A/75/185 intermediaries to broadcast prevention messages. 43 In Argentina and Paraguay, the Government broadcast messages related to COVID-19 in indigenous languages via a radio station that reaches remote communities and via WhatsApp. 44 In India, village councils and elders, including indigenous women, translated and helped disseminate information on COVID-19 in indigenous languages. 45 In the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, assistance in the Hmong language has been available since May 2020 through the national COVID hotline as part of broader efforts by governmen tal bodies to ensure access to accurate information on COVID-19 and protective measures in different indigenous languages, including through two -way communication between the health authorities and local communities. Exposure to the virus in detention 30. Indigenous peoples are commonly overrepresented in prison and other places of detention, 46 placing them at greater risk where States do not fulfil their responsibilities to maintain physical distancing or other control measures. Transparent protocols a nd culturally adapted protection measures are required, and take on particular importance in places where indigenous peoples comprise a majority or significant portion of inmates. 47 Indigenous peoples also make up a large proportion of migrants and reports indicate that, in some receiving countries, indigenous peoples have been disproportionately exposed to the virus while in administrative detention. 48 31. In all situations of deprivation of liberty, States should consider release and alternatives to detention to mitigate the risk of harm within places of detention, including for persons who have committed minor, petty and non-violent offences, those with imminent release dates, those in immigration detention, those detained because of their migration status, people with underlying health conditions and those in pretrial or administrative detention. 49 Lack of data 32. Health disparities between indigenous peoples and non-indigenous populations is a global reality that requires further research. COVID infections and deaths among indigenous peoples is being tracked by some States, but globally such efforts remain the exception. Lack of disaggregated data relative to indigenous experiences means such peoples continue to be invisible in the consciousness of majority populations and are likely to be left behind in prevention and care programmes and in the provision of other socioeconomic support. 33. The Special Rapporteur acknowledges the challenges linked to accurately collecting such data, in particular in remote areas, in contexts where testing capacities are limited or where communities distrust the Government or wish to assert exclusive ownership of such information. 50 Some indigenous communities have collected data themselves, which were not reflected or only partially reflected in national periodic COVID reports. 51 Cooperation and exchange of information between Govern ments acting in good faith and indigenous communities are essential to develop adapted __________________ 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 20-09737 Submission by Mexico. Submissions by Argentina (Defensoría del Pueblo de la Nación) and Paraguay. Joint submission by the Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development and partners. See A/HRC/42/37, paras. 45–46. Joint submission by National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Legal Services and partners. Submission by Contacto Ancestral. OHCHR, “COVID guidance”, available at https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/ COVID19Guidance.aspx. Submission by Chiefs of Ontario and the National Congress of American Indians. Submission of the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, the working group on indigenous health of the Brazilian Association of Public Health and the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs. 11/27