The Participation of Arctic Indigenous Peoples’ Organizations in the Arctic Council and Beyond

The purpose of this chapter is to examine the participation of Arctic Indigenous peoples’ organizations (IPOs) in the policy and law making of Arctic governance. By focusing on the importance of the status of Permanent Participants in the Arctic Council, the chapter describes how Arctic IPOs have cemented their unique status as non-state actors in the Arctic Council and also emerged as important players in the development of Arctic policy outside this forum. Although there remain important challenges that still limit the influence of Arctic IPOs, their contribution in shaping Arctic policy has helped over the years to integrate and acknowledge the values and rights of Indigenous peoples in the governance of the Arctic. In this chapter, the Sámi Council and Inuit Circumpolar Council are also singled out to illustrate their specific role in this context.