This EGM is organized annually by the Indigenous Peoples in Development Branch within the Division of Inclusive Social Development of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA). The theme of the 2019 EGM is, 'Conservation and the rights of indigenous peoples,' as recommended by the 2018 session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (PFII).

The concept note indicates that 80% of the planet's biodiversity is located on land area occupied, owned or managed by indigenous peoples, and an estimated 50% of protected areas worldwide are on lands of indigenous peoples.

The Expert Group Meeting will aim to: take stock of the impacts and challenges of conservation; share good practices of conservation interventions in realizing the rights of indigenous peoples, in particular their rights to land and housing; identify gaps in current practices, standards and policies of conservation with respect to the rights of indigenous peoples, in particular their rights to land and housing; and propose recommendations and next steps to ensure the rights of indigenous peoples in conservation contexts.