southern Mongolian Human Rights Information Center	[38]
Taiwan*	11 February 1991		[39]
Tibet	11 February 1991	Central Tibetan Administration	[40]
West Balochistan	26 June 2005	Balochistan People's Party	[41]
Western Togolanders	2017	Homeland Study Group Foundation	[42]
West Papuans	11 February 1991	West Papua Human Rights Center	[43][44]
Zambesia	31 July 2020	Movement for the Survival of the River Races of Zambesia	[21][22]

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In May 2025, the UNPO launched the Peoples’ Friends initiative as a formal framework to expand its global network of solidarity and collaborative action. The programme is invitation-based and designed to include communities, diaspora networks, former UNPO members, and civil society organisations that align with UNPO’s mission of defending self-determination, human rights, and democratic participation but are not full members of the organisation. Peoples’ Friends do not hold voting rights in UNPO governance structures nor have access to all the internal resources available to full members. However, they are invited to take part in joint advocacy campaigns, shared dialogue, international visibility efforts, and select policy briefings, contributing perspectives on peace, justice, and rights. Participation is based on alignment with UNPO’s core principles rather than financial or political status, and there is no fee to join.^[45]

Some members of the UNPO have left because of United Nations (UN) recognition, autonomy agreements, or for other reasons.

Former UNPO members who became part of the UN are highlighted with a blue background and italics. Founding members (from 11 February 1991) are listed with pink background and in bold. Former members who are recognised as independent countries by at least 1 UN member or by other countries recognised by at least 1 UN member are marked by asterisk (*). Suspended members are marked by a yellow background.^[46]

More information Former member, Date joined ...

Former member	Date joined	Date withdrew	Note	Ref
Abkhazians*	6 August 1991	2020	Represented by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Abkhazia	[47]
Aboriginals of Australia	11 February 1991	7 July 2012	Represented by National Committee to Defend Black Rights	[48]
Albanians in North Macedonia	16 April 1994	1 March 2008	Reached agreement on wider rights with North Macedonia in 2001	[49]
Amazigh	28 November 2014	26 November 2016	Represented by World Amazigh Congress	[50]
Ambazonia	25 October 2006	7 June 2021	Represented by the Southern Cameroons National Council and Ambazonia Governing Council (from September 2018).	[51]
Armenia	11 February 1991	2 March 1992	Became member of the UN in 1992	[52]
Bashkortostan	3 February 1996	30 June 1998		[53]
Biafra			Represented by Biafra Independence Movement
Bougainville	6 August 1991	1 March 2008	Reached an agreement with Papua New Guinea in 2021 in which Bougainville will be independent by 2027.	[54]
Buffalo River Dene Nation	19 December 2004	9 October 2009
Burma	15 May 2008	13 February 2010	Represented by National Council of the Union of Burma. The Myanmar military junta was dissolved in 2011.	[55]
Buryatia	3 February 1996	13 February 2010	Represented by All-Buryat Association for the Development of Culture	[56]
Cabinda	17 April 1997	18 September 2011	Represented by the Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda	[57]
Chechen Republic of Ichkeria*	6 August 1991	10 September 2010	Government-in-exile in London.	[58]
Chin	15 July 2001	26 November 2016	Represented by Chin National Front	[59]
Chuvash	17 January 1993	1 March 2008	Represented by the Chuvash National Congress	[60]
Circassia	16 April 1994	6 November 2015	Represented by International Circassian Association	[61]
Cordillera	11 February 1991	6 November 2015	Represented by Cordillera Peoples' Alliance	[62]
Degar-Montagnards	14 November 2003	29 April 2016	Represented by Montagnard Foundation, Inc.	[63]
East Timor	17 January 1993	27 September 2002	Became member of the UN in 2002	[64]
Estonia	11 February 1991	17 September 1991	Became member of the UN in 1991	[65]
Gagauzia	16 April 1994	1 December 2007	Reached autonomy agreement with Moldova in 1994	[66]
Georgia	11 February 1991	31 July 1992	Became member of the UN in 1992	[67]
Republic of Northern Epirus	11 February 1991	7 July 2012	Represented by Omonoia	[68]
Hungarian minority in Romania	30 July 1994	2015	Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania	[69]
Ingushetia	30 July 1994	1 March 2008		[70]
Inkeri	17 January 1993	9 October 2009		[71]
Iraqi Kurdistan	11 February 1991	1 July 2015	Represented by Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iraq and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan	[72]
Iraqi Turkmen	6 August 1991	27 November 2016	Represented by Iraqi Turkmen Front, Turkmen Nationalist Movement, Turkmen Wafa Movement, and Islamic Union of Iraqi Turkmens	[73]
Kalahui Hawaii	3 August 1993	7 July 2012	Represented by Ka Lahui Hawaii	[74]
Karenni State	19 January 1993	7 July 2012	Represented by Karenni National Progressive Party[failed verification]	[75]
Khalistan	24 January 1993[76]	4 August 1993	Membership suspended on 4 August 1993 and suspension made permanent 22 January 1995.[77]	[78]
Komi	17 January 1993	9 October 2009		[79]
Kosovo*	6 August 1991	24 March 2018	Represented by Democratic League of Kosovo	[80]
Kumyk	17 April 1997	1 March 2008		[81]
Lakota Nation	30 July 1994	1 December 2007	Followed by the declaration of the Republic of Lakotah	[82]
Latin American Indigenous Peoples (Project)	2016			[83]
Latvia	11 February 1991	17 September 1991	Became member of the UN in 1991	[84]
Lezghin	7 July 2012	30 October 2023	Federal Lezgian National and Cultural Autonomy	[85]
Maasai	19 December 2004	7 July 2012	Represented by Maasai Women for Education and Economic Development	[86]
Maohi	30 July 1994	1 December 2007	Represented by Hiti Tau	[87]
Madhesh	14 October 2017	30 October 2023	Represented by Alliance for Independent Madhesh	[88]
Mapuche	19 January 1993	26 April 2016	Represented by Mapuche Inter-Regional Council	[89]
Mari	6 August 1991	9 October 2009		[90]
Mon	3 February 1996	7 July 2012	Represented by Mon Unity League	[91]
Moro	26 September 2010	28 November 2014	Represented by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, autonomy and peace deal with the government in 2014	[92]
Nahua Del Alto Balsas	19 December 2004	20 September 2008		[93]
Nuxalk Nation	23 September 1998	1 March 2008		[94]
Palau (Belau)	11 February 1991	15 December 1994	Became member of the UN in 1994	[95]
Rusyn	23 September 1998	1 December 2007		[96]
Sakha	3 August 1993	30 June 1998		[97]
Sanjak	17 January 1993	18 September 2011	Represented by the Bosnian National Council of Sanjak	[98]
Savoy	29 June 2014	30 October 2023		[99]
Scania (Skåneland)	19 January 1993	18 September 2011	Membership suspended on 18 September 2011.[100]	[101]
Rehoboth Basters	2 February 2007	December 2019[102]	Represented by Captains Council
Shan	17 April 1997	6 February 2010		[103]
South Arabia	29 April 2016		Represented by the Southern Democratic Assembly for Self-Determination for South Arabia's People	[104]
Sulu	5 January 2015	30 October 2023	Sulu Foundation of Nine Ethnic Tribes	[105]
Talysh	15 July 2014		National Talysh Movement	[106]
Tatarstan	11 February 1991	1 March 2008		[107]
Trieste (Free Territory of Trieste)	28 December 2014		Represented by TRIEST NGO	[108]
Tsimshian	2 February 2007	18 September 2011		[109]
Tuva	3 February 1996	13 February 2010		[110]
Udmurt	17 January 1993	6 July 2013	Represented by Udmurt Council	[111]
Vhavenda	14 November 2003	1 July 2015	Represented by Dabalorivhuwa Patriotic Front	[112]
Yoruba	31 July 2020	January 2026	Represented by Yoruba World Congress
Zanzibar	6 August 1991	1 July 2015	Represented by Zanzibar Democratic Alternative, in cooperation with the Civic United Front	[113]

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UNPO is governed by:

General Assembly

The highest decision-making body is the General Assembly, composed of representatives from all member communities. The Assembly meets at least once every twelve months in a regular session. During its biennial sessions, the Assembly elects UNPO’s President, two Vice-Presidents, and a Treasurer, who serve two-year terms. It also approves the participation of observers and determines their rights and duties by simple majority. Financial oversight is a central responsibility of the Assembly. Each year it examines and approves the organisation’s financial report and budget, drafted by the General Secretary in collaboration with the Treasurer. Every two years, the Assembly reviews comprehensive reports submitted by the General Secretary and the Presidency, and adopts general resolutions outlining their mandates for the following term.

Presidency Board

The Presidency acts as UNPO’s executive and supervisory authority between meetings of the Assembly. It consists of the President, two Vice-Presidents, the Treasurer, and seven additional members, each representing a different UNPO member community. All presidency members are elected for a two-year term. It is responsible for supervising the implementation of the policies and strategic directions set by the Assembly. It also represents the Assembly and works closely with the General Secretary to oversee and guide the organization’s activities.

Secretariat

The Secretariat is responsible for the organization’s administrative, operational, and programmatic work. It is led by the General Secretary, who serves as Executive Director. The General Secretary is not required to belong to a nation or people represented within UNPO and serves at the pleasure of the Assembly upon recommendation of the Presidency.

The General Secretary’s responsibilities include directing day-to-day operations, representing the organization in routine activities, managing financial accounts under the Treasurer’s supervision, and preparing annual reports of the membership. These reports contain information on membership representation, the composition of the Presidency, financial status, organizational activities, and any amendments to the Covenant. The General Secretary also prepares strategic and work plans for upcoming terms, manages the organization’s financial affairs, and provides reports to both the Presidency and the Assembly.

Secretaries general^[114]

More information Name, Term ...

Name	Term
Michael van Walt van Praag [nl] (Netherlands)	1991–1998
Tsering Jampa [fr] (Tibet)	1997–1998
Helen S. Corbett (Australian Aboriginals)	1998–1999
Erkin Alptekin (Uyghurs)	1999–2003
Marino Busdachin (Italy)	2003–2018
Ralph J. Bunche III (USA)	2018–2023
Mercè Monje Cano (Catalonia)	2023–current

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Chair/Presidents of the General Assembly

• Linnart Mäll – (Estonia) 1991–1993
• Erkin Alptekin – (Uyghurs) 1993–1997
• Seif Sharif Hamad – (Zanzibar) 1997–2001
• John J. Nimrod – (Assyrians) 2001–2005
• Göran Hansson – (Scania) 2005–2006
• Ledum Mitee – (Ogoni) 2006–2010
• Ngawang Choephel Drakmargyapon – (Tibet) 2010–2015
• Nasser Boladai – (West Balochistan) 2015–2022
• Edna Adan Ismail - (Somaliland) since 2022
• Rubina Greenwood - (Sindh) 2024-Current

Special Executive Director

• Karl Habsburg-Lothringen – (Austria) 19 January 2002 – 31 December 2002
• Mercè Monje Cano – (Catalonia) 1 October 2021 – 2023 (interim secretary general in 2023 ratified in May 2024)

• Federal Union of European Nationalities
• Micronation
• League for Small and Subject Nationalities
• United Nations list of non-self-governing territories
• Universal Declaration of the Rights of Peoples
• List of active separatist movements recognized by intergovernmental organizations
• European Free Alliance
• Free Nations of Post-Russia Forum
• Stateless nation
• High-Level Week of the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly 2025